Calendar at a Glance

Throughout the year, students, staff, and administrators within the Division of Undergraduate Studies accomplished notable goals, earned recognition for scholarly and academic achievements, and initiated projects and programming to benefit students as well as inform advising policies and practices at Penn State and beyond.

2014

October

• Galinova, Giannetti publish 'Advising International Chinese Students'
  • Division of Undergraduate Studies academic advisers Elena Galinova and Irma Giannetti authored a book titled “Advising International Chinese Students: Issues, Strategies and Practices” to educate the advising community about this special population and to contribute to discussions about related advising strategies and institutional reforms. [more]

December

• Heather Atkinson joins the Division of Undergraduate Studies staff

2015

January

• Joan Miller joins the Division of Undergraduate Studies staff

March

• Hilleary Himes earns NACADA Region 2 Outstanding Contribution to Scholarship award

April

• Karla di Pietro and Amy Gulbin earn the 2015 Division of Undergraduate Studies Award for Exploratory Students
  
• Rachel Wagner receives the 2015 Joyce Buck Division of Undergraduate Studies Award
• Sebastianelli, Seymour receive Excellence in Advising Award
  • Margaret A. Sebastianelli, senior undergraduate studies programs coordinator and director of student services in the College of Health and Human Development, and Beth Seymour, pre-major adviser and education abroad coordinator at Penn State Altoona, were selected as the recipients for the 2015 Penn State Excellence in Advising Award. [more]

May

• DUS announces 2015–2016 Leadership Council members
  • The following 2015–2016 Division of Undergraduate Studies Leadership Council members were selected from a competitive pool of rising-sophomore candidates: Bae Byungil, Anna Briarton, Alexa Fiorilla, Adair Fleming, Matthew Marano, Amanda Means, Brett Miller, Heather Peduzzi, Dan Snyder, Taylor St. Clair, Jackie Stasolla, Elli Tatsumi, and Lauren Thompson. Leadership Council members serve as DUS ambassadors, help to increase awareness of the exploratory educational experience, and develop their understanding of effective leadership skills.

June

• DUS launches website for exploratory students
  • The Division of Undergraduate Studies redesigned its website recently to help students explore majors and minors, relate their goals and interests to areas of study, and better understand the value and purpose of a college education. [more]

• Marion Schwartz, Ph.D., senior undergraduate studies adviser and programs coordinator for the College of Education, retires

August

• Jennifer Wu and Terrance Hudson join the Division of Undergraduate Studies staff
  
• International Student Ice Cream Social
  • As a welcome to the University, new first-year international students were invited to the Penn State Advising Ice Cream Social on Saturday, August 15, in front of Grange Building at University Park. Hosted by the Division of Undergraduate Studies, academic advisers from different colleges greeted students, answered questions, and helped to scoop Creamery ice cream for all.

September

• College Fair
  • All undergraduate students were invited to attend the annual College Fair on Tuesday, Sept. 1, in Findlay Commons, East Halls. Display tables organized by college offered information about different majors, along with free materials and giveaways. Staff provided answers to questions and offered details about how and when to meet with an academic adviser. [more]
• Rebekka Kuhn joins the Division of Undergraduate Studies staff

• Fourteenth Annual Professional Development Conference on Academic Advising
  • “Looking to the Future: The Importance of the Academic Adviser in Higher Education” was the theme of the fourteenth annual professional development conference on academic advising that took place Friday, Sept. 11, at the Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel on the University Park campus. [more]
• Study Smarter, Not Harder
  • In collaboration with the College of Science, DUS co-sponsored “Study Smarter, Not Harder” help sessions on Sept. 29 and Oct. 21 for students seeking improvement or clarity in processing information at the college level, preparing for exams, and meeting academic expectations.

• Sophomore Success Seminar

  • On Sept. 1 and Oct. 7, DUS advisers partnered with the Career Services Center to provide sophomores with guidance and information about 1) What to Do with Your Major, 2) Determining Your Major, and 3) Finding Internships and Relevant Experience. [more]

October

• Business Majors Night
  • The Division of Undergraduate Studies, in partnership with many academic colleges across University Park, hosted Penn State’s sixth annual Business Majors Night from 6:30-8:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 1, in 110 Business Building. [more]
• Jeffrey Gugino receives 2015 NACADA Outstanding Advising Certificate of Merit
  • During ceremonies at the 2015 National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) annual conference in Las Vegas, NV, Division of Undergraduate Studies senior undergraduate studies adviser and programs coordinator for the Smeal College of Business Jeff Gugino received an Outstanding Advising Certificate of Merit for his exemplary work with students. [more] 
• DUS Open House: Parents & Families Weekend
  • Parents, families, and students attended an open house in Grange Building from 10:00 a.m. to noon on Oct. 17 during Parents & Families Weekend to meet academic advisers and students from the DUS Leadership Council. Advisers answered questions about the Penn State experience and discussed how students work with advisers to choose and qualify for majors.
• DUS to Lead Starfish Enterprise Success Platform Implementation
  • During remarks to University administrators on Oct. 21, Executive Vice President and Provost Nicholas P. Jones introduced the Starfish® Enterprise Success Platform™, a Hobson, Inc., suite of advising tools selected by Penn State to integrate with LionPATH and replace current ISIS and eLion advising features that deliver advising notes, early progress reports, and online scheduling of advising appointments. An implementation team under the leadership of David Smith, associate dean for advising and executive director of the Division of Undergraduate Studies, will plan and deliver Starfish (to include its Early Alert, Connect, and Advising solutions) as it replaces eLion and college-hosted advising system tools and complements LionPATH’s Advisor Center. 
• Scheduling Basics for First-Year Students
  • On Oct. 30 and Nov. 2 and 3, DUS advisers offered step-by-step guidance and refresher tips to students with questions about scheduling their courses for spring semester. This support was provided on a drop-in basis in the commons areas of Pollock and Findlay residence areas.