ABINGTON, Pa -- Linda Patterson Miller, the 2011-12 Penn State laureate and professor of English at Penn State Abington, is sharing her thoughts and observations of her laureate experience as she journeys across the Commonwealth aiming to engage people in the beauty of the humanities; specifically early 20th-century American literature and art. "Literary Landings" is a travelogue scheduled to appear periodically during the fall 2011 and spring 2012 semesters on Penn State Live and in Penn State Newswires. "In the Chapel of Art" Miller reflects on an encounter with three Hemingway aficionados and addresses a question she is often asked: "Why Hemingway?" In video link http://bit.ly/nVOzuO see Miller as she provides some background for understanding the transformative power of Hemingway's art.
Discover and celebrate the extraordinary talent beyond the classroom at the Penn State Abington faculty art exhibit, beginning Oct. 17 in the campus' Woodland Gallery.
Karen Halnon, associate professor of sociology at Penn State Abington, never thought a student trying to wrangle extra credit would inspire a moniker for her film discussion series. But as she talked to the young man, he mentioned that sociology challenged him to "think outside the box."
The panelists laughed, joked and were clearly passionate about their profession. They stressed the importance of interpersonal skills, entrepreneurship and versatility. But the words debit and credit were never uttered, so it may be surprising that the dynamic career they were championing was accounting.
Dan Choi asked the Penn State Abington students to return with him to the so-called Triangle of Death near Baghdad, Iraq. The year is 2007.
Occasionally breaking into Arabic to set the scene, Choi described tribal reconciliation meetings he moderated as an Army lieutenant. His mission: to convince rival sects to abolish concealment, the denial of their faith by minority Muslims to preserve their jobs, homes, families and sometimes their lives.
But even as Choi encouraged Iraqi Muslims to embrace the concept of equal access for all, the West Point graduate was practicing concealment himself. His beloved career as an Arabic linguist only continued because of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," the U.S. policy that prevented homosexuals from serving openly in the military.
William Cromar, art lecturer at Penn State Abington, was in high profile in Philadelphia last week during the opening reception of the Art in City Hall juried exhibition, "Following the Line." Two of his works in wood, ink and wax are on display in the choice position outside the highly trafficked area of the Office of the Chief Clerk. Art in City Hall exhibitions showcase contemporary artwork by professional and emerging Philadelphia artists. Cromar is one of 27 artists whose work in "Following the Line" can be viewed until Dec. 2. For more information on Art in City Hall visit http://www.phila.gov/artincityhall/ online.
The first installment of the Greater Philadelphia Innovation Cluster (GPIC) annual seminar series, titled "Innovation in Energy Efficient Buildings," will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. on Nov. 9 on the third floor of Navy Yard Building 101, located at 4747 South Broad Street in Philadelphia. The seminar is co-hosted by design firm HOK and explores their award-winning building design. The seminar is free, but registration is required; the event is registered for LEED and AIA continuing education credits.
Penn State Abington faculty, staff and students are invited to offer their input as the University drafts its first strategic plan for sustainability. Please join us for a town hall meeting with representatives from the University Sustainability Council on Tuesday, Nov. 8, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Penn State Abington, Room 8, Sutherland Building.
You could almost hear the opening trumpet notes of the Rocky theme emanating from eight German college students who visited Philadelphia last week. It could have been related to the "title fight" they were about to wage in the Penn State Abington International Business Case Competition, but more likely it was connected to the item at the top of their bucket list, scaling the iconic steps at the Philadelphia Art Museum.
Several events have been announced as part of Penn State Abington's Cultural Arts Series in November, including the screening of a film on Nov. 11, a performance by the Old York Road Symphony on Nov. 18, and a talk by a Meadowbrook Farm gardening expert on Nov. 20.