College of the Liberal Arts

• Undergraduate
• Graduate
• Faculty and Staff
• Research
• Alumni

Overview

The College of the Liberal Arts and the Schreyer Honors College (SHC)have agreed to an innovative, landmark partnership that will offer significant benefits to Schreyer students who have Liberal Arts majors and that will invigorate undergraduate education in Liberal Arts for hundreds of students. In addition to extending the benefits of the Schreyer experience to a substantially larger number of outstanding students, the Schreyer-Liberal Arts partnership—the Paterno Fellows Program—is a unique melding of the Liberal Arts identity and Schreyer academic achievement. It challenges (and assists) students to the kind of high achievement, values, and integrity associated with the Paterno family name and the Schreyer Honors College.

Beginning in fall 2008, incoming Liberal Arts students are invited to select themselves into this enhanced, ambitious, and enriched educational experience with these key provisions:

• The Paterno Fellows program is available to all Liberal Arts students who are ambitious and dedicated enough to take up its challenges. Some Liberal Arts students will continue to be admitted to the SHC directly from high school. But now all Liberal Arts students who were not enrolled in the SHC upon admission, but who welcome a challenge, will be able to perform their way into this enhanced experience by virtue of their continuing Penn State accomplishments inside and outside the classroom. With coaching from faculty and encouragement from advisers and alumni, students will find themselves becoming more than they had imagined.
• Paterno Fellows will commit themselves to academic excellence in keeping with what is expected of Schreyer students: they must achieve and maintain a 3.4 minimum GPA; take a specified number of honors courses; and complete a capstone independent research or creative project.
• Paterno Fellows also agree to distinguish themselves in areas traditionally associated with the liberal arts identity by fulfilling commitments to ethics, service, and leadership; to excellence in communication; and to international and intercultural awareness that is associated with study abroad and foreign language ability. So that they make best use of elective and general education credits, they will be expected to finish a second major or a 24-credit minor.
• Paterno Fellows will receive $1,500–$2,500 from the College of the Liberal Arts toward meeting their research, study abroad, and internship aspirations; interact with alumni mentors; and build a portfolio of experiences that will influence employers, professional schools, and graduate schools.

The Paterno Fellows experience offers “equipment for living” in the best traditions of the liberal arts. It will prepare students for citizenship, for lifetime learning, and for the pleasures associated with the educated person. Fellows will typically be admitted to the Schreyer Honors College after the freshman or sophomore year, their accomplishment will be acknowledged at graduation and on the diploma, and their achievements will be valuable features of their post-graduate résumés and application materials.

The Specific Responsibilities of Fellows

• Maintain at least a 3.4 GPA: This expected GPA, in keeping with guidelines for the Schreyer Honors College, reflects the consistent academic excellence to which Fellows must aspire.

• Complete a second major, in addition to their primary Liberal Arts major OR complete a minor with at least 24 credits: Fellows are expected to make the best use of elective and general education credits so that their achievements include substantial expertise in a second academic area.

• Complete a capstone, self-sponsored research, or creative project: Fellows should demonstrate the ability to make use of the special research and critical thinking methods associated with the humanities and social sciences.

• Complete a study abroad experience OR a credit-bearing internship (for at least 3 credits).

• Complete an ethics course, as well as a suitable and substantial leadership or service commitment: Fellows are expected to develop strong ethical principles and to give back to their community.

• Qualify for the Liberal Arts Communication Excellence certificate OR achieve 12th-credit-level proficiency in one (for BS students) or two foreign languages (for BA students).

• Complete a specified number of Liberal Arts honors courses (or certified honors equivalents) each year, within their major(s) or minor(s) or through general education: In keeping with Schreyer guidelines, Fellows should complete at least three honors courses in the freshman and sophomore years and at least fourteen credits in the final two years.

Specific Benefits to Fellows

• The most significant benefit to Paterno Fellows is the challenge it puts before students to undertake an ambitious course of study resulting in sustained and significant learning.

Transformative academic development in the liberal arts tradition is the hallmark benefit of the program: Fellows will graduate with in-depth academic credentials in at least two fields; develop ethical principles and leadership ability; and gain the ability to think critically, do independent research, communicate effectively, and demonstrate global and intercultural sophistication. While all Liberal Arts students gain such an education at Penn State, Fellows achieve an education of special ambition, depth, and distinction.

• Paterno Fellows will be admitted automatically to the Schreyer Honors College. When they graduate, they will be given prestigious acknowledgement as honors and Fellows graduates.

Fellows are admitted to the Schreyer after the freshman or sophomore year, depending on when they qualify. (Some students may be able to be admitted in the junior year if they are on schedule to meet Fellows expectations.)

• Financial support for enrichment activities

Paterno Fellows normally can expect to receive between $1,500 and $2,500 in enrichment support to enable their independent research, and/or study abroad, and/or internship.

• Special advising

Under the guidance of a small advisory board, a Liberal Arts Undergraduate Opportunity Center will provide academic advising to Paterno Fellows; ensure that students are meeting expectations in a timely way; administer applications for enrichment funds; and work with departments, Centers, and other university agencies to locate and create academic and co-curricular opportunities for students.

• Participation in a special academic community

The Opportunity Center will also generate ways for Fellows to participate in special seminars and presentations by visiting lecturers, arts activities, off-campus expeditions, even social events that promote group identity and a sense of esprit de corps. When it is appropriate, Fellows can participate in the College mentor program, which provides one-on-one alumni guidance.