Paterno Fellows Podcast

As we approach finals, it is important to remember to balance your mental health with your studies to perform at your best next week. Today Nicole talks with fellow PFP students about how they manage stress and prioritize their mental health. This is a special episode accompanying some PFP events to help you destress this week.

A conversation about leadership, learning, and the power of the liberal arts. In a special episode of the Paterno Fellows Podcast, Sue Paterno reflects on the program’s founding, the value of a liberal arts education, and what it means to lead with purpose. From the importance of reading and critical thinking to supporting others and prioritizing mental health, Sue shares insights shaped by decades of impact at Penn State and in the broader community. Listen now to hear why “leaders are made” and how the liberal arts help make them.

This week we talk to the winners of the Collegiate Laws of Life Essay Competition Max Settembre, James Applegrijn, and Cecilia Keys about their work and what inspired it.

This week we join Devon, Dylan, and Reece as the discuss the merits of AI in education and methods to use it responsibly. Tune in this week to get a our perspective on this controversial issue.

This week we join Devon Winters and Anna Peterson as they discuss the seminal philosophical work on love and human nature: Plato's Symposium. Not only are there fascinating insights into the complex arguments contained within, but also historical analysis that provides new perspectives on an old argument.

This week we talk with Greg Nolan, the Director of LA Academic Advising, and Linnet Brooks, the PFP Administrative Assistant, about the Paterno Fellows Program and how to stay on track with courses and other PFP requirements. Greg and Linnet share inside tips from years of experience aiding students that are both interesting and insightful. Don't miss the advice, opportunities, and loopholes in this episode.

With Valentine's right around the corner, we wanted to take this opportunity for a special episode in conjunction with the College of Liberal Arts and talk about why we love the liberal arts. We hear from some influential and involved students about the organizations they represent and what makes our community of scholars so unique.

This week, we talk to the new director of the Paterno Fellows Program, Dr Salzer, about her journey to her current position and how this has shaped her outlook on life. Don't miss the interesting tidbits of medieval monastic history and insights into Dr Salzer and the future of the program.

Welcome to all our new and returning listeners! After a hiatus and some restructuring, the podcast is back better than ever. In this episode, we cover where we've been, where we are, and where we are going. Please enjoy.

Here is Part II of Nathanael's tree tour with landscape architect Derek Kalp. Tune in to learn more about the trees of Penn State, the role they play on campus, their connection to school history, and more!

Spring is around the corner and, before you know it, trees will be blooming. This is the perfect time to learn more about the trees of Penn State, the role they play on campus, their connection to school history, and more. Tune in to our latest episode, as podcaster Nathanael takes a tree tour of Penn State with landscape architect Derek Kalp!

This episode marks the first in a new mini-series of podcast episodes: host Reece Chanslor visits our campus museums and archives! For this debut, Reece visits the fashion archive in the Theater Building. Listen to this lively interview, where we learn about the history of the archive, the details of fashion design, and get some hot takes on high fashion. All this and more!

Learn about Penn State Language Tutors: how to become one, how to access one if you need one ... and get some encouragement to finally hunker down and learn that language you want to learn!

The Paterno Fellows Podcast is back! For this episode, hosts Audrey and Amalia catch up with our 2024 Laws of Life essay contest winners. Tune in to hear our fascinating discussion about redefining equality under the law!

Join podcaster Max Rossum on a guided tour of the Penn State arboretum!

Join Max, Amalia, Audrey, and Natalie on a discussion about the impact of social media on the student experience. Students address hot-button topics like the connection between social media and mental health, the presence of children on social media, and the importance of staying present in a world of distraction. Tune in for an episode with something for everyone!

After a brief hiatus, the Paterno Fellows Podcast is back with a familiar voice and an infusion of youth! Join longtime host Emma Suzuki and the new podcasters for a series of introductions. You can expect new content every other week right here!

Kate Howarth sits down with Bradford Vivian to discuss Campus Misinformation, his latest book.

Paterno Fellows Podcaster Emma Suzuki interviews members of the Lion Ambassadors to learn more about the functions of this central campus organization.

Recently, Emma visited the Center for Gender and Sexual Diversity on campus. She spoke with several students to hear their thoughts about LGBTQ+ life at Penn State and reflected on her own experiences as well. A must-listen for all those with an interest in gender and sexual diversity at Penn State!

Kate Howarth sits down with recent graduate Esha Pathak to talk about some problems international students face after graduation and the advocacy work she did to help Penn State Economics majors.

Emma Suzuki Szwajkowski talks with graduating Paterno Fellow, Steven Zhang, who reflects on his time in the program. Learn how the Paterno Fellows Program helped him, what advice he has for prospective Paterno Fellows, the transformational courses and experiences he has taken because of the Paterno Fellows Program, pointers on thesis writing, and much more!

Host Ladin Suliman speaks with owners and managers of downtown State College businesses Appalachian Outdoors, W.C. Clarke's Cheese Shoppe, and India Pavilion, to get their takes on the changing economic landscape of the area. Learn about how these businesses have survived the turmoil of the pandemic, how they manage a constantly changing customer base, and what they see for the future of State College.

In this episode, host Ladin Suliman talks about study abroad experiences with Susan Knell from the Career Enrichment Network, along with students Srishti Ponnala, Charles Ryan, and Ezra Gershanok. We learn more about the application process, hear what makes study abroad so much fun, and even get some secret tips about writing successful applications. Join us for an essential discussion relevant to all Paterno Fellows!

Paterno Fellow Nick Malizia joins hosts Ladin Suliman and Erin Flannery to talk about his semester hiking the Appalachian Trail. Join us for a conversation about his creative senior thesis idea, learn how his experience has dismantled stereotypes about northern and southern culture, and hear about how he's managing the physical toll of the hike. All this and much more in this wide-ranging episode!

Hosts Kate Howarth and Emma Suzuki Szwajkowski sit down with Catherine Wanner, Professor of History, Anthropology, and Religious Studies, expert on Ukraine, and former director of the Paterno Fellows Program! Don't miss this timely, in-depth discussion on the current state of the war, what led Ukraine to this point, and what comes next for the conflict, the country, and the region as a whole.

Ladin Suliman hosts Collegiate Laws of Life Essay Contest winners Michael Mitole and Lorin Harris for a fascinating exploration of university education. Topics include the meaning of university education, reflection on transformative experiences gained there, and much, much more.

Host Emma Suzuki Szwajkowski has a conversation with Thomas Yonke, Warren Sipe, and Shreya Bibra of the Nittany Lion Fund and their experiences with their leadership roles in the organization. Learn more about this impressive student-run hedge fund, Thomas, Warren, and Shreya's aspirations after college, advice to incoming and new Nittany Lion Fund members, and so much more!

Ladin Suliman hosts Jeffrey Hayes, Professor of Education; Baron Rogers, Staff Psychologist, Counseling and Psychological Services; and students Emma Suzuki Szwajkowski and Kiki Baez for a discussion about mental health on college campuses. Which majors are most associated with mental health issues? Least associated? What should we do with the expectations society places on college students? What role does identity play in mental health? Join us for answers to these questions and more.

Things get deep in this episode of the podcast! Ladin Suliman hosts Paterno Fellow Harry Brennan for a conversation about his Students Teaching Students class which introduces undergraduates to the thought of Deleuze and Guattari. We learn more about the STS program, Harry's goal of becoming a philosophy professor, and much more besides. Join us for a thought-provoking discussion!

Emma Suzuki Szwajkowski sits down with first-generation student Haley Parker and Director of the Chaiken Center for Student Success, Patty Klug. Topics range from Haley's inspiring route to Penn State and goals for her time at Penn State to the self-identity of first-generation students and where they can go to get a sense of the resources available to them. Don't miss it!

Host Ladin Suliman speaks with Jeremy Engels, Professor of Communication Arts and Sciences and Barry Director of the Paterno Fellows Program. Jeremy shares personal stories about the meaning of honors programs, the value of college, and the importance of pursuing opportunities available to students. Join them for an inspiring conversation about undergraduate life!

Hosts Emma Suzuki Szwajkowski and Ladin Suliman talk with Sophia McClennen, professor of international affairs and comparative literature at Penn State. She is an accomplished writer on the topic of political satire as well as the founding director of the Center for Global Studies. They discuss the meaning and importance of political satire as well as how her upbringing and cultural background have influenced her interests today.

Winners of this year’s Collegiate Laws of Life Essay Contest join host Erin Flannery to discuss the essay prompt, "What is the purpose of a university?" Students shared their insights and things got heated! Join us for an impassioned conversation about the place of the university in society, the role activism has played in shaping it, and the challenges it faces in the twenty-first century.Essay contest winners: Ezra Gershanok (first place), Taran Samarth (second place), Carley Anne Palkon (third place), Nicole D’Amico (honorable mention), and Elijah St. Pierre (honorable mention)

Host Ladin Suliman sits down with Simon Haeder, Assistant Professor of Public Policy, for a conversation as broad-ranging as Prof. Haeder's research interests! Simon and Ladin discuss the meaning of academia, COVID-19 mandates, the difference between people who are vaccine hesitant and vaccine resistant, and much more.