Dean's Community Message

August 14, 2020

Dear College of Engineering Community,

Congratulations to the Penn State engineers graduating tomorrow! We are proud of you, and we look forward to celebrating in person one day. For now, we will laud your accomplishments virtually. Visit the Summer 2020 Commencement page to learn more.

As one class graduates, another matriculates. The weekend before move-in always feels like the “beginning of the end” of summer, despite the temperature and sunshine of the moment. It signals the new academic year, and it is generally filled with excitement for what the semester will bring — the welcoming of new students from around the globe and the “final push” for the seniors graduating in December, May, and even next August.

This year, unfortunately, it also carries apprehension. Campus will look different this semester, and campus life will be different from previous years. Many classes will be online, and in-person classes are smaller with new sanitation regulations and far less intimacy. Most staff will work from home. The typical buzz of fairs and events and reconnecting with friends and colleagues will be limited to Zoom calls.

And yet I am still excited for a new academic year. We are coming together, albeit virtually in many cases, to be a thriving Penn State community once again. Our community has always been strong, and, through that strength, we are persevering. We are engineering solutions to keep our community safe and happy, on and off campus. We are finding ways to keep our educational mission on track, enabling the students amongst you to continue to advance your educational and career goals. We’re finding ways to keep research thriving at Penn State; this past academic year we shattered our College’s record for new research awards, which means this year, and in coming years we will shatter our records for research results!

That brings me to today’s inspirational quote, submitted by Robin Tate, Director of Professional Programs Outreach in SEDTAPP:

“Life is a balance of holding on and letting go.”
—Rumi

The 13th-century poet (one of my personal favorites) knew what he was talking about. We must let go of some of what we expect from our typical Penn State experience — I, for one, will miss the plethora of informal interactions I normally have during the day with students, faculty, and staff. As we let go of the things that will one day return, we must also hold tightly to the things we can always keep: Penn State, at its heart, is a community of people who deeply care for one another. We are in this together. Wear your masks. Wash your hands. Maintain social distance. Help keep your community safe. Reach out to friends and colleagues just to say hello. Stay connected.

As always, remember you can send your questions and concerns to us at L-COE_CORONA_CRISIS_TEAM@engr.psu.edu.

Today’s updates:

Virtual Commencement

Join us live on Saturday, August 15, 2020, at 2:00 EDT, as we celebrate the accomplishments of the Class of 2020 at the Summer 2020 Penn State Commencement Ceremony. This virtual ceremony provides a timely celebration to mark the completion of the academic experience for more than 2,500 Penn Staters graduating this summer. The University is also committed to having graduates and their families return for in-person celebrations when public health guidelines allow.

PPE Distribution

Every student, faculty, and staff member will receive two reusable cloth masks, but individuals must wear their own mask on campus when picking up their PPE. Students living on campus will receive their masks from Residence Life when they arrive. Off-campus students who do not receive masks through their property owner or a Greek-life organization will have the opportunity to pick up their masks using their Penn State ID at tables in front of the Allen Street gates and at the HUB-Robeson Center. Staff and faculty should contact their unit for instructions on collecting their PPE. The University produced this video on how PPE should be used on campus, especially in labs and classrooms.

Penn State Go: COVID-19 Symptom Checker

The Penn State Go app now has a COVID-19 Symptom Checker available for students and faculty/staff. All community members are strongly urged to monitor their symptoms before returning to campus and daily throughout the semester before attending class or on-campus work. The symptom checker does not collect or store identifiable information or data, and users do not have to log in to access it. Penn State will only use and share anonymized, aggregated survey responses for trend analysis — for example, information that indicates a rise in symptoms at a particular campus.

Upcoming Workshop on Classroom Technology for FA20

The Leonhard Center and the Office for Digital Learning will offer a workshop on classroom technology for in-person and mixed mode teaching on Tuesday, Aug. 18. Registration is required.

Teaching Tip #34 – See classroom demonstrations

These short videos demonstrate what classes will be like in several of the fall 2020 instructional modes: Mixed Mode and Remote Synchronous. See more information about classrooms at the Office for Digital Learning Remote Teaching website.

Take care!

Justin Schwartz
Harold and Inge Marcus Dean, College of Engineering