Dean's Community Message

December 1, 2020

Dear College of Engineering Community,

I hope you had a chance to truly unplug and relax over the Thanksgiving break, and I hope you had a productive start to the first week of fully remote teaching and learning. As a reminder, Penn State has provided a number of resources for remote learning, teaching, and working; health and wellness; and staying connected. Most importantly, remember to continue to wear a mask, avoid gatherings, and practice social distancing.

Today’s inspirational quote was submitted by Nita Woodbridge, administrative support for academic integrity in the College of Engineering:

“You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn how to surf.”
—Jon Kabat-Zinn

Here are today’s updates:

Call for Reflections on Fall 2020

As I noted previously, I hope everyone had a chance to recharge and reflect during the break. This semester — similar to the spring — has challenged us in more ways than one. The College of Engineering and its community is constantly looking for ways to adapt and improve in order to make our students, faculty, and staff more successful. I encourage you to share your reflections on the fall semester and the lessons you have learned so far. Feel free to share those reflections with me directly at dean@engr.psu.edu. I will plan to share some in future community messages.

#GivingTuesday at Penn State

Today is Penn State’s sixth annual #GivingTuesday. On this day of giving, the University invites alumni, friends, fans, faculty, staff, and students to help make donations to one of the 125 campaigns that support scholarships, research, programs, and more. The College of Engineering is hosting four campaigns this year. More information can be found here.

Teaching Tip #61 – Transition to Remote Instruction

As classes transition to fully remote instruction for the rest of the fall 2020 semester, check the Keep Teaching site for a variety of resources on teaching remotely. If you have questions or need assistance, stop by the Office for Digital Learning drop in office hours daily from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. or contact us anytime.

Take care!

Justin Schwartz
Harold and Inge Marcus Dean, College of Engineering