Frank Jackson, 2020 Fellowship Recipient

Growing up with a father who was an educator at Strawberry Mansion high school, notorious for being one of the most underserved high schools in the country, Frank Jackson, a student in the Master of Applied Positive Psychology program, never imagined that he would be drawn to being an educator; however, upon completing his undergraduate degree in journalism at Texas Christian University, he joined Teach For America because he says he was “drawn by its mission of equity.” Frank was no stranger to inequity, for in contrast to the un

Challenge accepted: Penn’s Master of Environmental Studies takes the field with creative solutions

Pivoting to online classes to keep students safe during the COVID-19 pandemic introduced challenges—but also opportunities. Our innovative LPS community discovered new ways to stay connected.

Penn’s Master of Environmental Studies (MES) emphasizes hands-on, practical experience as well as academic rigor, so the stay-at-home orders in spring 2020 had a different impact on students planning to pursue internships and research in the field. Even so, the faculty and program team were well-equipped to make the transition to remote learning.

2021 College of Liberal and Professional Studies Commencement Announcement

Dear students, faculty, and staff,

Following the University announcement about this year’s commencement ceremony, the College of Liberal and Professional Studies is pleased to announce that we will again host a virtual celebration to honor our graduates. While we cannot gather in person this May, we want all of our graduating students to be able to celebrate their accomplishments with family, friends, and loved ones. 

Fels student Ashley Session wins at this year’s Penn Grad Talks

Penn Grad Talks (formerly known as Grad Ben Talks) features TED Talk-style presentations by Penn Arts and Sciences graduate students, including five this year from LPS professional master’s programs. Penn Grad Talks went virtual in 2021 and announced Ashley Session, a Fels Master of Public Administration student, as the professional master’s program category winner.

The LPS student presentations included:

Seeing the world though a pandemic lens

Looking for ways to persevere through the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, many have turned to positive psychology—and the aspect of resilience—for hope. Even Karen Reivich, director of resilience and positive psychology programs through Penn’s Positive Psychology Center and instructor in the College of Liberal and Professional Studies’ Master of Applied Positive Psychology program, needed a boost.

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