Search results for

Our work shapes so much of who we are, which is why our relationship to it matters for our overall wellness. In this episode of 12 Degrees, Dr. Jessica Henry, a teaching professor in Penn State’s College of Education and licensed mental health counselor, joins host Lindsey Whissel Fenton to talk about what it really means to be “career well.” Dr. Jess shares her framework for the Six P’s of Career Wellness and how they can help us find fulfillment at any stage of our professional journey.

From piles of unopened mail to digital subscriptions you forgot you were paying for, financial clutter can quietly drain your wallet and your mental energy. In this episode of 12 Degrees, Lindsey Whissel Fenton talks with Julie Heaton, director of the Penn State Sokolov-Miller Family Financial and Life Skills Center, to talk about how tidying up your financial life can bring relief, clarity, and even cash back in your pocket.

What if your strongest source of support was right outside your back door? In this episode of 12 Degrees, Lindsey Whissel Fenton talks with Penn State researcher Dr. Erica Husser about how everyday connections to nature shape identity, resilience, and emotional well-being. Drawing on Erica’s research interviews with older rural women, they explore nature as a quiet but powerful wellness tool. They also discuss the broader impacts of climate change on health, housing, and community care and why nurturing our relationship with the natural world is more urgent than ever.

It can be difficult to find time for service, but what if there was something you could do from your own backyard that had the potential to change the world? In this episode of 12 Degrees, Lindsey Whissel Fenton talks with Connie Schmotzer, coordinator of Penn State’s Pollinator Habitat Certification Program, about how caring for pollinators can be a simple, flexible way to give back. Connie explains how small choices like planting native flowers, rethinking pesticides, or even setting out a few logs can create ripple effects that strengthen ecosystems, food systems, and community well-being.

When we think about cultural identity, we often think about things like race, religion, or language. But what about neurodivergence? In this episode of 12 Degrees, Deshna Nagar talks with Cailyn Ann Teague, an autistic attorney and alumna of Penn State Law, about how autism shapes not just how she thinks but who she is. They explore what it means to see neurodivergence as a culture, not a condition, and how embracing that identity can be a strength in work, relationships, and everyday life.

This month, hear the “Vocalise-Waltz for Saxophone, Horn and Piano” by Paul Basler, featuring three PSU faculty members; The Penn State Philharmonic playing dances from “The Three-Cornered Hat” by Manuel de Falla; and pianist Timothy Shafer playing the Piano Sonata in C, Op. 1, No. 1 by Johannes Brahms.

In Performance at Penn State is a monthly hour-long program that showcases performances from Penn State's School of Music. This month, hear the Penn State Philharmonic in the “Academic Festival Overture” by Johannes Brahms; a Beethoven String Quartet from the Penns Woods Music Festival; and the Penn State Chamber Orchestra playing Claude Debussy’s “Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun,” as arranged by Arnold Schoenberg.

In Performance at Penn State is a monthly hour-long program that showcases performances from Penn State's School of Music. This month, from the Penns Woods Music Festival, we’ll hear the “Phantasy Quartet for Oboe and String Trio” by Benjamin Britten and the Symphony No. 1 by Charles Gounod and a performance by Penn State’s Oriana Singers.

In Performance at Penn State is a monthly hour-long program that showcases performances from Penn State's School of Music. This month, hear PSU faculty pianist Christopher Guzman playing Chopin in recital; Franz Schubert’s Symphony No. 5 in B-flat, from the Penns Woods Music Festival; and a prelude and fugue by Bach arranged by Mozart played with period performance practices by members of the Penn State Baroque Ensemble.

In Performance at Penn State is a monthly hour-long program that showcases performances from Penn State's School of Music. This month, hear a violin sonata by Cesar Frank, played by two PSU faculty members: Max Zorin, violin and Christopher Guzman, piano; and the Penn State Chamber Orchestra playing Beethoven’s overture to “The Creatures of Prometheus” and Stravinsky’s “Dumbarton Oaks” concerto.