The goal of the graduate career diversity initiative is to provide resources and education to graduate students in the College of the Liberal Arts about non-academic career opportunities, how to prepare for them, and factors to consider when looking for non-academic jobs. Graduate education can prepare you for many different career paths—research, teaching, government, nonprofit, or private-sector.

Through the end of spring 2024, “Moments of Change: Creating a Livable Planet,” is focusing on the many aspects of sustainability and highlighting the ongoing work of the Liberal Arts Sustainability Council, students, faculty, and staff in that regard.

The College of the Liberal Arts prides itself on being an innovative hub of groundbreaking research and intellectual discovery—a place where students, faculty, and staff from diverse backgrounds come together to examine and offer solutions for the most critical issues facing society today.

Many units in the College of the Liberal Arts host events aimed at cultivating and promoting career development for all members of our diverse faculty throughout their careers. In addition, the college's Office of Faculty Affairs and Advancement exists to support and enhance the professional development of Liberal Arts faculty through workshops, mentor programs, and other initiatives.

Roughly 25 percent of students in the College of the Liberal Arts are the first in their families to graduate from college. While units throughout the college host events with first-generation students in mind, the Chaiken Center for Student Success is the first-generation hub—your place to find support and resources for first-generation students in the college.

Through spring 2025, “Moments of Change: Immigration, Identity, and Citizenship” will examine mass migration and highlight the ongoing work of students, faculty, staff, and alumni in that regard. The new theme marks the 100th anniversary of the 1924 Johnson-Reed Act, a restrictive immigration law. The goal of the theme is to explore the parallels and differences between “then” (100 years ago) and “now”—both in the United States and around the world—exploring how the immigration experience and our responses to immigration have changed over the last century.

The College of the Liberal Arts provides an array of professional development opportunities for students to learn more about how a Penn State Liberal Arts education can prepare you for any career you choose. Schedule a meeting with a career coach in the Liberal Arts Career Enrichment Network to talk about how to explore these resources and develop a plan for your next steps.