Dean's COVID-19 Update: May 8, 2020

Welcome to another edition of our Smeal COVID-19 Update, a communication vehicle for coordinating and delivering important information regarding Penn State’s response to the global pandemic and the impact on Smeal.

Our Smeal Coronavirus FAQ page contains links to the University’s faculty/staff FAQs and other pertinent information. Be sure to use this as a resource as you transition from the challenges of remote learning to your summer activities.

Penn State celebrates commencement on Saturday. Smeal has worked hard to make it a special day for graduates. Please take a few minutes to watch this video.

Smeal commencement resources are online

  • A wide range of Smeal personnel have been working for weeks on a variety of projects to help make commencement as special as possible for our graduates.

A collection of those projects can be found at www.smeal.psu.edu/commencement, including:

  • An aggregation of Twitter and Instagram posts featuring #PSUgrad and #Smealgrad
  • Stories about Smeal’s Senior Award recipients.
  • Individual feature stories on Smeal’s eight student marshals
  • A link to Penn State’s virtual commencement
  • A link to Smeal’s virtual commencement program
  • A link to a Smeal-specific web page that includes a commencement address from Brian Olsavsky, chief financial officer of Amazon; a message from Smeal Student Marshal Faith Hatchard; recognition of Smeal Senior Award recipients; recognition of Smeal student marshals; and, a video montage featuring photos submitted by graduating seniors
  • Individual name slides for all graduating seniors

Graduating seniors are encouraged to complete the senior exit survey

  • Graduating seniors are encouraged to complete the senior exit survey that will help the Business Career Center better understand students’ post-graduate plans. Click here for the survey: ly/SP1920PostGrad

These are trying times, and we want to help.

  • If you or a fellow student are experiencing emotional distress, financial hardship, difficulty accessing food, or a similar challenge, please consider the following resources:
  • Make an appointment with Penn State Counseling and Psychological Services, which is operational and providing services via telephone at 814-863-0395.
  • Visit the Student Care and Advocacy website.
  • Visit the Lion's Pantry, located past East Halls and the Katz Law Building, in between Lion Surplus and the Blue Band Building.
  • Take out a hot meal on Thursday evenings, 5-7 p.m., at  Andrew's Community Café, located at 208 West Foster Avenue, State College.

Deadlines for one-year master’s programs have been extended

  • Smeal is now accepting applications to its five residential, one-year master’s programs on a rolling basis. Read the Penn State News story.