Dr. Amy Carney speaks at the International Research Center for Cultural Studies in Vienna, Austria, during her Fulbright appointment.
Fulbright Project Humanizes Holocaust Statistics
Dr. Amy Carney, associate professor of history, recently served as a senior Fulbright Scholar at Vienna’s International Research Center for Cultural Studies, where she researched two families whose lives were upended by the Nazi regime.
Her project, “Departing Deutschland,” traces the stories of Sue and Claude Corty, who as children fled Nazi persecution in 1938—Sue from Vienna, Claude from Cologne. Working from autobiographies the couple wrote in the 1990s, Carney is reconstructing their families’ experiences as middle-class Jews in interwar Austria and Germany, their harrowing emigration, and their new lives in the United States. Both lost relatives in the Holocaust.
“Their stories humanize the statistics,” Carney said. “They transform persecution from an abstract concept into concrete examples of the consequences of antisemitism.”
During her fellowship, Carney exchanged ideas with scholars across the arts, humanities, and social sciences and delivered a public lecture on her research.
Her visit took a poignant turn when the Jewish community of Komárno, Slovakia, invited her to visit their historic synagogue—built by an ancestor of one of her research subjects—and join them for Passover services and a Seder dinner.
New Interdisciplinary Major in Biobehavioral Health
The School of Humanities and Social Sciences has partnered with the School of Science to offer a new bachelor of science degree in Biobehavioral Health.
Students in the program will examine the multifaceted nature of human health, exploring how behavioral,
psychological, sociocultural, and environmental factors influence illness and wellness. The curriculum includes courses in biology, anatomy and physiology, psychology, nutrition, and epidemiology, with electives in the sciences, social sciences, and behavioral health.
Graduates will be prepared for careers in clinical settings, pharmaceutical research, health advocacy and consulting, public health and education, epidemiology, environmental health and safety, and human services. The program also provides a strong foundation for advanced study in health-care professions.
Learn more at behrend.psu.edu/biobehavioral.
Dr. Ashley Sullivan, associate professor of elementary and early childhood education, leads a class discussion.
Education Programs Evolving
As schools across the country are facing a teacher shortage, with critical needs in areas like math, special education, and elementary grades, Penn State Behrend is working to meet the demand for future educators. The college’s Elementary and Early Childhood Education and Secondary Education in Mathematics majors—both now housed in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences—are preparing graduates to make an impact in K-12 classrooms.
Behrend’s programs are also staying ahead of evolving education standards. Pennsylvania recently became one of a growing number of states that require trauma-informed education training for all educators—equipping teachers to understand how trauma affects learning and how to support students who have experienced it. This summer, Behrend will introduce a new Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Education certificate that meets those standards.
“Our curriculum aligns with these emerging standards, meaning our graduates will enter their careers prepared not just with strong teaching skills, but with the tools and compassion needed to help all students succeed, no matter where they teach,” said Dr. Melanie D. Hetzel-Riggin, director of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences.
Learn more at behrend.psu.edu/hss.
Faculty & Staff News
Arrivals and Departures
The school welcomed two new elementary and early childhood education faculty members: Dr. Mel Hardy-Skeberdis, assistant professor, and Melanie Mischler, lecturer.
George Looney, distinguished professor of English and creative writing, will retire in May. He has taught at Behrend since 1999.
Honors, Distinctions, and Accomplishments
Dr. Lena Surzhko-Harned, associate teaching professor of political science, was named a scholar-in-residence at the Jefferson Educational Society.
Three faculty members were promoted this year.
Dr. Emily Cassano, music, theatre, and visual arts, and Dr. Joel Hunt, music and digital media, arts, and technology, were promoted to the rank of teaching professor. Evan Ringle advanced to the rank of associate teaching professor of English.
Research and Creative Activity
In the last year, faculty members published eighty-four articles and book chapters, presented more than 100 conference papers and posters, and were awarded more than forty research and travel grants worth over $5 million. Donors and sponsors include the Erie Arts & Culture regional arts agency, the Erie Community Foundation, and Snap-tite Hose. Faculty also published the following books:
Dr. Kilic Kanat, political science, Trump’s America (co-editor); Allies in Arms: The Evolution of US-Turkey Defense Industry Relations; and The Longest Two Decades of the US: The Story of Four Crises.
Dr. Robert Speel, political science, The Same, Only Different: Understanding Canada and the United States (co-author).
Dr. Arpan Yagnik, media and communication, Finding your Creative DNA (co-author); Radioactive Flourishing: An Innovative Approach to Perpetual Behavioral Improvement; Unleashing Creative Thinking; and Creativity and Critical Pedagogy in Education (co-author).
From left, Dr. Sarah Whitney, associate teaching professor of English and Women’s Studies, Amy Love, student in the Clinical Psychology master’s program, and Matt Ciszek, director of Lilley Library.
Turning the Page on Silence
A $5,000 grant from the American Library Association is helping Penn State Behrend create new resources for survivors of sexual assault and their allies.
Dr. Sarah Whitney, associate teaching professor of English and women’s studies, and Matt Ciszek, director of John M. Lilley Library, teamed up with students Amy Love (Clinical Psychology) and Ashlynn Allgeier (Digital Media, Arts, and Technology) to build a website featuring carefully selected young-adult books about sexual violence. This isn’t just a reading list, however: Each title includes trauma-informed annotations and links to support resources.
“We wanted survivors and allies to find books that speak to their experiences—and to know these materials are free and accessible,” Whitney said.
The grant also funded the purchase of new YA books for Lilley Library.
Learn more at sites.psu.edu/turningthepage.
New Programs Expand Students’ Options
The School of Humanities and Social Sciences continues to broaden its academic offerings with several new programs that reflect emerging fields and shifting professional landscapes.
New Behrend-created programs include an interdisciplinary Biobehavioral Health major (see story on page 2) and an Artificial Intelligence and Society certificate. The certificate program prepares students to evaluate AI technologies through cultural and moral lenses. The 15-credit certificate develops skills in critiquing AI systems and establishing ethical guidelines for their use across industries.
Additionally, the school now offers minors in French and Francophone Studies, Special Education, Digital Humanities, Legal Studies, Latin American Studies, Writing and Digital Media, and Theatre.
The Secondary Education in Mathematics B.S. has moved to H&SS from the School of Science, and the General Arts and Sciences B.A. has been renamed the Multidisciplinary Arts, Social Sciences, Sciences, and Humanities B.A. to better reflect the program’s breadth.