UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State is well-known for its world class academics, iconic landmarks and network of campuses across the commonwealth. Yet, Penn Staters also often proudly tout something that is both visible yet invisible to the human eye: the Penn State community.
This community can be felt in the stands of Beaver Stadium on game day and in the classrooms where the University’s commitment to academic excellence plays out every day. And during the remote instruction necessitated by the COVID-19 crisis, many Penn Staters across the world have found that their community is still as powerful as it ever was – and in some ways, maybe even stronger.
In a blog post on Digging Deeper about the importance of the Penn State community, President Eric Barron writes that the University’s “We Are” spirit and sense of community shines the brightest during challenging times.
“I’m very grateful for the extraordinary efforts of Penn Staters everywhere for continuing our important work of teaching, research and service,” Barron wrote. “Penn State’s community has never been anchored to a particular place — it’s in the heart of every Nittany Lion.”
Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, faculty across the University have worked hard this past semester to maintain Penn State’s "We Are" spirit within their virtual classrooms. Some faculty members – like Chris Staley and Heather McCune Brune of the College of Arts and Architecture, or Matthew McAllister and Curt Chandler of the Bellisario College of Communications – found new ways to offer a virtual hand during these uncertain times.
From hand to keyboard