Still Life

A moment of levity: Penn State Lehigh Valley graduates celebrated with the Nittany Lion after commencement ceremonies, held May 5 at Stabler Arena in Bethlehem, Pa.

Commencement across Penn State: Spring 2012

New graduates of Penn State's Eberly College of Science listened to the commencement address provided by United States Secretary of Energy Steven Chu during spring 2012 graduation ceremonies held May 5 at the Bryce Jordan Center on the University Park campus.

Spring commencement 2012 under way

A Moroccan farmer taught Penn State students about the properties of vetiver grass, including its ability to clean wastewater. The grass could be used as part of a solution to water-quality problems being experienced in Assoul, Morocco, where students spent time recently.

Penn State, Moroccan students problem-solve together

Anjelica Fortunato, left, and Jeffrey Lu reviewed for their Anatomy 129 final exam on May 1 on the HUB-Robeson Center Lawn on Penn State's University Park campus. Penn State students are preparing for and taking final exams throughout the week as spring semester 2012 comes to a close.

Finals Week Spring Semester 2012

Denae Taylor, right, tried on some electrical-safety gear with the help of Joe Dinardo, Supervisor of Facilty Resources at Penn State, during Penn State's annual Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day on April 26. Denae is the granddaughter of Penn State Outreach employee Betty Lose, and attends Bellefonte Middle School.

Children explore career options at University Park

Featured Video

Painting the Lines at Beaver Stadium

Painting the Lines at Beaver Stadium

Did They Get It Right? - RedTails

Did They Get It Right? - RedTails

Iconic Penn State elm taken down over spring break 2012

Iconic Penn State elm taken down over spring break 2012

We ... are Penn State (December 19, 2011)

We ... are Penn State (December 19, 2011)

Disease stricken matching elm tree slated for removal

Disease stricken matching elm tree slated for removal

Penn State's creamery, from the cow to the cone

Penn State's creamery, from the cow to the cone

Robin BeckerRobin Becker Feed

Literary Landings: 'Come Celebrate Artistic Collaboration'

Linda Patterson Miller, 2011-2012 Penn State laureate
Friday, April 20, 2012

Linda Patterson Miller, the 2011-12 Penn State laureate and professor of English at Penn State Abington, is sharing her thoughts and observations of her laureate experience as she journeys across the Commonwealth aiming to engage people in the beauty of the humanities, specifically early 20th-century American literature and art. "Literary Landings" is a travelogue scheduled to appear periodically during the fall 2011 and spring 2012 semesters on Penn State Live and in Penn State Newswires. In her entry "Come Celebrate Artistic Collaboration" Miller enthusiastically invites the college community to the first-ever Penn State Laureate Jubilee on April 24. (more)

Penn State Laureate Jubilee April 24 celebrates the arts, humanities

Linda Patterson Miller, 2011-2012 Penn State laureate speaking about Earnest Hemingway at Penn State Abington
Wednesday, April 04, 2012

Linda Patterson Miller, the 2011-2012 Penn State laureate, invites students, faculty, staff and community members to the Penn State Laureate Jubilee, a public event featuring past, present and future Penn State laureates in celebration of the University's commitment to the arts and humanities. The first-ever event takes place from 3 to 5 p.m. Tuesday, April 24, at the Pasquerilla Spiritual Center on the University Park campus. An opening reception with light refreshments begins at 3 p.m. in the center's Frizzell Room. The program follows at 4 p.m. in Worship Hall. (more)

The Poet's Perspective: 'The Reasons' considers past innocence

To watch a video of Robin Becker reading 'The Reasons,' click on the image above.
Monday, April 25, 2011

Robin Becker, the 2010-11 Penn State laureate and professor of English and women's studies at the University, is sharing several of her poems via video during the 2010-11 academic year, aiming to engage people "in the deep pleasures of poetry -- language crafted and shaped from words, the 'ordinary' material we all use every day," to explore how and why poems move us. In the final installment of Becker's laureate posts and videos, "The Reasons" explores a place from the speaker's past and considers the innocence of her former self. (more)

The Poet's Perspective: 'Understory' reflects exotic travel memories

To watch a video of Robin Becker reading 'Understory,' click on the image above.
Monday, April 18, 2011

Robin Becker, the 2010-11 Penn State laureate and professor of English and women's studies at the University, is sharing several of her poems via video during the 2010-11 academic year, aiming to engage people "in the deep pleasures of poetry -- language crafted and shaped from words, the 'ordinary' material we all use every day," to explore how and why poems move us. "The Poet's Perspective" is a weekly poetry video series scheduled to appear during the fall 2010 and spring 2011 semesters on Penn State Live and in Penn State Newswires. Prior to each poem, Becker offers her thoughts about what inspired her to write the piece, then poses a question to consider. Below and in the video link of "Understory," Becker reflects surprising sensory memories from a trip within the poem's pacing and language. (more)

Penn State Laureate to read poetry on University Park campus April 20

Robin Becker, professor of English and women's studies, 2010-11 Penn State laureate
Thursday, April 14, 2011

Robin Becker, liberal arts research professor in the department of English and this year's Penn State Laureate, will give a poetry reading as part of the Mary E. Rolling Reading Series at 7:30 p.m. on April 20, in the Foster Auditorium of Paterno Library. The reading is free and open to the public. (more)

Penn State Fayette to host Penn State laureate April 18

Penn State Laureate Robin Becker
Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Robin Becker, the 2010-2011 Penn State laureate, will conduct a public poetry reading at 6 p.m. on Monday, April 18, at Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus. This free event is open to the public and will take place in the Cultural Center in the Williams Building. (more)

The Poet's Perspective: 'Riding Lesson' depicts sensory memories

Monday, April 11, 2011

Robin Becker, the 2010-11 Penn State laureate and professor of English and women's studies at the University, is sharing several of her poems via video during the 2010-11 academic year, aiming to engage people "in the deep pleasures of poetry -- language crafted and shaped from words, the 'ordinary' material we all use every day," to explore how and why poems move us. "The Poet's Perspective" is a weekly poetry video series scheduled to appear during the fall 2010 and spring 2011 semesters on Penn State Live and in Penn State Newswires. Prior to each poem, Becker offers her thoughts about what inspired her to write the piece, then poses a question to consider. Below and in the video link of "Riding Lesson," Becker recalls the sensory memories from a childhood hobby. (more)

The Poet's Perspective: 'Sadness in Spring' mulls dichotomy, briefly

To watch a video of Robin Becker reading 'Sadness in Spring,' click on the image above.
Monday, April 04, 2011

Robin Becker, the 2010-11 Penn State laureate and professor of English and women's studies at the University, is sharing several of her poems via video during the 2010-11 academic year, aiming to engage people "in the deep pleasures of poetry -- language crafted and shaped from words, the 'ordinary' material we all use every day," to explore how and why poems move us. "The Poet's Perspective" is a weekly poetry video series scheduled to appear during the fall 2010 and spring 2011 semesters on Penn State Live and in Penn State Newswires. Prior to each poem, Becker offers her thoughts about what inspired her to write the piece, then poses a question to consider. Below and in the video link of "Sadness in Spring," Becker ponders the condition of melancholy during the season of renewal. (more)

The Poet's Perspective: 'Late Words' takes on shameful family secret

To watch a video of Robin Becker reading 'Late Words for My Sister,' click on the image above.
Monday, March 28, 2011

Robin Becker, the 2010-11 Penn State laureate and professor of English and women's studies at the University, is sharing several of her poems via video during the 2010-11 academic year, aiming to engage people "in the deep pleasures of poetry -- language crafted and shaped from words, the 'ordinary' material we all use every day," to explore how and why poems move us. "The Poet's Perspective" is a weekly poetry video series scheduled to appear during the fall 2010 and spring 2011 semesters on Penn State Live and in Penn State Newswires. Prior to each poem, Becker offers her thoughts about what inspired her to write the piece, then poses a question to consider. In the text and video link of "Late Words for My Sister," Becker addresses an old, shameful family secret. (more)

The Poet's Perspective: 'The Plum Tree' ponders seasonal change

To watch a video of Robin Becker reading 'The Plum Tree,' click on the image above.
Monday, March 21, 2011

Robin Becker, the 2010-11 Penn State laureate and professor of English and women's studies at the University, is sharing several of her poems via video during the 2010-11 academic year, aiming to engage people "in the deep pleasures of poetry -- language crafted and shaped from words, the 'ordinary' material we all use every day," to explore how and why poems move us. "The Poet's Perspective" is a weekly poetry video series scheduled to appear during the fall 2010 and spring 2011 semesters on Penn State Live and in Penn State Newswires. Prior to each poem, Becker offers her thoughts about what inspired her to write the piece, then poses a question to consider. In the text and video link of "The Plum Tree," Becker composed another poem using wavelike lines to help illustrate the cyclical nature of seasonal change. (more)