Still Life
University Park Airport Emergency Response Exercise
Commencement across Penn State: Spring 2012
Spring commencement 2012 under way
Penn State, Moroccan students problem-solve together
Finals Week Spring Semester 2012
Painting the Lines at Beaver Stadium
Did They Get It Right? - RedTails
Iconic Penn State elm taken down over spring break 2012
We ... are Penn State (December 19, 2011)
Disease stricken matching elm tree slated for removal
Penn State's creamery, from the cow to the cone
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- With thousands of job layoffs and recession news dominating daily headlines, many young people understandably are fearful about their future. But an intergenerational specialist in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences says grandparents can offer unique support for youth entering college or the job market.
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With job layoffs mounting by the thousands almost daily, many families worry that it will happen to them. So a family-finance specialist with Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences points out that proactive strategies can buffer a family against looming layoffs. Marilyn Furry, who develops financial-education extension programs as an associate professor in the Department of Agricultural and Extension Education, explains that facing a potential layoff together can reduce expenses even as it gives a family an active way to confront the fear that the threat generates. (more)
The annual ordeal of tax season brings hair pulling and teeth gnashing for many, but it's especially grueling for low-income families who fear a big tax bill while wondering if they're missing out on a refund. Those families can get free tax-preparation assistance through a special program run by Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences. Penn State Cooperative Extension offices in six counties around the state again are sponsoring the U.S. Internal Revenue Service's Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program to prepare federal tax returns for moderate- to low-income families, special-needs individuals and senior citizens. Volunteers and extension staff assist filers with the entire process, from gathering information to submitting the actual state and federal tax returns. (more)
Instead of launching a quest for the perfect gift, many last-minute holiday shoppers are saving time, energy and aggravation with one of the season's hottest item -- the gift card. But a consumer-issues specialist in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences says both givers and receivers should be aware that there can be more to gift cards than meets the eye. (more)
Family holiday dinners are times to make special memories, but paying for the turkey and egg nog on a tight budget is an experience many would rather forget. An expert in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences says a few helpful hints can help save time and money while shopping for that perfect holiday feast. (more)
If balancing your household budget is getting harder, you should consider ways to economize, reduce your costs and cut wasteful consumption, says a financial literacy expert in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences. "Economizing means managing your family resources -- including money -- to get what you need and want," said Marilyn Furry, associate professor of agricultural and extension education. "Learning to substitute, to conserve, to cooperate and to find free goods and services will help your family balance income and outgo. There's a Depression-era saying that can be a concise and to-the-point definition of economizing: 'Use it up, wear it out, make it do, do without.'" (more)
Pickles are so popular that Americans consume more than 2.5 billion pounds of them each year. Since they always are in high demand, Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences makes it easy to can your own pickles with its booklet, "Let's Preserve: Quick Process Pickles." (more)
More than a third of all farm sales comes from specialty crops such as fruits, vegetables and tree nuts. With consumers increasingly demanding food that is safe, nutritious and locally grown, the Mid-Atlantic specialty crop industry is sure to grow. According to Kathleen Kelley, project coordinator and associate professor of horticultural marketing and business management at Penn State, consumer demands are increasing as well as rising transportation costs for producers in California, Florida and the Southern Hemisphere countries who supply fresh fruits and vegetables to the Mid-Atlantic region. (more)
That nip in the air means fall is here, and many homeowners are facing a drastically more expensive home-heating season. An energy specialist in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences says it's not too late to install a secondary heating system to manage those soaring costs. (more)
The U.S. Internal Revenue Service has recently announced that many Pennsylvania residents who are eligible for its economic stimulus payment have not filed yet, and an extension consumer specialist in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences is suggesting ways to ensure that much-needed money gets into the state's economy. (more)
