Hello! My name is Daniel Magerman. As I leave State College for my hometown of Elkins Park (a little suburb bordering Northeast Philly), I’ll be taking my memories of PSL with me. The Writing Center was my second home at Penn State for three years. I worked, traveled, partied, and learned with my fellow tutors, coordinators, and the PSL management. My next jobs as a professional tutor, freelance writer, and then, English teacher in Colombia will probably be great, but will also have a tough time measuring up to the community I’m saying goodbye to. I’ve spent the summer helping to create this alumni network, and now, with my heart heavy but excited about the possibilities, I join its ranks.
~~~ Summer 2016 brought to State College heat, 2,000 new freshmen, the usual Arts Fest rigmarole, and the dawning of the Penn State Learning Alumni Network. Originally incepted a decade ago and then reinvigorated as one of Penn State Learning’s strategic planning goals, the PSL Alumni Network, in the form of partial lists of outdated alumni email addresses, gathered dust on a shelf for years. As a peer tutor and student coordinator for the Writing Center since 2014, I was aware that the department was interested in engaging with alumni. I was also aware that administrators did not have time to undertake such a project alone, and would benefit from student input. In May, faced with graduation and imminent unemployment, I proposed to Neill Johnson (Director) and Cindy Spiegel (Cocurricular Programs Coordinator) that I could spearhead the design and implementation of PSL’s first alumni network. Luckily, they went for it. A few weeks later, I began work as a new alumnus and grateful employee of PSL.
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AuthorsThis blog is a collaborative effort between current and former PSL employees. Authors include tutors, receptionists, PSL staff, and, of course, alumni. Archives
November 2016
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PSL Alumni Network | the alumni blog |