Wellbeing at Penn State Law

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At Penn State Law, we care deeply about our students thriving individually and collectively. In 2020, Penn State Law became a pledge member of the ABA Wellbeing Campaign. We joined over 200 law firms, corporate entities, government agencies, legal aid organizations in adopting and prioritizing a seven-point framework for building a better future. Also, we created the Penn State Law Wellbeing Taskforce. The group consists of student leaders, faculty, and staff. The purpose of the taskforce is to create comprehensive wellbeing awareness, programming, and outreach. We are committed to helping you take care of yourself mentally, physically, socially, emotionally and financially. If you are concerned about a peer, we hope the resources will assist you AND them.

Penn State Law promotes mental health and wellness in a number of ways: offering counseling assistance at the law school; regular yoga and mindfulness sessions; social events; mentoring opportunities for students; workshops on wellbeing and more. Also, Penn State and the Centre County community offer a plethora of options for feeling whole and well.

The Office of Student Services

We are here to support you. Please feel free to contact us for immediate assistance or resources. The Office of Student Services is located in Katz Suite 107. You can call us at 814-863-1920, or email at StudentServices@PennStateLaw.psu.edu.

Emotional

Resources to help you cope effectively with life and create satisfying relationships:

PSU Resources

Personal counseling through PSU Counseling and Psychological Services
PSU Health & Wellness Promotion
Thriving Campus is a tool for finding mental health providers in your community.
Life Hack Kits
WellTrack is an app and website available to students at any time of day and from any location.

Off-campus Resources

Helpful Apps, Podcasts, and Websites

Occupational

Resources to boost personal satisfaction and enrichment from one's work:

Hands-on experience (after your first year) through experiential learning-clinics and practicums, externships, practice-oriented courses, summer experiences, extracurricular advocacy, and legal research and writing
One-on-One career advising appointments in Career Services for career path guidance and planning.
You are joining a Penn State network of over 726,141 alumni across the world. Penn State Law has an extensive network of alumni, Penn State-Dickinson Law and PSU graduates with law degrees who have offered to discuss their career paths with current students.
A variety of career-related panels held throughout the academic year.

Physical

Resources that recognize the need for healthy food, physical activity, and ample sleep:

Healthy options in retail dining, including vegetarian, gluten-free, and kosher/halal selections.
Free access to all Campus Recreation facilities, only a five minute walk from the Katz building.
Access to resources that promote healthy sleeping habits.
Free weekly yoga classes with Penn State Law Mindfulness in Law Society.
Free group classes at the IM Building such as Zumba, indoor cycling and personal training available for a fee
Intramural sports, such as softball, soccer, and Frisbee that offer students the opportunity to interact with the broader Penn State student community
Club sports provide an additional outlet for students to interact and compete!

Intellectual

Resources for recognizing creative abilities, and finding ways to expand knowledge and skills:

Check out the PSL Office of Academic Success for bar exam preparation, tutors, workshops, and more!
Individual academic advising from your faculty advisor or Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.
Library student resources available to help with legal research.
The ability to engage in a field of study and concentration, joint degrees, and experiential learning.

Spiritual

Resources to help you understand and expand your sense of purpose and meaning:

Center for Spiritual and Ethical Development, offers a welcoming, safe, inclusive environment, and aims to promote an environment of appreciation and respect for religious and spiritual diversity.
Weekly free meditation sessions hosted by the Penn State Health Promotion
Regular yoga led by the Mindfulness in Law Society
A number of student groups that are centered on various religious faiths
A private reflection room in the Montague Law Library, Room 316A

Financial

Resources to support current and future financial situations:

One-on-one counseling with the Financial Aid Office to discuss both current and future financial planning
Find financial education information and budget calculators from AccessLex Institute.
A wealth of financial education tools are available at Penn State's Sokolov Miller Family Financial and Life Skills Center: https://financialliteracy.psu.edu/
Find information about Penn State's Student Emergency Fund available to all students.
Free access to food is available at the Lion's Pantry and at the State College Food Bank.

Environmental

Resources that provide pleasant, stimulating environments:

Easy access to the Penn State Arboretum, glass-walled library with great views of Beaver Stadium and Mount Nittany, a café, and dedicated student study spaces.
PSU offers several transportation options including public transportation and being pedestrian and bicyclist friendly.
A law building (Katz) that is LEED certified for high standards for indoor air quality, energy efficiency, and water conservation.

Social

Resources that foster a sense of connection and belonging:

Funding for over 20 different student groups and organizations, covering a wide variety of interests and activities
First-year students can participate in the Mentor Program and are provided an academic advisor, alumni mentor, and peer mentor
Student Services works with students daily and can help you connect with your classmates

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Reunification

Lewis Katz Building, University Park, PA