UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State student Kathryn Kearney is helping to resolve real-world disputes through empathy and public service this summer in Washington, D.C.
Kearney is bringing her passion for advocacy to her role as a summer intern with the Office of the Attorney General’s Public Advocacy Division (PAD), working in its Consumer Protection Mediation Program, which helps consumers settle issues with businesses without having to go to court.
One of the most rewarding parts of the role, she said, is when a business or landlord agrees to participate in mediation and she can help to negotiate a resolution that is acceptable to both parties.
“Knowing that the work I’m doing directly impacts individuals and families in the community makes the experience even more meaningful,” Kearney said.
Drawn to the position for its hands-on approach to supporting vulnerable communities, the second-year student and Paterno Fellow aspirant majoring in criminology with an enhanced minor in communication arts and sciences saw it as a meaningful way to make a direct impact.
Kearney said her major has prepared her well for the internship, providing her with a strong foundation in understanding the challenges and structures of the legal system. Meanwhile, her minor has helped improve the active listening, conflict resolution and public speaking skills that she uses daily.
After choosing Penn State for its big-college, small-town feel, the Arlington, Virginia, native looked forward to enrolling in the College of the Liberal Arts.
“I’ve always enjoyed writing, social sciences and philosophy,” Kearney said. “Being part of the College of the Liberal Arts allows me to explore all of these interests while preparing for a future career in law.”
Kearney singled out several of her courses, including PLSC 003: Comparing Politics Around the Globe, and the Paterno Fellows-required two-part honors course, ENGL/CAS 137H/138H: Rhetoric and Civic Life I/II.
The courses not only introduced her to global political systems and strategies, concepts she has already been able to apply to her internship, but also pushed her to think more critically and creatively as a communicator.
She took the Rhetoric and Civic Life course with Associate Teaching Professor of Communication Arts and Sciences John Minbiole, whose classes helped her grow so much that she asked him for a letter of recommendation for the internship. This fall, she hopes to return to his classroom as a teaching assistant.
Kearney said a strong desire to challenge herself led her to aspire to the Paterno Fellows Program, a collaboration between the College of the Liberal Arts and the Schreyer Honors College designed to allow students to enhance their academic experience and leadership skills.
She was especially drawn to the program’s smaller class sizes and the chance to build strong relationships with faculty.
“At a school as large as Penn State, I wanted a way to stand out, and I felt that demonstrating hard work and showing perseverance was a meaningful way to do that,” Kearney said.
“I was fortunate to receive funding from the Rick and Sue Barry Directorship of the Paterno Liberal Arts Undergraduate Fellows Program, which made my internship much more financially manageable.”