Following the Gong, a Podcast of the Schreyer Honors College at Penn State - FTG 0046 – Raising the Curtain with Musician and Music & Theater Educator Julie Florin '87

FTG 0046 – Raising the Curtain with Musician and Music & Theater Educator Julie Florin '87

05/23/23 • 69 min

Following the Gong, a Podcast of the Schreyer Honors College at Penn State

Overview:

Julie Florin ’87 Arts and Architecture teaches Theatre and Chorus at Greenville High School Academy in Greenville, South Carolina. She also works with local theatres and plays organ at churches in the Upstate. Julie is a trained pianist and organist and has a rich career teaching at the K-12 level and serving as musical director for countless shows at the K-12, collegiate, and community theater levels. Julie joins the show to talk about her experiences and share her advice as a music teacher and life-long learner. She also shares advice for involvement in theater after college from her roles as musical director, as well as from her perspectives as a piano teacher, church organist, touring performer in the “War Bonds” show, and Penn State donor. This episode will be of interest to any Scholar who enjoys music or theater, and will be especially valuable to Scholars intending to pursue a career or continued involvement for personal fulfillment in any of these disciplines. Her full bio and a detailed breakdown of topics discussed are available below.

Guest Bio:

Julie Florin ’87 A&A teaches Theatre and Chorus at Greenville High School Academy in Greenville, South Carolina. She also works with local theatres and plays organ at churches in the Upstate. Prior to moving to South Carolina in 2016, she held similar positions and taught private piano lessons for over 20 years in Raleigh, North Carolina. She tours nationally in "War Bonds: The Songs and Letters of WWII" with EbzB Productions. She graduated from Penn State’s College of Arts and Architecture in 1987 with a BS in Music Education with Honors. She holds a Certificate in Church Music from Shenandoah University, a Masters in Music from East Carolina University, and a BA in Theatre Education from North Carolina Central University. You can contact her at https://fingertipsmusic.org or on LinkedIn.

Episode Topics:

Coming to Penn State and the Honors College as a State College High grad and overcoming sleeping through the SAT (from when it was part of the admissions criteria)
Leveraging high school challenges and opportunities in finding your path from mentors along the way
The difference between piano and organ – and how one helped Julie with physical therapy!
Writing a practical thesis that fills a needs gap – in the form of a research informed choral workbook – and the importance of saving your work!
Continuing education through graduate degrees and certificates – including taking matters into your own hands when your employer doesn’t offer something you need
Advice for student teachers, new teachers, and teachers in areas like arts, music, and similar and the difference between academic and co-curricular opportunities
Leveraging participation in the arts in internships and jobs across industries
Maintaining involvement in the arts through community theatre
Advice for church pianists and organists as a substitute performer
Creating and touring a unique program telling authentic stories and music from WWII on the War Bonds tour
Getting your motorcycle and commercial drivers licenses
Supporting currents arts students as an alumna donor

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Schreyer Honors College Links:

Scholars – Need Assistance? Book an Appointment!

Alumni – Learn Why and How to Volunteer

Make a Gift to Benefit Schreyer Scholars

Join the Penn State Alumni Association

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Credits & Notes:

This show is hosted, produced, and edited by Sean Goheen ‘11 Lib (Schreyer).

The artwork was created by Tom Harrington, the College’s Web Developer.

The sound effect is “Chinese Gong,” accessed via SoundBible used under Creative Commons License.

The theme music is “Conquest” by Geovane Bruno, accessed via Pixabay and used under Creative Commons License.

Overview:

Guest Bio:

Episode Topics:

Coming to Penn State and the Honors College as a State College High grad and overcoming sleeping through the SAT (from when it was part of the admissions criteria)
Leveraging high school challenges and opportunities in finding your path from mentors along the way
The difference between piano and organ – and how one helped Julie with physical therapy!
Writing a practical thesis that fills a needs gap – in the form of a research informed choral workbook – and the importance of saving your work!
Continuing education through graduate degrees and certificates – including taking matters into your own hands when your employer doesn’t offer something you need
Advice for student teachers, new teachers, and teachers in areas like arts, music, and similar and the difference between academic and co-curricular opportunities
Leveraging participation in the arts in internships and jobs across industries
Maintaining involvement in the arts through community theatre
Advice for church pianists and organists as a substitute performer
Creating and touring a unique program telling authentic stories and music from WWII on the War Bonds tour
Getting your motorcycle and commercial drivers licenses
Supporting currents arts students as an alumna donor

-----

Schreyer Honors College Links:

Scholars – Need Assistance? Book an Appointment!

Alumni – Learn Why and How to Volunteer

Make a Gift to Benefit Schreyer Scholars

Join the Penn State Alumni Association

-----

Credits & Notes:

This show is hosted, produced, and edited by Sean Goheen ‘11 Lib (Schreyer).

The artwork was created by Tom Harrington, the College’s Web Developer.

The sound effect is “Chinese Gong,” accessed via SoundBible used under Creative Commons License.

The theme music is “Conquest” by Geovane Bruno, accessed via Pixabay and used under Creative Commons License.

Previous Episode

FTG 0045 – Engineering Practice, Leadership, Impact, and Advocacy with Engineer and Sustainability Policy Advocate Quinta Warren ’05

*Editor’s Note – There was a technical issue with the microphone quality for the first half of the episode. Please bear with us for a great conversation!

Overview:

Dr. Quinta Warren ’05 Engineering is the Associate Director of Sustainability Policy at Consumer Reports (CR), where she leads the legislative, regulatory, and corporate engagement strategies for sustainability on behalf of consumers. Quinta joins the show after both testifying before Congress and participating in the White House Summit on Electrification to discuss her journey. Quinta graduated with a PhD in Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering from Georgia Tech in 2009, and a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering with Honors from Penn State’s College of Engineering in 2005. She is a 2019-2020 recipient of the Schreyer Honors College Outstanding Scholar Alumni Award. Quinta started at Penn State Greater Allegheny and entered the Honors College so she could pursue research. She shares her experiences and advice for students on making tough choices, enjoying the ride, and careers in both oil & gas and in policy, on top of insight on additional education including PhDs, PMP, and PE certifications. This episode will be great for any Scholar, and particularly for those who are international students, started at a campus other than UP, and are interested in careers in STEM or policy. Her full bio and a detailed breakdown of topics discussed are available in the show notes below.

Guest Bio:

Dr. Quinta Warren ’05 Eng is the Associate Director of Sustainability Policy at Consumer Reports (CR), where she leads the legislative, regulatory, and corporate engagement strategies for sustainability on behalf of consumers. She recently testified before Congress about the consumer benefits of the historic clean energy provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act. She also recently participated in the White House Summit on Electrification, providing the consumer perspective on transportation electrification. Previously, Dr. Warren worked on carbon capture with ConocoPhillips, power generation with the Department of Energy, and international development with the Millennium Challenge Corporation and her own firm, Energy Research Consulting. Dr. Warren graduated with a PhD in Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering from Georgia Tech in 2009, and a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering with Honors from Penn State’s College of Engineering in 2005. She is a 2019-2020 recipient of the Schreyer Honors College Outstanding Scholar Alumni Award.

Episode Topics:

Coming to Penn State as an international student and transitioning to University Park from a campus like Greater Allegheny
Leveraging your status as a Scholar to maintain academic progress
Thinking creatively about career paths from majors, even in STEM
Making the tough choice to give up activities for academics
Choosing Schreyer for the undergraduate research opportunities and parlaying this into graduate education
Navigating graduate school and then non-academic job searches
Advice for job seekers in any discipline or industry
Pivoting from corporate work to consulting and government work and from technical science to policy roles and even starting your own business
A discussion on project management and professional engineer licenses
Insights on Consumer Reports and what that household name does
Providing subject matter expert testimony for the US House of Representatives
Work life balance and learning how to supervise and manage as you go
Defining success through impact -----
Schreyer Honors College Links: Website Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Upcoming Events Scholars – Need Assistance? Book an Appointment! Alumni – Learn Why and How to Volunteer Make a Gift to Benefit Schreyer Scholars Join the Penn State Alumni Association ----- Credits & Notes: This show is hosted, produced, and edited by Sean Goheen ‘11 Lib (Schreyer). The artwork was created by Tom Harrington, the College’s Web Developer. The sound effect is “Chinese Gong,” accessed via SoundBible used under Creative Commons License. The theme music is “Conquest” by Geovane Bruno, accessed via Pixabay

Next Episode

FTG 0047 – Empathetic Landscapes with Architectural/Landscape Designer and Design Impact Researcher Jared Edgar McKnight '11

Overview:

Jared Edgar McKnight ’11 A&A, Lib is a Senior Associate and Designer at WRT (Wallace Roberts & Todd, LLC), a landscape architecture, planning, urban design, and architecture firm based in Philadelphia and San Francisco. He joined WRT in 2012 after earning a Bachelor of Architecture with Honors, a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies, and minors in Architectural History and French & Francophone Studies from Penn State’s Colleges of Arts & Architecture and College of the Liberal Arts, respectively, in 2011. Jared also serves on both the A&A and Schreyer Honors College Alumni Society Boards. Jared joins Following the Gong to talk all things landscape architecture, architecture, and design. He provides insight on life as an involved Scholar in Architecture including studying abroad and shines a light on the many elements of life as a designer and the power of empathy and community in design. He also shares about his graduate work in the field and his research on architecture and landscape architecture’s role in designing innovative solutions to address large scale issues like homelessness and resiliency. Jared’s insights are great for any Scholar to hear and are particularly helpful for any Scholar in Architecture or other studio-intensive and design oriented disciplines as well as those seeking to make a difference for others. His full bio and a detailed breakdown of topics discussed are available below.

Guest Bio:

Jared Edgar McKnight ’11 A&A, Lib is a Senior Associate and Designer at WRT (Wallace Roberts & Todd, LLC), a landscape architecture, planning, urban design, and architecture firm based in Philadelphia and San Francisco. Jared joined WRT in 2012 after earning a Bachelor of Architecture with Honors, a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies, and minors in Architectural History and French & Francophone Studies from Penn State’s Colleges of Arts & Architecture and College of the Liberal Arts, respectively, in 2011. Jared has also earned a Master of Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania in 2012 and Master of Landscape Architecture + Urbanism degree at the University of Southern California in 2021. Jared currently resides in Los Angeles, CA where he works remotely for WRT and is a frequent guest lecturer at USC. Jared’s work focuses primarily on the landscape's potential as a system to support environmental and social resilience and giving back to his academic and professional communities through his design work, research, advocacy, and community service. Through his highly crafted work, Jared’s designs invite others to see the landscapes around them anew, with an empathic lens that considers those least represented, and those whose voices, and identities, are not often heard, or designed for. His current interests focus on policy and design interventions that challenge the structures that isolate, exclude, and oppress communities and ecosystems. In addition to his job with WRT, Jared explores these topics through organizations in his local community like the Landscape Justice Initiative at USC.

Jared is the recipient of numerous honors and awards, most notably he has received recognition as a Landscape Architecture Foundation 2021 National Olmsted Scholar Finalist, a 2021 American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) Honor Award Recipient, the 2021 ASLA National Award of Excellence in Research recipient, a Pennsylvania State University 2018 Alumni Achievement Award recipient, a 2016 American Institute of Architects National Associate Award recipient, and a 2016 Schreyer Honors College Outstanding Scholar Alumni Award Recipient.

Jared enthusiastically continues to serve on various volunteer boards and organizations to stay connected with his academic institutions and professional communities. He is currently the Emerging Professionals Chair on ASLA Southern California’s Board, an appointed member of the ASLA National Student Advisory Committee, a board member on the Schreyer Honors College Alumni Society Board, and a board member on the Penn State College of Arts & Architecture Alumni Society Board. For the past decade since graduating from Penn State, Jared has also served as a mentor through varying organizations to students in Architecture and Design across the country, and frequently travels to WRT’s Philadelphia and San Francisco offices, to his project sites, and to present his personal research and professional work.

Episode Topics:

Coming to the Honors College as a third-generation Penn Stater and finding inspiration to become an architect and designer
Life as a Scholar and Architecture student including studios, study abroad (and its value as a professional later), internships (and navigating cancelled ones), and campus activities like Lion Ambassadors and Schreyer Student Council
How team...