Just outside of State College, you’ll see buggies on the roads and horses pulling plows. If you’ve ever wondered about Pennsylvania Dutch Culture, now’s your time to learn!
Tim Parker will speak on his roots and knowledge of Pennsylvania Dutch Culture and Heritage. Learn about what makes this culture unique!
Tim Parker, his wife Sasha, and son Ezequiel live in the heart of South Central Pennsylvania. Not only is he a native to Central PA with deep Pennsylvania Dutch roots, but he currently lives in an area where some of the cultures even persist to this day. Although Tim’s educational background is in religious studies, he considers himself a connoisseur of Pennsylvania Dutch Culture and Heritage. After living all over the US and regularly engaging with different cultures Tim has come to realize what makes his family ancestry and culture unique.
The May 2021 installment invites Jose Miguel La Torre Ramos to speak on his home of Puerto Rico. Learn about the history of the island, the culture, and how the island has overcame recent struggles.
More about our speaker: Jose is from Puerto Rico and is studying at Penn State to receive a Masters in International Affairs and has a Doctorate in Philosophy from InterAmerican University of Puerto Rico. He wants to study and defend the right to education, health, and decent work as a human right. He is a member of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Student Advisory Group at the Penn State School of International Affairs.
Ever wonder where your food comes from and how to find fresh food grown just around the corner? Join us to hear from Dr. Bill Lamont . He will teach us about locally produced seasonal vegetables and when to find them in central PA.
Dr. William James Lamont Jr. is a Professor Emeritus in the Department of Plant Science at The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania.
He was born and raised in rural Pennsylvania and obtained two undergraduate degrees, one in Economics and Business from Lebanon Valley College, Annville, Pennsylvania and the other in Horticulture from Delaware Valley College, Doylestown, Pennsylvania . He received his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from the Department of Vegetable Crops, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York.
Throughout his career, Dr. Lamont was a frequent speaker at growers’ conferences around the country and has presented papers at several International Workshops on Vegetable Production and Plasticulture. He was extremely successful in increasing urban agriculture in Philadelphia.
He and his spouse Phyllis have two grown boys and two grandchildren and live on 28 acres outside of State College, Pa. Dr. Lamont has also penned a twice monthly gardening column “Over the Garden Fence” since 2005 for the Centre Daily Times newspaper.
Join us on Zoom at 7:00 PM on Wednesday, Match 3 as we talk to Freddy Koumba, who is studying at Penn State and is from Gabon in Central Africa. Freddy will share about life in Port Gentil, Gabon, where his family lives.
More about our speaker: Freddy is from Gabon and is in America on the Humphrey Fellowship program studying teaching of English as a foreign language (TEFL) at Penn State. He is married and the father of 4 children. His family is in Port Gentil, Gabon. He graduated from Omar Bongo University & the Ecole Normale Supérieure in Gabon and received his TEFL certification from the University of Stellenbosch, South Africa. Freddy has taught English and French for many years and currently teaches business English at the Ecole Nationale de Commerce. He is interested in knowing more about the American way of life and would like to travel throughout the US after the program ends in June before returning to Gabon.
Join us on Zoom at 7:00 PM on Wednesday, February 3
We will talk to Cristina Marquez, State College resident from Cd. Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico. Christina will share her upbringing in Ciudad Juarez. Hear about her life and the regional culture that is a unique blend of Mexican and US cultures.
If you enjoy learning about other countries and meeting people from around the world, the Global Conversations events are designed for you!
More about our speaker: Cristina Marquez is from Cd. Juárez, Chihuahua, the city that borders El Paso, Texas.
She has a degree in marketing and a master’s in innovation from Tec de Monterrey University. Currently, Cristy is a professor of business at her home university. She is now in State College because her husband is a Fulbright exchange scholar at PSU studying for his Ph.D. in materials science. In her free time, Cristy facilitates mindfulness sessions for an online group back in Mexico. Also, she does yoga and enjoys crafting, dancing, cooking, reading, and watching movies. She loves spending time in nature, mainly walking.
Join us on Zoom at 7:00 PM on Wednesday, January 6 as we talk with Sojung Jung, State College resident from Korea. Sojung will share about herself and her home country, and what it is like to transition to State College to start a Penn State graduate program.
If you enjoy learning about other countries and meeting people from around the world, the Global Conversations events are designed for you!
