Overview of the College
Improving human lives through innovative research, teaching, and outreach activities is and always has been the defining goal of The College of Health and Human Development. Our mission is to improve human well-being across the life span through interdisciplinary research, teaching, and service. We truly are "Committed to improving the quality of your life."
Our faculty represent some of the most respected leaders in their disciplines, including fellows, presidents and board/committee members of numerous national academies and organizations. Their research on a myriad of topics has enabled the College to increase its portfolio of external funding over 470% from $9.7 million in 1991-1992 to over $55 million in 2005-2006. In addition, their peers and Penn State regularly recognize our faculty for their excellence in teaching, advising, research and actively engaging students. Their accomplishments speak volumes about the stimulating intellectual environment that the College has been able to create and sustain since its creation.
Having experienced and dedicated world-class faculty allows the College to attract intelligent, motivated and passionate students. Along with their academic achievements, more than 1,000 of the College’s students participate each semester in service-learning activities that bring them into direct contact with patients, clients and consumers. These experiences provide students with real-world opportunities to hone their professional skills and to expand their education while allowing them to experience the satisfaction of improving the world in which we live. Henderson columns Henderson Building columns
These contributions do not end when students graduate, however. The College’s undergraduate and graduate alumni, now more than 50,000 strong, continue to make substantial contributions to Penn State and to society through their jobs and their community outreach. This ever-growing network also provides more internship and job opportunities for our students.
Today, it boasts two schools and seven departments offering programs consistently ranked among the top of their kind in the nation; nine highly successful research centers addressing major societal problems and influencing policies geared toward tackling those problems; twenty nine laboratories conducting leading edge research providing undergraduate and graduate students world class faculty and facilities to enhance their academic and professional interests; and nine units providing various clinical and other services which have an immediate impact on those they serve. These units span a variety of disciplines with one common goal: improving the health and well being of our society.