Working with the Initiative leads teacher to Penn State PhD program

Kate Van Haren, who has worked with the Initiative on designing educational materials and served on our Teacher Advisory Council, has joined the Penn State College of Education’s social studies education doctoral program.

A native of Wisconsin, Kate is excited to explore Central Pennsylvania.

“I love my state for its rich, complex history and the diverse group of people who have called it home,” said Kate, who earned her M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction offered through Penn State World Campus. “I’m excited to learn about both topics in Pennsylvania, as well.”

Kate identifies her work with the Initiative as a primary motivator for choosing Penn State for her doctoral studies.

“One of the most exciting aspects of my master’s was getting to design education materials for Penn State’s Holocaust, Genocide and Human Rights Education Initiative,” Kate said. “The opportunity to work collaboratively with Penn State professors and staff and turn my research into projects that actual teachers can use in the classroom is one of the many reasons I chose to pursue my Ph.D. at Penn State. I am so excited to discover new ways to turn my passions into actions that benefit students and teachers.”