SHARON, Pa. — Texting, video chatting, commenting, and “liking” have become mainstays of modern friendships, a topic Assistant Teaching Professor Tiffany Petricini will explore at Penn State Shenango’s next Lecture Series "Friendship in the Digital Age: Togetherness in lonely times" at 5:30 p.m. March 24. The event is free and open to the public, but registration is required at shenango.psu.edu/lectureseries.

“I’ve studied how social media has altered our friendships and our sense of connection,” said Petricini. “While we can now maintain relationships that span time zones and continents, we also lose fundamentals like human presence, and navigating barriers and conflict.”

Petricini continued, “Local Facebook groups that came about during the pandemic like ‘Shenango Valley Good Samaritans’ was an awesome way we were able to be together during a lonely time. It demonstrates that humans are driven to create connected communities.”

Petricini is the program coordinator for the campus’ corporate communication major and has authored an upcoming book “Friendship and Technology: A Philosophical Approach to Computer Mediated Communication,” highlighting her research on how participatory media impacts friendships and connections.

Registration is required for 2021-22 Lecture Series, available at shenango.psu.edu/lectureseries. Location information will be provided upon registration. Questions about the Lecture Series can be directed to Melissa Fowler at 724-983-2825.