Participants agreed that enhancing student engagement in the classroom is critical to Penn State’s success.
It was recognized that having tools for helping students communicate the narrative for themselves and others was critical. Sessions showed that we could deepen the already existing frameworks for that and help students own the learning!
Showcase your impactful course work on info-posters, student Q &A’s and social media to garner buy-in for future undergraduates and admin support.
Use technology to expand engagement across campuses & between campuses.
Continue doing real world strategic business plans for local, statewide, national, and international companies as exemplary projects for Penn State student engagement. Continue creating more WOW engagement opportunities for students in the classrooms.
Being aware of the type of student we are recruiting and partnering with recruitment offices on campus to ensure there is a diverse pool.
We recognized that there are three “steps” to identifying and communicating the ‘why’: the first is the familiar what/how/why sequence; the second flips the script to why/how/what; and (this was the a-ha moment for us all); another pass then changes how the story is told, based on the insight from the second step (knowing the why).
Create broader awareness at each community campus to make students aware of the importance and learning/research/engagement opportunities offered by campuses.
We have more work ahead to invite, include, and lift up minoritized students into programs that help them see the pathways more clearly, and the value of participating.
Challenges/Barriers
The courage for students to proceed without worrying about failure, financial barriers, and social barriers.
Establishing equitable access, creating community, and establishing a common culture between students at University Park and students at the commonwealth campuses.
In some limited cases, getting extremely busy company and industry partners to travel to University Park on a consistent basis to connect with students.
Awareness of bias as a mentor in leadership, program, and classroom spaces.
Helping students identify and communicate the larger context and meaning of their engagement work. But some students really struggle with this, esp. when it is a more service-based activity.
Ensuring adequate funding was available and that also the support of facilities professionals for the effort is present.
Funding and engaging faculty and student at the community campuses; and creating more outreach and engagement opportunities.
Strategies/Interventions
Provide an impactful learning environment that provides a zeal for peer-peer learning across cultural and racial inclusivity.
Using technology and adapting the resources that we already have to the needs of the commonwealth campus students.
‘Just Do It,’ as one of the final panelists relayed. More and more PSU professors need to embrace student engagement projects.
Understanding the student’s foundation and then helping them build upon it.
As one session presented, it is starting with the ‘why.’ And that often it is a single first experience that gets them started.
Transparent communication, and resources. By letting folks know what you are expecting, and that in this case you are not asking them to do more, but to be open to receiving more great things, it really helps. But – that very fact needs to be repeated 3x in this budget climate shows how far we must go.
Awareness and specific ways in which they can be engaged – either volunteering, internships, or research.
We push content all the time. Take interest in your students.
Presidential Priorities and/or Goals for Student Success
The presidential pillars were quite evident in all the sessions on Zoom and in-person.
Develop avenues for students to tap into alumni network for mentorships and job searches.
Establish a curricular and co-curricular map for each student to help them discover and engage in a range of engagement opportunities.
The Engagement Coaching model, SEN Grant program, including the canvas course with the Find Your Why activity and Start Your Journey activity are great examples of how to help students be successful creating and navigating their own path forward.
Integrate cutting-edge research and engagement opportunities in the classroom.
Leverage technology, like the Engagement App to help.
Our emphasis on communication as well as discovery led to discussion around networks. Mapping came up as we sorted through incremental discovery and deepening experiences.
Aligning education offerings; possibly research and engagement opportunities connected to the classroom.
Presidential Priorities and/or Goals for DEIB
The ending keynote panel exemplified golden nuggets from which to put into practice daily both in the classroom and embedded travel course trips!
Resource our low areas, including minoritized and disabled communities. There is not enough opportunity within the experiences we offer to welcome them. Continue to work on welcoming minoritized students into experiences.
Establish a curricular and co-curricular map for each student to help them discover and engage in a range of engagement opportunities.
Ask students questions. Help them build the right connections. Look for the quiet students and work harder with them.
We have a lot of work to do – we need to understand why experiences are important, for the greater good. Students don’t have to wait until they’re graduating to be good citizens.
Close gaps in graduation rates across backgrounds and identities.
Create robust communities of support for faculty, staff, and students of all backgrounds.
Not an explicit focus, though it was discussed in experiences in unfamiliar contexts.
In some sessions, this was not directly addressed.
How Presidential Priorities and/or Goals for Increasing the Land-Grant Impact Align with the Insights and Recommendations Discussed During the Breakout Sessions
Collaboration across community pathways is a synergy that augments fundamental impact and growth!
Mentioned projects clearly built stronger networks in the Pennsylvania business communities by increasing economic development in many PA communities in significant fashion. Clearest example thewebstaurantstore.com annual sales of $3.5B in the Lancaster/Lititz, PA area.
Our emphasis on significance and relevance builds the foundation for generating and communicating impact.
Sustainable Landscapes will enable our community to work together to enhance the University’s Purpose by uniquely serving the commonwealth and beyond; quickly adapt to dynamic needs of people and society; and leverage our knowledge and expertise to pursue opportunities and drive meaningful outcomes to:
