UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State World Campus will give its online learners a chance to come together virtually and in person this month to build their leadership skills.
The 2021 Penn State World Campus Student Leadership Conference will be held Sunday, Sept. 26, through Tuesday, Sept. 28. Students can attend virtually or in-person at the HUB-Robeson Center on Penn State’s University Park campus and at Hyatt Place in downtown State College.
Registration is open to all Penn State World Campus students, and adult learners and veteran students at University Park and Penn State Commonwealth Campuses are invited to attend. Registration is $75 for in-person attendees and $20 for online attendees for the full conference.
Attendees can attend in person on a day of their choosing for $30. Register by Wednesday, Sept. 22, to attend in person and by Friday, Sept. 24, to attend virtually. The registration fee is non-refundable.
The conference is designed to give students an opportunity to explore various facets of leadership development while also providing opportunities to connect with faculty, staff, and peers. Conference sessions will emphasize leadership development as it relates to students, their communities, and the workplace.
Students can learn to:
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Enhance essential skills and competencies to create a culture of leadership in their communities and workplaces
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Understand the importance of embracing a diverse and inclusive community
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Leverage their experiences from current leadership roles to enhance their student experience at Penn State and boost future career and life aspirations
Ashley Adams, senior director of student affairs for Penn State World Campus, said she wanted to offer virtual access to this year’s conference because of the success of last year’s conference, which was entirely online.
“Our students have shown such strong desire to advance their leadership skills, as the attendance at our past conferences has shown,” Adams said. “We are excited to offer this year’s conference virtually and in-person so that students can attend in a way that best suits their schedule.”
The conference will open with a reception and dinner on Sept. 26 and continue Sept. 27–28 with keynote speakers and breakout sessions. The closing keynote luncheon will be Sept. 28.
Those attending the conference at University Park will be required to wear masks when indoors, according to Penn State policy.
The conference was planned to start the same weekend as the annual All-University Day football game on Saturday, Sept. 25, at Beaver Stadium.
All-University Day celebrates the entire University as one, recognizing Penn State World Campus and the 24 campuses across the state. Two students will carry a World Campus banner across the field during halftime.
Julie Fitzgerald, co-curricular program coordinator for World Campus, said some students may not have the ability to travel to University Park multiple times during the year and hoped that planning the conference to coincide with the football game weekend would allow students to make the most of their time on campus.
“What an exciting opportunity for a Penn State World Campus student to potentially kick off their weekend at University Park by attending a home football game with a stadium of Penn Staters celebrating the entire University system,” said Fitzgerald.
Visit the Student Leadership Conference website to register and find more information.