Office of Undergraduate Education

Register now for the 2022 Student Engagement Summit on May 19

Summit’s theme focuses on post-pandemic engagement work; Deadline to register May 6

The 2019 Student Engagement Summit brought together 130 Penn State employees from across the University. Credit: Steve Tressler / Penn State. Creative Commons

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State educators are invited to attend the 2022 Student Engagement Summit to discuss engagement in a post-pandemic world, with a focus on campus resources, program alignment and the ongoing development of the Student Engagement Network.  

This year’s summit will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. May 19, with two virtual morning sessions and in-person and remote campus/college breakout sessions in the afternoon. Penn State faculty, staff and graduate students can register by May 6 at sensummit.psu.edu

“If you have seen decreased engagement among your students or have had to adjust to motivate and engage them, we hope you will join us to discuss these challenges,” said Michael Zeman, SEN director. “We are seeking a deeper understanding of the tools and practices that will help design engagement more effectively for our students.” 

Overview of sessions 

The 2022 Summit schedule features morning sessions starting at 8:30 a.m. with a welcome from Student Engagement Network (SEN) Director Michael Zeman and an overview of SEN programs. The 9 a.m. session will feature updates from SEN and information on building momentum for students. 

Participants can attend one of three options for the first main session at 9:50 a.m.: 

  • “Engagement App — The Inaugural Year — Leveraging the Data in the Engagement App for Fall of 2022,” led by Brendan Bagley, IT project manager for Undergraduate Education, and Andrew Strause, CEO of Navengage, the developers of the Engagement App.  
  • “Engagement Grant Program — Helping students create experiences, write winning proposals, and get the most out of any experience,” facilitated by Zeman and Ann Taylor, assistant dean for distance learning for the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences. 
  • "The Engagement Academy — Exploring issues together and taking engagement to the next level (building the network together and finding ways to collaborate/co-create engagement projects),” facilitated by Kate McLean, associate professor of administration of justice for Penn State Greater Allegheny, and Alandra Kahl, associate teaching professor of energy engineering for Penn State Greater Allegheny.  

Three more options will be available for the 11 a.m. session: 

  • Another session of “Engagement App — The Inaugural Year — Leveraging the Data in the Engagement App for Fall of 2022,” led by Brendan Bagley, IT project manager for Undergraduate Education, and Andrew Strause, CEO of Navengage, the developers of the Engagement App. 
  • “Find Your Why/Start Your Journey Activity Workshop – A successful engagement activity for students,” facilitated by Zeman and Jordan Emely, graduate assistant with SEN. 
  • “Building the Next Phase Together (Identify pathways to stronger collaboration throughout the systems),” facilitated by Kendall Mainzer, director of student engagement and instructor for the College of Arts & Architecture, and Marly Doty, lecturer of human development and family studies for Penn State DuBois.  

The afternoon campus breakout session starting at 11:55 a.m. is optional for individual colleges and campuses and based on available leadership within those units. The goal is to bring campus and college teams together to reflect on and realign student engagement in their area. Units can be in person or remote. Damon Sims, vice president for Student Affairs, will host the University Park campus in-person panel discussion at the HUB-Robeson Center.  

For more information on the 2022 Engagement Summit, visit sensummit.psu.edu

The Student Engagement Network is a joint initiative between Undergraduate Education, Student Affairs and Outreach and Online Education. The mission of the Student Engagement Network is to advance the power of participation by connecting students with experiences that empower them to make a positive impact as citizens and leaders of the world. 

Last Updated April 18, 2022