UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- A Penn State Outreach employee has won a national higher education award for her service to the adult learner community. Lori Stania, director of Student Enrollment Services, Financial Operations and Analytics at Outreach, World Campus and Continuing Education, is the 2012 recipient of the Adelle F. Robertson Continuing Professional Educator Award from the University Professional and Continuing Education Association (UPCEA).
The award, presented during the association’s annual conference, recognizes the scholarship, leadership and contributions to the continuing education profession of a person who has entered the profession in the past five to 10 years. Stania also has received the 2011 UPCEA Mid-Atlantic Region Alexander Charters Outstanding Continuing Educator Award. UPCEA is an international professional association for those in higher continuing education and lifelong learning.
"We're helping students achieve their dreams, especially adult learners," said Stania. "It is very rewarding to me."
Since joining the Penn State World Campus and Academic Outreach team in 2002, Stania has held a variety of leadership roles. She currently is responsible for more than 60 employees while participating in strategic planning for the World Campus and Continuing Education. Stania provides direction and guidance for Student Enrollment Services, Financial Operations, and Educational and Institutional Analytics. She also serves on University committees involved with student issues, presents at conferences and produces internal white papers on her research about matters related to Penn State students and the University.
Penn State Outreach serves more than 5 million people each year, delivering more than 2,000 programs to people in all 67 Pennsylvania counties, all 50 states and 115 countries worldwide.