UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State World Campus students have the chance to participate in three upcoming events as part of the ongoing effort to expand the ways that online learners can be involved in University activities.
The first two events, a chance to meet with Pennsylvania lawmakers at the state Capitol in Harrisburg and a lecture by a civil rights lawyer, are scheduled for Wednesday, March 20. The other opportunity is a professional development conference on Thursday, March 28, that’s focused on diversity in corporate settings.
“All Penn State students should have a rich experience regardless of whether they get their degree at a campus or online, and these events help bring that to our students,” said Ashley Adams, director of student affairs for Penn State World Campus. “Engaging with community and civic leaders, hearing from prominent speakers, and connecting with employers for career advancement are all part of the Penn State experience. We’re proud of how eager our students have been to engage in these opportunities, and we expect these events to be well attended.”
Adams said 2019 is the first year that her office is encouraging World Campus students to attend Advocate Penn State Capital Day, an annual event during which students visit Pennsylvania’s Capitol Building to meet legislators and talk to them about the importance of the University. The event will take place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Adams said it will be a great opportunity for lawmakers to hear how important online learning is from World Campus students, many of whom are working adults.
World Campus students also will have the chance to hear from the author of the book chosen for the spring and summer semester book clubs.
World Campus will livestream the lecture by Bryan Stevenson, author of the bestselling memoir “Just Mercy,” starting at 7 p.m. March 20. The event is the Penn State Rock Ethics Institute’s 2019 Richard D. Lippin Lecture in Ethics and is sponsored in partnership with the Student Programming Association’s Distinguished Speaker Series.
“Just Mercy” explores unfairness in the criminal justice system through Stevenson’s experiences in the South representing poor clients accused of crimes.
Adams is encouraging students to register for the annual S.T.A.R.T. Conference hosted by the Penn State Smeal College of Business on March 28. The conference, which stands for Striving Toward Awareness and Respect for Tomorrow, begins at 9 a.m. at the Nittany Lion Inn at the University Park campus.
The conference focuses on business initiatives in diversity, and the presenters are expected to talk about diversity and related social justice issues.
Attendees will have the chance to network with business leaders from companies such as Boeing, Deloitte, Johnson & Johnson, PwC and more; explore career paths; and gain insights into the corporate world.
The three events are the latest opportunities for World Campus students to connect with the University community.
For the first time in 2018, World Campus sent a group of 17 students to the Penn State Summer Leadership Conference. And for the past few years, World Campus students have participated in the annual All-University Day celebration during a Penn State home football game.
“All of these events ensure that students can have a robust student experience, full of opportunities to engage with peers, the University, and the world around them while enjoying the flexibility of attending online,” Adams said.
Visit the Penn State World Campus website for more information about the events.