Academic Convocation

Penn State Behrend’s 2023-24 academic year will begin Saturday, Aug. 19, with the college’s Academic Convocation. The program, which begins at 9 a.m. in Junker Center, is mandatory for all new Behrend students.

Convocation and commencement are the academic bookends of the Behrend experience. During the one-hour convocation program, Chancellor Ralph Ford will welcome the Class of 2027. Several student speakers, including Matthew Strupczewski, president of the Student Government Association, also will offer advice to new students.

It is a tradition at Behrend for the most recent recipient of the Council of Fellows Excellence in Teaching Award to address the incoming class. This year’s speaker will be Joshua Shaw, professor of philosophy and bioethics.

To learn more about convocation and other Welcome Week programming at Behrend, download the Experience Behrend app at the Apple App Store or at Google Play.