UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Thirty-seven teams from Penn State composed of 101 people attended the 2024 “Opportunity Institute: Colleges and Universities Working to Improve the Student Academic Experience and Outcomes” from June 10-12.
Working remotely and from in-person sites at the Harrisburg and University Park campuses, teams spent three focused days attending workshops and webinars, collaborating with coaches and each other, as they worked on their projects related to student success and providing opportunities for students in the higher education space. Teams could be comprised of faculty, staff, students and administrators.
In addition to Harrisburg and University Park, the Abington, Altoona, Behrend, Brandywine, DuBois, Hershey, Hazleton, Mont Alto, Scranton and Wilkes-Barre campuses and World Campus all participated.
Alan Rieck, associate vice provost and associate dean of Undergraduate Education at Penn State, said it was critical for the University to participate in events like the Opportunity Institute and capitalize on opportunities to collaborate.
“It is easy to talk about things that we would like to do to make things better, but it is much more difficult to have the time to actually do those things,” Rieck said. “We need to take advantage of collaborations that bring people together to answer important questions and solve difficult problems. Penn State has too many outstanding people for us not to work together in these ways.”
Peter Moran, associate dean for policy and planning at Penn State Altoona, said the team representing the Altoona campus found the institute a rewarding experience, and they will continue meeting monthly throughout the academic year. Altoona’s projects include a campus-wide peer mentoring programing and experimenting with different pedagogical approaches to the first-year seminar.
“The institute gave our group space to collaborate on student success initiatives, and the guest speakers effectively challenged the audience to think in new, creative ways about issues related to student success,” Moran said.
Fifty-six institutions participated in the 2024 Opportunity Institute, which was co-hosted by Penn State and Georgetown University and sponsored by the American Talent Initiative, Ithaka S+R and the Aspen Institute.
“One of the key collaborative tools in the institute is the opportunity to hear speakers from around the country who share perspectives about opportunities for students that are inspirational and challenging,” Rieck said.
Attendees had the chance to participate in a series of consultations and workshops over the three-day institute and watch panels and provocations. Day three saw Mary Dana Hinton, president of Hollins University, challenge leaders to make love an institutional priority. Hinton’s talk, “From the Margins to the Heart,” touched on her own story, who in 10th grade was told that college was not an option for her. Hinton said her life was “crafted in the margins,” and today as a leader in higher education, much of her work has been focused on creating structures, policies and programs that promote inclusion and equity and opportunity to those in the margins.
Hinton said college and university leaders must approach difficult situations with love, which can often be hard.
“Leading with love compels us to act in ways that are compassionate, expansive and inviting,” Hinton said. “When our students feel that, then they are open to love and to learning.”
Penn State’s participation in the Opportunity Institute is coordinated by Penn State Harrisburg, Undergraduate Education, the Office of the Vice President for Commonwealth Campuses and the Office of Educational Equity.