UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Undergraduate students from all campuses and majors can now apply for a Student Engagement Network (SEN) Grant to support a variety of engagement experiences during fall 2023 and winter break. Engagement experiences can take many forms and grants can help students cover many kinds of costs.   

The deadline to apply for a SEN grant is 11:59 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 4. The application and additional information can be found here. Award decision notifications will be sent during the week of Sept. 11, and all engagement experiences during this grant cycle should be completed by Jan. 7, 2024.   

Engagement grants open to students at all campuses  

Undergraduate students from all Penn State campuses are invited to apply to the SEN Grant program as an individual or a group. Students have the chance to receive $1,000 or $2,000 to cover a range of costs. Each student will be assigned an engagement coach to help them complete the required SEN Online Canvas course and excel in their engagement experience. The SEN Online Canvas course is a non-credit bearing, no-cost added course centered on the student engagement journey. A total of $80,000 in grants will be awarded for fall and winter 2023 with $60,000 for individual grants and $20,000 for group grants. 

“Our grant program gives more students the opportunity for out-of-classroom experiences like internships, research and education abroad, by relieving them of some of the financial burden,” said Michael Zeman, Student Engagement Network director. “In each grant cycle, our students complete an amazing array of projects.”  

Below are examples of engagement experiences SEN will consider for funding. Students and faculty are encouraged to reach out to SEN staff with questions.   

• undergraduate research   

• internships 

• community-based learning   

• creative accomplishments   

• courses with an out-of-class component   

• organizational experiences   

• peer mentoring   

• self-directed student engagement   

• volunteerism   

• employment experiences   

• study away/study abroad experience   

The Engagement App is another way to explore and discover engagement opportunities on all campuses. Visit the site or download from the App Store or Google Play.  

The Engagement Grant application for spring, Maymester and summer 2024 will open on Nov. 17 and close on Dec. 17. More information on 2024 grants will be released later in the fall 2023 semester. 

Engagement experience

Kourtney Kelly, a biobehavioral health/neuroscience senior from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, used a Student Engagement Network Grant to help fund a trip to Portugal in summer 2023 to examine drug policies in the country.

Kelly explained that policies have changed due to an opioid epidemic similar to the one experienced in the United States. Through the CRIM 499: Foreign Studies course, she was able to apply what she learned about patient treatment and the structure of addiction treatment. Using ethical reasoning as her engagement theme, the associated Canvas course prompted her “make connections between materials I was learning and my experiences, defining how this will shape my future, my goals and community,” she said. “I look forward to presenting these findings and how they can be helpful or eye opening to individuals.”     

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.