UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Seven Penn State faculty and staff were chosen to work with the Student Engagement Network on funded projects that research or contribute to student engagement.

The Engagement Academy (formerly known as the Faculty Academy) works to develop transformative experiences for students and support the mission of the Student Engagement Network. Academy Scholars are granted a two-year appointment to focus on a comprehensive project with the main goal of advancing knowledge through research about student engagement. In addition to developing their own funded projects, academy members are expected to be leaders and mentors in student engagement and help to cultivate a community around engaged scholarship.

The Engagement Academy scholar for the 2021-22 academic year is Cindy Simmons, associate teaching professor of journalism in the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications, and her engaged scholarship project is the WPSU Radio Community Engagement Initiative.

Fellows for the 2021-22 academic year and their engaged scholarship projects are:

• Alandra Kahl, associate teaching professor of energy engineering, Penn State Greater Allegheny; METAMS: Metals Environmental Tracking and Monitoring Sensor Development and Distribution for Community Science.
• Andy Puleo, assistant director, Student Affairs, Penn State Shenango; Pardon the Pandemic — Engaging Students Through New Media.
• Christina Daley, associate teaching professor of health policy and administration, College of Health and Human Development; Project Based Learning: Flaming the Fire in Higher Education.
• Danica White, student engagement librarian, University Libraries, University Park campus; Expanding BIPOC Student Participation in Undergraduate Research.
• Hong Chen, assistant professor, information sciences and technology, Penn State New Kensington; The Comic Journal of Cybersecurity: Engaging Students to Promote Awareness of Cybersecurity in PSU Community.
• John Randolph, outreach coordinator, Office of Veterans Programs, University Park campus; Marginalized Student Transition: The First-Year Experience.

To learn more about the Student Engagement Network and the Faculty Academy, or to learn about other projects, visit engage.psu.edu.

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.