MASTER OF CEREMONIES
Darius "Fuzzy" McKenzie Williams |
Olivia Hogan |
Zack Durnack
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FACULTY/COMMUNITY SPEAKERS
Jennifer Sparrow Jennifer Sparrow is the Senior Director for Teaching and Learning with Technology where she leads a dynamic team of more than 95 learning innovators. Teaching and Learning with Technology collaborates across the entire institution to transform teaching and learning in positive and enduring ways. The work is grounded in the values of accessibility for all learners, reliability and credibility of all work, and strong partnerships with faculty, students, staff and vendors that enable new ventures in teaching and learning. Watch her talk here! 
Rose Cameron Rose Cameron is a cultural anthropologist, global brand strategist and chronic puzzle solver with over 25 years of experience in innovation facilitation and creation. McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, Nintendo, IBM and Microsoft are just some of the brands Rose has rejuvenated on a global scale while at some of the top agencies in the world. Rose is frequently invited to speak on the trending subjects that she monitors and on which she reports – Millennials/Centennials, Men, Technology, Observational Big Data Research and Change Management. Her studies have been featured in the Wall Street Journal, New Yorker, New York Times, and The Chicago Times to note a few. She was recently recognized as one of Central PA’s 100 Important People. She travels the world 200 days of the year working with corporate clients as well as governments and school districts to understand how to best serve the evolving needs of their users. Watch her talk here! 
Stephanie Reynolds Stephanie Reynolds is a senior majoring in Organizational Leadership from McKeesport, PA. Stephanie is a wife, a mother of 4 teens, a full time employee, and a full time labor activist from Penn State World Campus. She will be speaking at State of State 2018 in the "Impact of Technology on the Lives of Students" category. Watch her talk here! 
Marc Friedenberg Marc Friedenberg is an assistant teaching professor in the College of Information Sciences and Technology. He is a graduate of Columbia Law School, and previously practiced as a litigator in New York City. Marc is also a candidate for the Democratic nomination to represent Pennsylvania’s Fifth Congressional District. He lives in State College with his wife and two daughters. Watch his talk here! |
Keith Jervis Keith Jervis, M.Ed. ’84, is the Director of Student Disability Resources (SDR). Keith joined Student Disability Resources at Penn State in the fall of 2007 as the Liaison to the Penn State Campuses. In July of 2013, Keith was promoted to Director of Student Disability Resources. As Director, he has increased services to include employment and career opportunities; technology to assist with reading and note-taking; and individualized time management and organization assistance. Prior to working at Penn State, Keith was the Coordinator of Disability Services at Dickinson College, and a faculty member at the Landmark School, a school for students with language-based learning disabilities. Keith has a master’s degree from Penn State in Counselor Education, Rehabilitation Counseling. He is a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor. Watch his talk here! 
Brian Patchcoski Brian Patchcoski is the Director of the LGBTQA Student Resource Center at Penn State. Prior to Penn State, Brian served as an Associate Dean of Students at Cornell University, focusing on student support, sexual violence, and advocacy. During his tenure at Cornell, Brian also co-directed the Center for Intercultural Dialogue which was home to several advocacy centers and student support structures. He also was a founding Director of the Office of LGBTQ Services and Deputy Title IX Officer at Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. During his career, Brian has participated in several national research projects examining student identity development and campus climate. In accordance with this research he serves as the Mid-Atlantic Representative for the Consortium of Higher Education LGBT Resource Professionals. Brian has worked extensively within the realm of diversity, equity, and inclusion in Higher Education, hosting both trainings and discussions on issues of sexuality and gender identity . Watch his talk here! 
Jennifer Campbell Jennifer Campbell is the director of Global Operations and Learning for The Penn State's Global Programs Office. Her team provides support for international initiatives centered on global safety, sponsored relations, international legal support, international alumni development initiatives and global learning. Her determination to eradicate the challenges and difficulties that arise from lack of intercultural understanding and self-awareness guide her work. Watch her talk here! |
STUDENT SPEAKERS
Alexa Ain Alexa Ain is a senior in the Schreyer Honors College, double majoring in Political Science and Labor Employment Relations. Following her graduation in May, she will be attending law school, where she hopes to advocate for those without a voice. Last year, she served as the Panhellenic Vice President of Wellness, working to create programs and initiatives that benefited not only sorority women but the entire Penn State community. Currently, she is Vice President of Sisters on the Runway, an organization dedicated to raising funds and awareness about domestic violence. Their efforts culminate in a fashion show at the end of the year. In her talk, Alexa hopes to foster fruitful discussion about the impact students can have on their campus, not only in their years here as a student but even after graduation day. Watch her talk here! 
Tiara Dowling Tiara Dowling is a junior from Philadelphia, PA double majoring in Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies and Criminology. Tiara is the president of the National Association for Colored People (NAACP) undergraduate chapter at Penn State and a tour guide for the Student Minority Advisory and Recruitment Team (SMART). Tiara will be speaking about the ways in which intersectionality and social justice impact our lives. Watch her talk here! 
Smith Sopp Smith Sopp is a senior studying Computer Engineering. He is the current executive director of HackPSU, Penn State’s official Hackathon and largest student-run technology event. He is also a member of the EECS Undergraduate Advisory Board. HackPSU provides over 700 students from 40+ universities and 46 different majors the opportunity to learn, build, and share in an educational 24 hour collaborative technology event. His experiences have provided him with a unique perspective on the climate of STEM education, and the opportunity to examine both its strengths and flaws. Watch his talk here! 
Jorge Zurita- Coronado Jorge Zurita- Coronado is a senior majoring in Political Science with a minor in Sociology. He is from Oxford, Pennsylvania, having moved there at the age of seven from Ogden, Utah. As the son of two immigrants, he is passionate about immigrants rights and advocacy. At Penn State, he serves as the current President of the Latino Caucus. The organization is comprised of fourteen Latinx based student organizations that work toward unity in the Latinx community at Penn State and advocate on the behalf of Latinx students. After graduation, Jorge hopes to attend law school and advocate for the least among us. Watch his talk here! 
Matt Roda Matt Roda is a junior in the Schreyer Honors College studying biochemistry. Having switched majors twice, he found biochemistry to be the perfect combination of life sciences and physical sciences. Matt has excelled outside the classroom as cofounder of Reflexion Interactive Technologies, a startup working to improve concussion testing for athletes. Drawing inspiration from his own head injury playing ice hockey, Matt hopes to continue to grow his business with the support and mentorship that Penn State provides, and be a guide and resource for other entrepreneurs trying to bring an idea to life. Watch his talk here! |
Karem J. Salameh Karam J. Salameh is a senior in the Schreyer Honors College majoring in Philosophy with minors in Arabic and Sociology. An Arab Muslim American born and raised in rural southwestern Pennsylvania, he discovered at early age that he stuck out. Blessed with parents that were active in their community, Karam learned the importance of community building at all levels. Growing up, Karam was heavily involved with his Muslim community and took on leadership roles in his mosque, including a youth mentorship role. He especially enjoys being around children because of their unbridled potential and curiosity. At Penn State he has been heavily involved in Students for Justice in Palestine, the Muslim Students Association, and World In Conversation. His experiences with World In Conversation taught him how to study conflict and conflict resolution in a rigorous and practical setting, refining his understanding of social systems and the forces that shape them and making clear the need for spaces at Penn State to hold conversations about “controversial” issues. Watch his talk here! 
Samantha Geisinger Sammy Geisinger is a senior studying General Science and Psychology, with a focus on public policy and neuroscience. Having grown up in Cape May, NJ, she never saw a mountain until her first time at Penn State. Throughout her college career she has been involved in Lion Ambassadors, UPUA, The Eberly College of Science, and the Association of Big Ten Students, an organization that helps the fourteen Big Ten student governments collaborate and communicate. One of her favorite experiences thus far has been working within the Division of Development and Alumni Relations (DDAR), in both the Alumni Association and University Programs office. Watch her talk here! 
Samantha Ruland Sam Ruland is a Senior double major in Digital and Print Journalism and Political Science with a minor in Digital Media Trends and Analytics from Philadelphia, PA. She is the editor in chief of The Daily Collegian, the independent, student-run news organization of Penn State. She was previously involved in THON, serving on the Dancer Relations committee the last two years. Watch her talk here! 
Marvin Barnhill Marvin Barnhill is a junior from Philadelphia studying Labor and Employment Relations. Beyond the classroom, Marvin is a Robeson Ambassador, Lion Ambassador, a Peer-Mentor for Blueprint, and the Vice President for the Society of Human Resource Management. After graduation he hopes to attend law school and use his knowledge and resources to eliminate educational disparities. Watch his talk here! 
Zachary Taylor Zachary Taylor, is a junior in the Smeal College of Business studying finance. He attended Penn State Altoona for his first two years at Penn State and served treasurer in the Student Government Association. He later ran for CCSG (Council of Commonwealth Student Government) President. After winning the election in March of 2016, Zak and his staff reconfigured CCSG's approach to student advocacy, delivering a new pragmatic vision for the organization. Having delivered tangible solutions to CCSG's 30,000 undergraduate constituents, Zak concludes his term as President in April. Afterwards, he will begin his internship at Amazon HQ as a financial analyst in May. Watch his talk here! |
