Academic Excellence

Penn State is dedicated to creating transformative experiences — in and out of the classroom — for every student. Preparing students for a lifetime of professional and personal success is the core of our academic mission.

At Penn State, student success drives our vision and mission, and we aspire to deliver high-impact education that exceeds student expectations. As a cornerstone of President Neeli Bendapudi’s goal to drive student success, we are dedicated to creating innovative, transformative experiences for all students across our campuses.

In a changing landscape, we are evolving to continue to serve our students by:

  • Creating a sustainable model for higher education that upholds our longstanding commitment to access, affordability, and reducing costs for students and families.
  • Offering programs that align with evolving workforce and career needs of students, the commonwealth and society.
  • Enhancing diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging across our campuses.
  • Investing in the student experience through academic, career, extracurricular, research, global and other engagement opportunities.
  • Prioritizing graduate education and the critical roles graduate students play in research and undergraduate teaching and to support graduate students as they build their careers.
  • Graduating highly employable students who not only have real-world internship and career experiences, but the soft skills that equip them to compete in a global context as civic-minded, well-rounded thinkers and leaders.

To continue to deliver a world-class education that meets students’ changing expectations and preferences, Penn State is investing in making successful programs even stronger; new programs to increase overall enrollment; and academic and support resources that fuel the student experience.

Academic and administrative leaders, faculty, staff and students are engaging in collaborative efforts to:

  • Conduct a University-wide Academic Portfolio and Program Review (APPR)across all campuses in collaboration with academic leaders, faculty, staff and student partners. The review will help the University align academic offerings across locations with student and market demand; create stable enrollments; foster strategic growth; and connect academic offerings with the University’s research enterprise, mission and goals. This effort will evolve based on learnings and feedback from faculty, staff and students. Visit the APPR website to learn more about the APPR process and timeline, sign up for the APPR newsletter or register for a virtual APPR Insight Session.
  • Build a “one stop resource hub” to offer students at every campus a single, custom support pathway to the most common student services. MyResource is an AI-powered virtual assistant that will leverage generative AI technology to help students navigate and succeed in college – connecting students with the community and resources that make Penn State a top university. The hub, envisioned by students, will streamline access to academic support, mental health, well-being, basic needs, career, and cultural and advocacy services. Beta testing of the online virtual assistant for students is now underway.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is Penn State completing an Academic Portfolio and Program Review?

The goal is to emerge from the APPR as a university that remains student-centric with a comprehensive and cohesive academic portfolio that meets our educational mission sustainably and aligns with our research strengths and priorities. Penn State is beginning this process to make sure that the University is offering the right mix of residential, online and blended programs — where demand exists — that align with the University’s mission and that address the preferences and needs of students, society, and employers locally, regionally and nationally. Additional FAQs are available on the APPR website.

Links to resources: