For new president, tour of Commonwealth Campuses proves illuminating, inspiring

After being named Penn State’s 19th president, 整个春天,尼利·本达普迪(Neeli Bendapudi)开始了对该大学联邦校园的全州之旅
President-elect Neeli Bendapudi is welcomed by crowd

周一,欧博体育官网当选总统Neeli Bendapudi抵达欧博体育官网利哈伊谷时受到校园社区的欢迎, April 18, as part of her ongoing campus listening tour. 

Credit: Corey McDonough

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Even before taking the reins as Penn State’s 19th president this month, Neeli Bendapudi spent much of the spring traveling across the commonwealth on her listening tour of the University’s campuses.

本达普迪说,这次聆听之旅让她对欧博体育官网的赠地使命和校园作为所在地区经济发展引擎的作用有了更强烈的认识. “If you think about the land-grant mission and the promise of social mobility, the campuses show that in true color,” she said. “当你在不同的校园里时,你可以明显感受到——入学机会、负担能力和前景.”

总统补充说,近距离观察许多校园有助于向她展示英联邦校园对当地社区和周边地区经济的影响, ranging from educating and keeping local talent at home, to promoting and supporting entrepreneurship and innovation through Invent Penn State’s free statewide LaunchBox and Innovation Hub Network.

“I always knew the campuses mattered to the communities, but it was so gratifying to see the advisory boards, the donors, 当地政府的代表也会出现,展示他们对校园的自豪,” she said.

Bendapudi also remarked about the close-knit nature of each campus. “You can see the sense of community at these campuses,” she said. “The students talked about the support they get from the faculty and staff, they really know one another. 校长们谈到了他们在检查学生时建立的关系, but it’s not just how they are doing in the classroom, but how they are doing with the pressures of COVID, what’s happening with their families and so on.”

Bendapudi kicked off her campus listening tour in March — which included a visit to Penn State Health in Hershey — and spent time at each location meeting with campus chancellors, students, faculty, staff and community members in town-hall style settings with open Q&A.

Kelly Austin, vice president for Commonwealth Campuses, 她说,让本达普迪参观这些地方不仅是她更好地了解校园的好机会, but also for the campuses to let her know what’s important to them and to ask questions. 双向对话的机会为每个校园如何服务和支持学生和周围社区提供了更大的赞赏.

The new president was able to visit the majority of the campuses in the spring, 她期待着在8月份学生们开始秋季课程后恢复并结束她的巡演.

“It’s been extraordinary — I’ve really, truly enjoyed this,” Bendapudi said. “What has been amazing to me is how different each of the Commonwealth Campuses is. Each is a microcosm and an independent ecosystem. It’s been wonderful to see everything, from Penn State Mont Alto and the forestry background and expertise, to engaging with faculty and staff at Penn State Harrisburg and how they are working to keep up with growth and changes happening on their campus.”

Cassie Farrelly, director of operations and strategic initiatives at the College of Medicine in Hershey, said of the new president’s visit to Penn State Health and Penn State Hershey: “What really came across in each meeting I joined with Dr. Bendapudi is that she genuinely listens and absorbs what you’re telling her. And even though she was introduced to probably 200 people, 第二天,她记起了前一天见过的一个学生的名字,于是走过去和那个学生打了个招呼.”

Madison Forbes, a Penn State York student and campus Lion Ambassador who helped give Bendapudi a tour of York, agreed. “我认为她真的很善良,而且她非常热衷于了解欧博体育官网约克分校. 她在参观中非常投入,并亲自与我们在校园里遇到的学生交谈.”

Forbes added, 她特意与学生们直接交谈,询问他们在欧博体育官网约克分校的经历. 在学生会议期间,她要求每个人围成一圈,以促进合作. 她尊重学生,并努力与她遇到的每一个学生建立联系.”

校长说,当她听说学生在校期间可以获得惊人的本科生研究机会时,她印象深刻. 本达普迪回忆起欧博体育官网海狸分校的两名女本科生告诉她,她们所做的研究有助于展示额外的驾驶课程要求如何在减少青少年驾驶事故和死亡方面发挥作用.

本达普迪说:“我试着花时间和学生们在一起,因为他们才是我们真正关心的。. “It just gives you goosebumps to spend time with them. They’re making the most of their experience. 他们为能在欧博体育官网学习感到骄傲,他们在课堂内外都取得了如此多的成就,这是非常了不起的.”

校长指出,欧博体育官网的独特之处在于,学生可以根据自己的需要定制他们在欧博体育官网的经历, 无论是在一个联邦校园开始他们的学术生涯,还是在不同的地方完成他们的学位 the 2+2 Plan, or choosing to stay closer to home at one of 20 campuses for all four years while earning their Penn State degree.

本达普迪说,她的聆听之旅的附带好处之一是体验了欧博体育官网每个地点的自然美景.

“These campuses are so picturesque — they’re so beautiful, like community gems for people to discover and enjoy,” she said.