Student Affairs (New Version)

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Student Affairs at Penn State: Supporting Student Success

Welcome to Penn State! As a faculty member, you play a vital role in shaping the student experience. Student Affairs is your partner in helping students thrive—academically, personally, and socially.

We are the center of the out-of-class student experience, offering programs, services, and support that help students grow, lead, succeed, and feel a true sense of belonging. Student Affairs is a dynamic division home to over 25 units and programs focused on enhancing the Penn State experience for all, impacting all students and creating the pathways for success that support classroom learning.

 

What We Do

Penn State Student Affairs is a community working together to ensure every student feels connected, supported, and empowered. We support students through:

  • Student Life and Involvement
    • We help students find community and connection through more than 1,000 student organizations, leadership programs, and involvement opportunities.
  • Health, Wellness, and Well-Being
    • We promote holistic wellness – physical, emotional, mental, and social – through services and support to help students be the best version of themselves.
  • Community and Belonging
    • We foster an inclusive and welcoming environment for all students and provide faculty and staff with resources to do the same.
  • Career Readiness
    • We prepare students for life after Penn State through career coaching, employer connections, and opportunities to develop the skills employers seek most.
  • Support and Advocacy
    • We help students overcome challenges by connecting them to essential services to find success.
  • Cocurricular Learning and Leadership
    • We offer students hands-on opportunities that build critical skills and prepare students for leadership, collaboration, and lifelong impact.

 

How We Support You

As a faculty member, you’re often a first point of contact for students in need. Here’s how you can work with us to support them:

Concerned about a student? Penn State faculty are often the first to notice worrisome student behaviors or declining academic success. Faculty are encouraged to talk with students and refer for further support:
  • If you are concerned about a student's immediate safety or the safety of others, contact the 24/7 Penn State Crisis Line at 1-877-229-6400 or local police at 911. 
  • Visit redfolder.psu.edu Links to an external site. to find key guidance from the team at Counseling and Psychological Services on how to identify concerns and route students to support.
  • Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) is home to over 50 clinicians specializing in supporting our students and their wide variety of needs.  

 

Need to report an incident? Faculty interact with students often, creating opportunities for conduct concerns. 

 

Want to get involved in direct support or advocacy? Be a part of our vibrant community by providing support, expanding your knowledge, or encouraging and inviting new voices in to your classroom.

 

Looking for classroom resources? Student Affairs units provide a host of resources that faculty can utilize to build on their classroom experience :

Student Affairs also supports faculty directly through a variety of services and opportunities to engage with our campus community:

  • Full-Service Pharmacy at University Health Services
    • The Pharmacy at UHS Links to an external site. is convenient and able to meet your prescription and over-the-counter needs. Utilize multiple delivery and refill options available to faculty and staff under a wide variety of insurance plans, including the Penn State insurance plan, all while giving back to the campus community.
  • Campus Recreation Facility Memberships
  • Connect with Campus Events
    • Show your Penn State pride by getting involved and taking advantage of our signature and student organized events. From the Summer Solstice at the Student Farm or the Pride in Our Community Pep Rally, to signature events like Homecoming, New Student Orientation, or THON, there’s always something going on. Find upcoming events online Links to an external site..

 

Supporting Students at Scale

Student Affairs is home to over 25 units and programs, all centered on creating a campus community focused on our students and their well-being and success. Learn about all of our departments and their work at studentaffairs.psu.edu Links to an external site..

  • Career Services hosts generalized and focused career events throughout the year, connecting over 12,000 students to employment and internship opportunities, and works with colleges to help students intentionally build career readiness.
  • University Health Services sees over 60,000 clinical visits annually, distributes over 2,000 flu vaccines to students and staff, and fills nearly 90,000 prescriptions.
  • The Lion’s Pantry serves over 12,000 visitors annually while the Dr. Keiko Miwa Ross Student Farm distributes nearly 18,000 pounds of food through a variety of distribution programs on campus.
  • Student Legal Services helps students navigate judicial concerns, both criminal and civil, and has helped students receive hundreds of thousands of dollars in settlements and judgements annually.
  • Over 50 student crew members help staff our campus Emergency Medical Services team, responding to over 1,200 dispatches and staffing over 430 events.
  • The Center for Spiritual and Ethical Development welcomes over 4,000 students weekly to participate in programming or exercise their faith.

The 2023–2024 Student Affairs Annual Report is available online Links to an external site.. Our 500+ staff provide support to our commonwealth campuses and community with direct support, staff support, and shared resources.

 

Our Commitment to Students

Success at Penn State is not one-size-fits-all. We believe we all play a part in helping our students discover their strengths, embrace challenges, build lifelong habits of well-being, take initiative and lead, and find purpose and belonging. Please connect with our team to find ways we can support our students and the faculty helping show them the way.

Office of the Vice President
210 Old Main
University Park, PA 16802
814-865-0909

Student Affairs Department Directory Links to an external site.