UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State students from all campuses are invited to attend a virtual conference from Oct. 27-28 designed to help them grow as student leaders and build leadership skills they can apply in their careers and communities.
Registration is open for the 2025 Thrive Student Leadership and Success Summit, which will be held online via the platform Whova. Hosted by Penn State World Campus Student Affairs, the free event is open to all Penn State undergraduate and graduate students.
Through keynote addresses, breakout sessions and networking opportunities, the leadership summit offers students the opportunity to enhance their leadership skills and expand their knowledge.
Penn State World Campus has long offered a leadership conference to its online learners, and last year’s virtual leadership summit was the first time it was offered to all Penn State students. World Campus student affairs leadership wanted to continue that format to ensure all University students can benefit.
“The Thrive Summit reflects our continued commitment to fostering leadership and student success across Penn State,” said Marly Doty, director of student affairs for Penn State World Campus. “By bringing together students from University Park, the Commonwealth Campuses, and World Campus, we are creating a space for meaningful collaboration, shared learning, and networking. This cross-campus engagement strengthens our community and empowers students to lead with purpose in every facet of their lives.”
The conference’s breakout sessions will be tailored into three tracks so students can personalize their experiences:
- Career development and readiness: Students can gain vital skills to elevate their career readiness, craft engaging professional narratives from their experiences, establish influential networks, and create inclusive and welcoming work environments.
- Leadership and inclusive practices: Students will explore leadership theories and models; enhance skills in communication, conflict resolution, and delegation; strengthen their ability to build supportive and welcoming communities; and reflect on their own leadership styles to foster growth across various settings and roles.
- Student success and well-being: Students will develop strategies and/or leverage University resources for balancing academic responsibilities with personal commitments, utilize time management techniques, and apply wellness and mindfulness practices to improve their overall well-being and academic performance.
Faculty and staff members from across Penn State will lead the breakout sessions.
Tom Krieglstein, the founder of leadership engagement company Swift Kick, will deliver the opening keynote address on Oct. 27 and a closing keynote on Oct. 28.
Funding from the Peter Weiler Endowment in Advancement and Philanthropy will support this year’s Thrive summit.
Students can register for the conference on the Whova website.