How Penn State’s Employee Resource Groups are building community, belonging

UNIVERSITY PARK – As the mother of a child with special needs, Teresa McCloskey, an administrative assistant for Penn State University Police and Public Safety, often felt alone navigating the challenges she and her family faced.  

“Every day was a battle, and we never knew what the outcome was going to be,” she said. “There was a lot of crying, a lot of tears, a lot of screaming – and that was just me.” 

McCloskey was looking to find connection among her colleagues when she first heard Nalini Krishnankutty, diversity, inclusion and belonging program manager for Penn State Human Resources, talk about launching University-wide Employee Resource Groups (ERGs).  

Her interest piqued, McCloskey reached out to Krishnankutty and asked what she needed to do to start an ERG of her own, focused on connecting parents of children and young adults with disabilities. Krishnankutty advised her to start reaching out to the Penn State community to see who might be interested in forming such a group.  

The response was immediate, McCloskey said, as she had about 40 people sign up. One of the first messages she received was from Renee Pusey, a program specialist with Penn State Extension. Pusey saw McCloskey’s message on the Viva Engage social platform through Microsoft and was inspired to create a similar group for those caring for the aging.  

“There were so many times through the journey of caring for my father when I would think, ‘Why didn’t anybody tell me this?’ It would have been so helpful,” Pusey said. “When I heard about the Employee Resource Group, I thought it be great if there was a place people could go to share their problems or concerns and draw from the experiences of other employees.”  

After speaking with Krishnankutty, the pair decided to launch the Penn State Cares ERG, aimed at supporting and empowering the many Penn State employees who are caregivers for loved ones in their lives. McCloskey and Pusey operate two subgroups underneath that umbrella — “Parenting Outside the Lions” and “We Care for the Aging.” 

The groups both operate social networking channels within the Microsoft platform where members can post questions, resources and advice to share. They also host speakers on topics such as identifying signs of depression in caregivers, understanding health care directives and resources to help young adults with disabilities find and maintain employment.  

“My No. 1 motivation in doing all of this is because, what was the point of living through it if I can't reach behind me and help the next person coming through?” McCloskey said. "I really didn't have anybody who had been there, done that, ahead of me. I’ve since found that there’s a lot of value in sharing the experience that I’ve had.” 

Penn State Cares is one of four well-established ERGs operating at Penn State, along with Vet-aLIONce, focused on uniting Penn State’s military-connected employees and allies, Rainbow Roar, focused on fostering an inclusive and supportive workplace environment for LGTBQ+ employees and allies, and SustainaLions, focused on engaging employees through a collaborative alliance centered on sustainability.  

A fifth ERG — Pawsitively Different, for supporting individuals with disabilities and their allies – was unveiled during the livestream celebrating the 35th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) hosted by Penn State World Campus on July 30. An in-person launch is set for noon on Oct. 2 at W043 Dewey Room, Pattee Library, at University Park campus. An RSVP form for the launch event can be found here.   

ERGs are voluntary, employee-led groups formed around common identities, backgrounds and interests, are open to all Penn State employees, including faculty, staff, postdocs and graduate assistants, at all campus locations and help promote community and belonging. 

Building community and a sense of belonging 

When Jack Rumery was hired at Penn State in 2023 as assistant director for a sustainable workplace, he was tasked with thinking through different models of engaging staff who were interested in sustainability. While many units and colleges had peer engagement green teams and sustainability councils advancing sustainability goals throughout their units, Rumery said the University-wide model provided the opportunity for people across the institution, including those in different offices, at Commonwealth Campuses or fully remote, to join this community of people interested in sustainability.  

That concept was particularly appealing to Diana Malcom, who began her career at Penn State as an administrative assistant with the Sustainability Institute, and had since transitioned into a job in an academic unit that didn’t have a Green Team. She joined Rumery as co-lead of SustainaLions to connect with people who shared her values and to think about how to encourage sustainability efforts at the University.  

“One of the highlights for me has been making connections to people at the University, definitely around sustainability but also just getting outside of my little office box and having the opportunity to consider, discuss and think about how we’re doing work together as Penn State,” she said. “I’ve been inspired by people who have interest and desire in helping the University be more thoughtful in its approach to sustainability.”  

As director for the Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity in Penn State Student Affairs, Sonya Wilmoth often finds herself sitting down with new or perspective Penn State employees, wondering what life is like as an LGBTQ+ individual or family in State College and central Pennsylvania. A benefit of the Rainbow Roar ERG, Wilmoth said, is that she has a network of 75 to 80 people with different backgrounds and life experiences who can help answer that question for people.  

In addition to making that initial connection, the ERGs build a sense of belonging for people with shared interests or backgrounds through their interactions on online platforms as well as in-person events and activities.  

Rumery said he’s seen an increase in momentum this past spring with more people posting sustainability-related articles, community events and topics for discussion on their Microsoft Teams pages. The group also hosts monthly coffee meetups and is planning some volunteer opportunities for the fall. Rainbow Roar held a picnic at Spring Creek Park in State College during Pride Month for ERG members and their families, which Wilmoth said was well attended.  

“There were a lot of good conversations, and a lot of good connections made,” Wilmoth said. “It was nice to be able to see people who we may have only interacted with online, put faces to names and have conversations that were meaningful. The family piece was important, too, because it can be hard sometimes for kids of LGBTQ folks to find community with other kids who have LGBTQ parents or guardians.” 

Employee-led impact 

A key feature of ERGs is that they are led by employees who have common identities, backgrounds or interests and their shared passions can make an impact on the University at large.  

Despite not having a military background herself, Sharon Lucas, an analyst in the Office of Investment Management, has long been passionate about giving back to the veteran community. Through her interactions with employee veterans on campus, Lucas had the idea to start holding a breakfast honoring Penn State’s employee veterans on Veterans’ Day. As that event grew and became an annual occurrence, more people started coming to Lucas asking questions about resources.  

By trying to help as many people as she could, Lucas discovered that there were some gaps in what resources the University had to offer employees, specifically, who are veterans or military connected. Lucas informally began her own unit-level employee resource group with the backing of Finance & Business Diversity and Equity leader Lydia Abdullah and started connecting people who came to her with contacts she had who might be able to help.  

Col. Eugene McFeely began working with Lucas when he came to the University in 2017 as the inaugural senior director for Veterans Affairs and Services — a position mainly focused on providing resources for student veterans. When the idea to launch University-wide ERGs was first raised in 2023, Lucas and McFeely were immediately on board.  

“We really needed a mechanism to share the resources we knew about and had access to Penn State-wide,” McFeely said. “Sharon was doing a great job, but we knew we could expand this effort for the entire University. We have professors, students, faculty and staff who are all part of the military community who can share resources and build community.” 

In addition to providing resources, the Vet-aLIONce ERG, co-led by Lucas and McFeely, also provides social opportunities for people in the military-connected community and their allies to interact. They continue to organize the Veterans’ Day Military Appreciation Breakfast that Lucas started, they’ve gone on fishing and kayaking trips and participated in volunteer opportunities with organizations such as Wounded Warrior Project.  

The group also played an integral role in bringing the SkillBridge program to Penn State as a University-wide initiative. An initiative of the United States Department of Defense (DOD), SkillBridge helps active military members serving in the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, Navy and Space Force transition to the civilian sector in the final 180 days of active duty. 

McFeely and Lucas both advocated in their capacity as Vet-aLIONce leaders to bring SkillBridge to Penn State, and the ERG was included in the task force that helped get the program formalized and functioning.  

“It’s a great example of how a community here at Penn State saw a need and an opportunity to further the University’s mission as a land-grant institution,” McFeely said. “The ERG joined in the planning, gave our advice and is supporting the program by providing mentorship and connection to military members interested in being at Penn State.” 

University-wide influence  

Each of the ERGs developed their own mission and vision, which not only help employees pursue their personal and professional goals but can also shape organizational culture and contribute to the success and advancement of the University. 

Having played a role in establishing and growing ERGs through his previous role at Cornell University as well as doing the same in his role as associate vice president for Student Access, Community and Success at Penn State, Brian Patchcoski has seen the impact ERGs can have on the recruiting and retention of employees through the communities and sense of belonging they create.  

“When we think about higher education, we often focus on fostering community and belonging for students, but it’s just as important to create that sense of connection for faculty and staff,” Patchcoski said. “What makes these ERGs so powerful is that they’re built by the people who need them. They create spaces where individuals can find community and feel empowered to shape and innovate. That’s the beauty of watching these groups grow.” He pointed to the Fostering Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging goal of the institutional strategic plan, which is pending final approval from the Board of Trustees in November and will guide institutional direction and unit-level planning across the University. “The ERGs play a vital role in fostering a strong sense of belonging among faculty and staff by creating opportunities for connection and engagement,” he said. 

“ERGs are about creating spaces where people can truly connect and feel a sense of belonging in what can often feel like a large, complex institution,” Patchcoski said. “Each group’s goals tie back to our larger commitment — fostering belonging and providing opportunities for faculty and staff to thrive, so their success ultimately enhances the experience of our students and the broader Penn State community.” 

Patchcoski also serves as the executive sponsor of Rainbow Roar. The structure of the ERGs, led by employees with an executive sponsor, allows for the ideas generated and challenges expressed by the faculty and staff engaged in the ERGs to be heard at the highest levels of the University and even influence policy decisions.  

“For example,” he said, “the Penn State Cares ERG helps us recognize that employees are more than their day-to-day roles — they may also be caring for loved ones and navigating complex life challenges. It’s about acknowledging the whole person and providing a community of understanding and support.” 

In addition to Patchcoski, executive sponsors of the other ERGs include: Russell Rang, assistant vice president of operations in the Office of Physical Plant, for Vet-aLIONce; Larry D. Terry II, vice president for Outreach, for SustainaLions; Jennifer Wilkes, vice president for Human Resources and chief human resources officer, for Penn State Cares; and SeriaShia Chatters, interim vice provost for Educational Equity, for Pawsitively Different. 

“We recognize that our faculty and staff are more than just employees and value their input and insight on matters of interest and importance to them, such as how to best provide flexibility to employees who are also full-time caregivers and what sustainable best practices the University could be implementing,” Wilkes said. “It’s been exciting to watch these groups grow and develop and to see the inclusive communities they’ve created for Penn State employees.” 

She continued, “I think ERGs have a lot to offer and I encourage our staff and faculty members to check out this great opportunity.” Wilkes added that employees don’t have to use vacation time to join an ERG — they can work with their supervisor to carve out appropriate time from work to participate.  

Another example of how the ERGs can impact the practices and policies of the University, is the work SustainaLions is doing to establish an online employee resource hub where anyone with interest in sustainability or in implementing sustainable practices in their offices or units can go to get information.  

The group also administers the Sustainability Mini Grant Program, offering $100-$500 to support small projects that promote sustainable practices in departments or offices across the University. Grants have been awarded for initiatives such as purchasing reusable cutlery for sustainability-related events “green-ifying” office spaces with plants. 

“Penn State isn’t just an institution,” Patchcoski said. “It’s a community of people — human beings whose care, talent and dedication shape the experiences of our students and the many communities this land-grant institution serves.” 

Building momentum 

ERGs provide an additional mechanism for employee feedback on policies, procedures and programs at Penn State. They also help bring new resources to all employees — for example, Penn State Cares has facilitated University-wide presentations on the Learning Resource Network. Their upcoming event “Understanding Depression,” provided by SupportLinc, Penn State’s Employee Assistance Program, is scheduled from 11 a.m. to noon on Sept. 29. Any Penn State employee can register for the session here.  

“It’s very grassroots. Everything is coming from the employees — the ideas, even the names like Rainbow Roar and Vet-aLIONce. They are so creative,” Krishnankutty said. “I’ve also been amazed at the generosity of Penn Staters. When groups like Penn State Cares bring in speakers, they open the events up to all employees, extending their resources to the entire community. The ERGs are really using the power of their presence in amazing ways while doing intersectional work.” 

Since the first University-wide ERGs launched at Penn State in October 2023, Krishnankutty said she’s enjoyed watching how they have evolved. As of August 2025, she said there are at least 512 employees participating in at least one of the ERGs. 

To celebrate the first 600-plus days of University-wide ERGs, Penn State Human Resources hosted a summit in June with more than 100 attendees, under the theme “Connect ... Learn ... Grow.” The summit featured panelists, workshops and partners from across the region who came to share resources.  

“Seeing the excitement and energy and number of people who showed up for that event, as well as the cross-group collaboration and relationship building, signaled momentum to me,” Rumery said.  

Another sign of momentum, Krishnankutty said, is the amount of inquiries she receives from people who are interested in starting their own ERG. Penn State’s newest ERG, Pawsitively Different, came into fruition because enough people voiced interest in the mission of supporting Penn State employees with disabilities and their allies and recognizing their integral role in contributing to and shaping the workplace. 

Anyone who has an idea for or interest in starting a new ERG can email ergs@psu.edu. Krishnankutty monitors that email account and will connect people with similar interests and help them develop their ideas. ERGs can be formed around identity groups and their allies or shared interests or causes.  

Penn State Human Resources supports ERGs administratively by providing guidance as they develop their initial mission, vision and leadership teams, and through ongoing support with best practices, facilitating leadership development opportunities for ERG leaders and collaboration among the ERGs.  

“We provide ongoing support to the ERGs, with outreach to the Penn State community and assistance in reaching their goals,” Krishnankutty said. “We also facilitate enhanced town-gown connections through various initiatives, including through the participation of ERGs in the Living in One Neighborhood (LION) Bash organized by State College Borough, and by inviting community organizations to participate in ERG events and the summit.” 

Each ERG is also supported financially through Human Resources and has a budget that can be used for purposes such as launch events, meetings, educational presentations, monthly gatherings, social opportunities and annual events such as the Military Appreciation Breakfast. HR also provides the ERGs with email addresses and Microsoft Teams spaces where they can connect and collaborate amongst members.  

“Having this resource available to people who may be going into the unknown is one of the coolest things Penn State can offer,” McCloskey said. “It's not something that's always readily available even in the wider community, so offering it as a Penn State benefit is worth its weight in gold.”