UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Penn State Smeal College of Business will host the 27th Annual START — Striving Toward Awareness and Respect for Tomorrow — Conference on March 26 in Alumni Hall at the HUB-Robeson Center, followed by a special evening conversation with renowned journalist and author Susan L. Taylor, former editor-in-chief of Essence magazine.
The START Conference will be held from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. and will showcase business leaders and corporate initiatives focused on diversity, inclusion, and professional development.
The conference is organized by a student-led committee of University Park students and supported by the Smeal College of Business Office of Diversity Enhancement Programs. The annual program connects students with corporate partners, provides career exploration opportunities and highlights the importance of diversity in the workplace.
Registration opens at 8 a.m., followed by breakfast and networking with company representatives from 8 to 9 a.m.
The morning keynote address will be delivered by Sarah Senyo, a 2004 graduate of the Smeal College of Business with degrees in finance and international business. Senyo currently serves as a deals partner at PwC in New York City. She also holds an MBA from Georgetown University.
Thomas E. Maziarz, vice president of traffic solutions for PPG and a member of the company’s Operating Committee, will deliver the afternoon keynote address. He earned his undergraduate degree in industrial engineering from Penn State and an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh.
Attendees will have the opportunity to participate in breakout sessions from 10 to 10:45 a.m. and 10:55 to 11:40 a.m. covering topics such as leadership, personal branding, financial planning, professional dress, interviewing skills and decision-making under pressure.
Following lunch and the afternoon keynote, students will present their work as part of the 2026 START Conference Diversity Essay Contest.
Those interested in attending the START Conference can register online.
The day’s events will conclude with a special conversation featuring Taylor. She will speak at 6 p.m. in Alumni Hall at the HUB-Robeson Center, serving as the capstone event to the day’s programming focused on leadership, diversity and professional excellence.
Those interested in attending, asking questions, or RSVPing for the Taylor event can register here.
Taylor’s visit is sponsored by the J. Jeffrey and Ann Marie Fox Graduate School, the Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing, the Paul Robeson Cultural Center, the Office of Educational Equity and the Smeal College of Business Office of Diversity Enhancement Programs.