Student Engagement Network services to restructure under Penn State Outreach

Student Engagement Network will close at end of 2025 fiscal year

February 24, 2024

While the Student Engagement Network (SEN), a student-support unit administered by Undergraduate Education, Student Affairs, and Penn State Outreach will close as of June 30, 2025, student engagement initiatives will continue across Penn State. Effective July 1, Michael Zeman, director of the SEN, will join the Penn State Outreach staff as a new Director of Experiential Learning. Through this transition, Penn State Outreach plans to leverage the expertise of the SEN and apply best practices to existing experiential learning offerings across their current portfolio.

The decision to restructure SEN’s student engagement activities and sunset SEN as it currently exists was made after careful strategic and budget analysis by Undergraduate Education, Student Affairs, and Penn State Outreach that took place in 2024. The new structure will allocate resources in a way that better aligns with current student success strategic priorities outlined by Penn State President Bendapudi. Penn State Outreach will offer new opportunities to repurpose some services and expertise of the SEN. This planning process is underway, and more information will be announced in fall 2025. In addition to Penn State Outreach, Penn State offers more than 400 student engagement programs and services University-wide, including in Student Affairs, at colleges and campuses and at multi-disciplinary centers and institutes. For more information on student engagement activities across the Commonwealth, visit the Penn State Community Impact Map.

Read more in the complete news release. Updates will be shared as more information is available. The following FAQs can help answer questions about the changes. Please email questions to engage@psu.edu.

FAQs

  • Why is the Student Engagement Network closing?

    The decision to restructure student engagement activities and close SEN was made after careful strategic and budget analysis by Undergraduate Education, Student Affairs, and Penn State Outreach, which took place in 2024. The decision was made to allocate resources in a way that better aligns with current student success strategic priorities outlined in Penn State’s strategic plan.

  • Will engagement coaching and mentoring programs continue?

    Engagement coaching and mentoring programs through SEN will cease when the unit closes, but there are other opportunities for coaching and mentoring at Penn State. Information about future programs and services being offered through Penn State Outreach will be shared in the future when information is available. 

  • How will engaged learning continue after SEN closes? 

    Student engagement, or experiential learning, is an important component of student success and remains a strategic priority for Penn State. Penn State Outreach will offer new opportunities to repurpose some services and expertise of the SEN. This planning process is underway, and more information will be announced in fall 2025. In addition to Penn State Outreach, Penn State offers more than 400 student engagement programs and services University-wide, including in Student Affairs, at colleges and campuses and at multi-disciplinary centers and institutes. For more information on student engagement activities across the Commonwealth, visit the Penn State Community Impact Map

  • Will staff be impacted by the SEN closing?

    All SEN staff will remain in their positions at Penn State and will work in other areas. SEN student interns and graduate assistants will finish their positions by June 30, 2025.