Joe Atkinson’s Post

It's always great to be home in Philadelphia! And bringing together the Penn State community with the newly launched We Are Club at the Union League of Philadelphia felt like a particularly meaningful homecoming. Following a warm welcome by the We Are Club's chair, Rachael Pritzker, Esquire, I was proud to facilitate a wide-reaching and inspiring fireside chat with Penn State's President, Neeli Bendapudi. In a room filled with local leaders, Penn State trustees, students and multiple generations of alumni, President Bendapudi shared a vision of optimism and opportunity for the Penn State University community. We talked about the challenges facing higher education, and how Penn State is rising to the moment. We reflected on the unwavering commitment to the University's land grant mission: to unlock opportunity and access through education. We discussed the essential role the Commonwealth plays in keeping a Penn State education accessible, and discussed the performance-based funding models that can incentivize great outcomes for our students (quality degrees, great careers) and for Pennsylvania (outreach, innovation, research and economic growth). We celebrated Penn State's leadership in AI, the cutting-edge innovation happening in our classrooms and labs, and the unlimited potential of key programs (like the inter-disciplinary Artificial Intelligence major offered in the Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology). And we talked about the connectivity, reach and opportunity for Penn State here in Philadelphia - where tens of thousands of students and alumni learn, work and live. My years at Penn State and the relationships forged in this community have unlocked an incredible career full of opportunities. It was a true privilege to spend the evening with Neeli and so many other Penn Staters committed to creating even bigger opportunities for the next generation. #WeAre The Union League of Philadelphia | Tracy Riegel | Brett Hersh | Todd Goodstein | Tim Gordon | Bob Paulus | Adam Pritzker, Esq. | Kathleen Burke