We've come a long way since Ask Jeeves: AI in Higher Education Communications

It's no surprise that generative AI has arrived and is available to the masses; many industries have seen the value in integrating these technologies into their workflows, and higher education is no different. That said, change and trying new things is sometimes difficult for our industry -- often not for lack of desire, but usually because of adding one more thing to an already daunting to-do list. But that's the beauty in AI: not only can it free up time for higher-level functions by handling many rote tasks, but it can also help you take those creative functions to the next level.

High Level Live-Streaming on a Budget

Live-streaming events and athletics adds a new level to your website and ability to promote your campus. But where do you start? Join this session to learn how to get started and run a successful live streaming program on your campus on a budget.

Going Deeper on Six Types of Working Genius

You’ve taken the Working Genius assessment and you’ve identified your geniuses and frustrations.  Maybe you’ve talked about it to some other people or even introduced it to your team.  Now what?  We’ll explore ways to apply the Six Types of Working Genius model in a variety of work experiences such as building teams, mentoring, leading, and even job interviews. Prerequisite: Taking the assessment (and remembering your results!).

Look Out, Your Genius is Showing

Do you wonder why you enjoy certain tasks at work, and it seems like the day flies by when you’re doing them?  Do you put off certain tasks or get exhausted when you have to do them frequently?  Those tasks could be in your working genius or frustration.  In this presentation, we’ll introduce Pat Lencioni’s Six Types of Working Genius model.  We’ll show how the model can help you understand yourself and your teammates and how to apply the WIDGET model to get work done.

Photo Walk with Adobe Lightroom

Using their mobile devices, participants will learn a set of photography best practices paired with Adobe Creative Cloud’s Lightroom editing skills to create engaging photographs and experiment with AI presets. Led by Ryan Wetzel and Stephanie Swindle Thomas, photographers who are part of Penn State Teaching and Learning with Technology, this activity will serve as a nice way to anchor a sense of place and community among conference attendees.

PSU Flex and the Design System: A Headless Digital Experience Platform

A design system for Penn State, the future of web design at the University, powered by a Contentful CMS. Using the principles of Atomic Design, our team has created atoms, molecules, and components that can be reused across the enterprise. Highlights include: a growing library of 30+ fully responsive components, a web-specific style guide, detailed documentation, and content strategy best practices. First two sites will be in production by August 2024. The stack includes Contentful CMS cloud based infrastructure, Next.JS, Vercel, Storybook, and Chromatic.

Bourbon and Bytes: Crafting Success in IT Projects with a Splash of Whiskey Wisdom

Session Description:

Do you love bourbon? We sure do! But even if you don't enjoy this lovely libation, join us as we discuss how our shared interest in shots has helped us grow as colleagues and friends despite working in different places with different skill sets and jobs. Sorry, no samples, but we'll give you a list of our favorites bottles, including one that's distilled in Pittsburgh. 

Session Outcomes:

Campus Maps - Free campus tours and accessibility standards

Do you have a virtual campus tour?
Learn how to create free campus tours within your campus map that can include 360photos, videos, and audio for each stop.

Does your campus map have an accessibility layer? 
Learn how to implement the best practices for Accessibility layers/elements in your campus map.