Tech Pros

Join us for an optional 2‑hour AI Studio Agent Hack-a-thon Session where IT pros of all experience levels team up to turn ideas into working solutions that improve operations. We’ll kick things off with a quick, practical overview of agent fundamentals to get everyone aligned and ready to build. Then it’s hands-on: teams will identify a real challenge, design and create their solution, and bring it to life in short, fast-paced demos. Expect collaboration, creativity, and a little friendly competition along the way.

Gain experience and knowledge on leveraging Entra graph for automation. Get experience automating common task like maintaining groups, updating Enterprise Application Access, creating and leveraging Service Principal Roles. 

This session will be a presentation and demo of future media production capabilities being added to select Studio One's installations across the commonwealth and the educational possibilities it can unlock for classes in higher education.

In many organizations, audio-visual (AV) spaces evolve room-by-room—resulting in inconsistent user experiences, higher support burden, and slower deployments. This session shares a practical approach to AV space standardization based on our in-progress standardization initiative: defining room “archetypes,” establishing baseline technical and user-experience standards, aligning cross-functional stakeholders (IT, AV, facilities, procurement, and web/UC partners), and creating documentation that enables repeatable builds and smoother operations.

Presentation and discussion around how to reduce being a CAVE leader (Conventionally Against Virtually Everything) when getting feedback, and criticism, understanding emotional intelligence, leading with compassion, and dealing with team dynamics.

In the midst of the dynamic sessions and networking opportunities at the Tech Pros + Web Pros Conference, attendees can sometimes find themselves overwhelmed by the constant activity. To provide a refreshing change of pace, I propose designating a conference room as a dedicated board game retreat station. This space will serve as a sanctuary for participants to step away from the busy environment, offering them a chance to unwind, reconnect with colleagues, or enjoy some quiet time alone.

The transition from peer to leader is one of the most destabilizing and under-supported moments in a professional career. Organizations often promote high performers because of technical expertise, institutional knowledge, or relationship strength—but rarely provide guidance on how to fundamentally redefine those same relationships.

Across the Commonwealth Campuses, classroom technology must do more than function — it must be predictable, supportable, and aligned with instruction. In this interactive session, the Classroom Technology Solutions (CTS) team will begin with a concise overview of our service offering: how we consult, design, and coordinate projects for campus classrooms across the state.

We will outline how our service and standards reduce fragmentation and long-term support costs; and how collaboration with campus IT teams ensures classrooms are built to last.

Penn State is launching a leadership-funded portfolio of AI services in 2026 to equitably serve its students, faculty, and staff. Anchored by a university-wide AI literacy campaign, the initiative pairs AI access with the knowledge to use it effectively. Supporting tools include AI Studio, a multi-model AI platform, and centrally managed premium licenses for ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini — all delivered within Penn State's security and governance framework.

Penn State IT’s OST strategy is transforming how services are delivered, but the hardest part of modernization is rarely technical. It’s navigating competing priorities, local ownership, and uncertainty about change. This session explores how principles from the best selling business book Getting to Yes can help IT professionals negotiate adoption of shared services without creating friction or resistance.