PACIE Conference Schedule 2025

Download the detailed PDF schedule PACIE Conference Agenda 2025 PDF schedule.

Thursday, September 18, 2025

πŸ“ Location: Nittany Lion Inn
πŸ•— 8:00 am – 7:00 pm

Morning

8:00–9:00 AM – Registration & Check-In
Location: Ballroom Lobby

8:30–9:15 AM – Continental Breakfast, Exhibitor tables open
Location: Ballroom ABC

9:15–9:35 AM – Opening Statements
Location: Ballroom ABC

Concurrent Sessions A (9:45–10:40 AM)

Session A (1) – Ballroom E
A Seat at the Grown-Up Table: Youth-Adult Partnership for Inclusive and Sustainable Decision-Making

  • Youth facilitators, World Affairs Council, Pittsburgh

  • Alicia Cagle, Youth Programming Manager (Moderator)

Session A (2) – Boardroom 1
Two classes, two locations: Global learning virtually and abroad

  • Dr. Lauren Halberstadt, Associate Teaching Professor of Spanish & Director of Engaged Scholarship, Penn State

  • Dr. Samuele Grassi, Adjunct Lecturer in English Language and Digital Humanities, University of Florence

  • Mr. Jason Laine, Associate Teaching Professor of Italian & Director of Italian Language Program, Penn State

Session A (3) – Boardroom 2
Jawns and Journeys: Pennsylvania as a Global Classroom

  • Ryan Geiger, Global Engagement Coordinator, Penn State

  • Rachel DeMesa, Global Engagement Coordinator, Penn State

  • Wenjie Fu, Global Engagement Coordinator, Penn State

Concurrent Sessions B (10:55–11:45 AM)

Session B (1) – Ballroom E
Building a Coalition for K-12 International Education in Pennsylvania

  • Dr. Michael Webb, Assistant Director of Organizational and Professional Learning, Montgomery County Intermediate Unit

  • Dr. Laura McCusker, Assistant Director of Educational Services, Lincoln Intermediate Unit 12

  • Rebecca Gibboney, Director of Educational Services, Lincoln Intermediate Unit 12

Session B (2) – Boardroom 1
Academic Libraries in Support of Campus Internationalization Goals

  • Mark Mattson, Head of Global Engagement Initiatives & International Partnerships Librarian, Penn State

Session B (3) – Boardroom 2
From Empathy to Action: Empowering Students through Global Social Impact

  • Fernando Ramirez, Executive Director, Bridges 2030 International

  • Taylor D’Alessio, Executive Vice President, TEEEM

  • Heather Ferris, Director of Operations & Development, TEEEM

Lunch Plenary (12:00–1:55 PM)

Location: Ballroom ABC

12:25–1:50 PM – Cacao, Collaboration, and the Land Grant Mission: Chocolate as a Lens for Interdisciplinary Teaching

  • Dr. Daniel Azzara, Recently Retired Alan R. Warehime, Professor of Food and Agribusiness, Penn State

  • Dr. Deanna Behring, Assistant Dean and Director of Ag Sciences Global, Penn State

  • Dr. Daniel Foster, Global Teach Ag Network Co-Founder and Associate Professor of Agricultural Education, Penn State

  • Dr. Melanie Miller Foster, Global Teach Ag Network Co-Founder and Associate Teaching Professor of International Agriculture and Development, Penn State

Concurrent Sessions C (2:10–3:00 PM)

Session C (1) – Ballroom E
When β€œSoft” Skills aren’t so Soft!

  • Dr. Nicole Stokes, Director of Academic Partnerships and Institutional Grant Initiatives & Professor of Sociology, Penn State Abington

  • Dr. Jennifer M. E. Cressman, Early Childhood/Elementary Education Program Chair, Director of Teacher Education Partnerships, & Associate Teaching Professor, Penn State Abington

Session C (2) – Boardroom 1
People-to-People Diplomacy in Action: Impacts of Fulbright Teacher Exchanges

  • Dr. Michele Petrucci, Associate VP of International Education and Global Engagement, Indiana University of Pennsylvania

  • Dr. Sue Rieg, Interim Dean, Indiana University of Pennsylvania

  • Dr. Janet Walker, Professor Emeritus, Indiana University of Pennsylvania

  • Mr. James Dykun, French Teacher, Indiana Senior High School

Session C (3) – Boardroom 2
Duolingo Tournament: Duo Says You Should Be Creative!

  • Emma Hagan, Study Abroad Advisor, Villanova University

Concurrent Sessions D (3:10–4:00 PM)

Session D (1) – Ballroom E
Engaging partnerships to create Global Certificate programs

  • Veronica Dristas, Associate Director of Global Studies Center, University of Pittsburgh

  • Cindy McNulty, Global Studies Center Associate, University of Pittsburgh

Session D (2) – Boardroom 1
Beyond Brain Drain: Strategies to Engage Pennsylvania's Global Talent Network

  • Richard Spicer, Assistant Director for Global Outreach, Penn State

  • Wenjie Fu, Global Engagement Coordinator, Penn State

  • Kelly Morgante, Associate Director for Global Alumni Relations and Stewardship, Penn State

Session D (3) – Boardroom 2
Autoethnography as a Gateway to Cultural Intelligence

  • Dr. Gina Whalen, Associate Teaching Professor & Program Director of World Campus BS in Business Inter Campus, Penn State

  • Genesis Nunez, Student, Penn State Schuylkill

Evening

4:30 PM – Exhibitor tables close
4:30–5:30 PM – Shuttles or Walking (Nittany Lion Inn β†’ Bryce Jordan Center)
5:00–7:00 PM – Reception & Awards
Location: Bryce Jordan Center, 1855 Club (enter east side mezzanine between entrances B & C)
6:30–7:30 PM – Shuttles (Bryce Jordan Center β†’ Nittany Lion Inn)

Friday, September 19, 2025

πŸ“ HUB-Robeson Center
πŸ•— 8:00 am – 2:15 pm

Morning

8:00–9:00 AM – Registration & Check-In, Continental Breakfast
Location: Room 233 AB

8:45–9:15 AM – PACIE Business Meeting
Location: FLEX Theatre

Concurrent Sessions E (9:25–10:15 AM)

Session E (1) – HUB-Robeson Center Room 131
Pedagogical Strategies for Globalizing the Curriculum

  • Veronica Dristas, Associate Director of Global Studies Center, University of Pittsburgh

  • Catherine Fratto, Global Studies Center, University of Pittsburgh

Session E (2) – HUB-Robeson Center Room 134
Creating equitable postsecondary pathways through community-university partnerships

  • Molly McSweeney, Assistant Director for Student and Community Engagement, University of Pittsburgh

  • Dr. Maireen Porter, Associate Professor of Educational Foundations, Organizations, and Policy, University of Pittsburgh

  • Cody Weisel, PRYSE Academy Program Manager, Alliance for Refugee Youth Support and Education (ARYSE)

Session E (3) – HUB-Robeson Center FLEX Theatre
Cross-Cultural Engagement in U.S. Class Discussions

  • Min Lai, Founder of I-Planet & Licensed Social Worker, I-Planet International Center and Chester Upland School District

Concurrent Sessions F (10:25–11:15 AM)

Session F (1) – HUB-Robeson Center Room 131
Local Faculty, Global Mindsets

  • Tiffany MacQuarrie, Associate Director for Global Academic Engagement, Penn State

  • Nikki Mattson, Teaching Professor of Applied Linguistics, Penn State

  • Dr. Sarah Pierotti, Assistant Professor in Human Development and Family Studies, Penn State

  • Dr. Brian Fronk, Associate Professor in Mechanical Engineering, Penn State

Session F (2) – HUB-Robeson Center Room 134
PACIE Grant Winners Showcase

  • Presenters TBD

Session F (3) – HUB-Robeson Center FLEX Theatre
Language in Motion

  • Jessica Martin, Director of Language in Motion, Juniata College

  • Dr. Alice Edwards, Department Chair of Anthropology and World Languages, Mercyhurst University

Session F (4) – HUB-Robeson Center Room 233 AB
Partnering for Perspective: Local Business, Global Operations and Student Transformation

  • Dr. Gina Whalen, Associate Teaching Professor & Program Director of World Campus BS in Business Inter Campus, Penn State

Concurrent Sessions G (11:25 AM–12:15 PM)

Session G (1) – HUB-Robeson Center Room 131
How I Accidentally Launched an International Writing Contest

  • Madalyn Fernbach, Student, Penn State College of Medicine

Session G (2) – HUB-Robeson Center Room 134
Well, What Happens Now?: Innovative Local Solutions for Global Learning Challenges

  • Dr. Noel Habashy, Associate Teaching Professor, Penn State

  • Dr. Deanna Behring, Assistant Dean and Director for Agricultural Sciences Global, Penn State

Session G (3) – HUB-Robeson Center FLEX Theatre
Building Pennsylvania’s Multilingual Future: Shaping the PA Language Roadmap

  • Michael Bogdan, Assistant Director of Educational Services, PSEA

  • Cherie Garrett, Adjunct Instructor of Spanish, Penn State York

Session G (4) –HUB-Robeson Center Room 233 AB
Micro Courses, Global Impacts

  • Dr. Korryn Mozisek, Director of Integrative Learning, Carnegie Mellon University

  • Veronica Dristas, Associate Director of Global Studies Center, University of Pittsburgh

Lunch & Closing at Hintz Family Alumni Center

12:30–2:00 PM – Lunch
Location: Hintz Family Alumni Center (building), Robb Hall (room name)

1:00–2:00 PM – Lunch Plenary

  • Ashlie Crosson, 2025 National Teacher of the Year

2:00–2:15 PM – Closing Statements
Location: Robb Hall