2025 PACIE Conference

Global Learning, Local Leadership

Thursday, September 18 & Friday, September 19
Penn State - University Park

Join educators from across the Commonwealth and enjoy all that “Happy Valley” has to offer as we explore conference sessions and plenaries on the theme of Global Learning, Local Leadership.

Conference Registration Now Open

PACIE Conference Registration is now open! We welcome educators and PACIE supporters to join us at our upcoming conference.

Notes about registration:

  • Early bird pricing is in effect until July 15, 2025

  • Standard registration pricing is in effect July 16-September 17, 2025

  • PACIE member rate is available to any employee of a PACIE institutional member organization

  • PACIE sponsor institutions may be eligible for 1-4 complimentary registrations. Contact your institution’s PACIE representative or conference@pacie.org for more information

Visit the PACIE Conference registration portal to complete your registration today!

Exhibitor Tables

PACIE partners, sponsors, and collaborators who would like to register for an exhibitor table may do so through September 12, 2025. Notes about exhibitor tables:

  • Exhibitor tables will be open on Thursday, September 18 from 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM.

  • The exhibitor hall will be closed during the lunch plenary, approximately 11:55 AM - 1:55 PM.

  • PACIE sponsor institutions (Global Learning Champion, Silver, Gold, Platinum levels) receive a complimentary exhibit table. Contact conference@pacie.org for your complimentary code.

  • We welcome exhibitors at the PACIE annual conference that are either based in Pennsylvania or have direct and intentional impact on advancing global education in Pennsylvania. Most of our exhibitors are not-for-profit educational organizations, though for-profit companies are permitted to exhibit so long as their mission aligns with that of PACIE and the content exhibited at the table would directly serve K-12 schools, higher education institutions, and businesses within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Conference Agenda

A detailed conference agenda is available at the bottom of this page.

For your travel planning purposes, the conference schedule runs from Thursday, September 18 at 8 AM (registration is 8:00-9:00 AM, events begin at 9:00 AM) through Friday, September 19 at 2:15 PM.

Thursday, September 18: Conference sessions hosted at Nittany Lion Inn; evening reception hosted at Bryce Jordan Center on Penn State’s University Park Campus. Parking available at Nittany Parking Deck.
Friday, September 19: Conferences sessions hosted at HUB Robeson Center (lunch hosted at Hintz Alumni Center) on Penn State’s University Park Campus. Limited parking available at HUB parking deck. Additional parking at any visitor parking areas on campus or downtown State College.

Lodging

Room blocks are available September 17-20 at the following locations. For your travel planning purposes, the conference schedule runs from Thursday, September 18 at 8 AM (registration is 8:00-9:00 AM, events begin at 9:00 AM) through Friday, September 19 at 2:15 PM.

Meals and Inclusions

Conference registration includes the following meals and events:

  • Thursday continental breakfast

  • Thursday lunch plenary

  • Thursday evening social hour and award ceremony with hors d'oeuvres

  • Friday continental breakfast

  • Friday lunch plenary

Questions

Submit questions to conference@pacie.org. 

Conference Agenda

A downloadable PDF with extensive details (parking locations, wifi, etc.) will be available at least two weeks prior to the conference. A text-based basic schedule is included on this page.

Thursday, September 18, 2025

8:00 am - 7:00 pm

Nittany Lion Inn

8:00-9:00 AM – Registration & Check-In; Nittany Lion Inn - Ballroom Lobby

8:30-9:15 PM – Continental Breakfast, Exhibitor tables open; Nittany Lion Inn - Ballroom D

9:15-9:35 AM – Opening Statements, Nittany Lion Inn -Ballroom ABC

9:45-10:40 AM – Concurrent Sessions A

Session A (1); Nittany Lion Inn - Ballroom E

A Seat at the Grown-Up Table: Youth-Adult Partnership for Inclusive and Sustainable Decision-Making

This interactive session lets participants explore power, decision making, and systems change in local and global contexts. A short presentation will examine the concept of youth voice, why youth voice is important for equitable dialogue/decision-making, and resources to amplify youth voice. The workshop concludes with participants examining their level of youth-adult partnership, breakout group discussion, and materials for continued learning.
Presenter: Youth facilitators, World Affairs Council, Pittsburgh; Moderated by Alicia Cagle, Youth Programming Manager

Session A (2); Nittany Lion Inn - Boardroom 1

Two classes, two locations: Global learning virtually and abroad

Presenters: 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); Nittany Lion Inn - Boardroom 2

Jawns and Journeys: Pennsylvania as a Global Classroom

Presenters: Ryan Geiger, Global Engagement Coordinator, Penn State; Rachel DeMesa, Global Engagement Coordinator, Penn State; Wenjie Fu, Global Engagement Coordinator, Penn State

10:55-11:45 AM – Concurrent Sessions B

Session B (1); Nittany Lion Inn - Ballroom E

Building a Coalition for K-12 International Education in Pennsylvania

Presenters: 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); Nittany Lion Inn - Boardroom 1

Academic Libraries in Support of Campus Internationalization Goals

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

Session B (3); Nittany Lion Inn -Boardroom 2

From Empathy to Action: Empowering Students through Global Social Impact

Presenters: Fernando Ramirez, Executive Director, Bridges 2030 International; Taylor D’Alessio, Executive Vice President, TEEEM; Heather Ferris, Director of Operations & Development, TEEEM

11:55 AM-1:55 PM – Lunch; Nittany Lion Inn - Ballroom ABC

12:20-1:20 PM – Global TeachAg Network (GTAN)

2:10-3:00 PM – Concurrent Sessions C

Session C (1); Nittany Lion Inn - Ballroom E

When “Soft” Skills aren’t so Soft! Cultivating essential social-emotional learning and Civil discourse skills among young adults in time of deepening political and social polarization

Presenters: 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, Education Director of Teacher Education Partnerships, & Associate Teaching Professor of Early Childhood/Elementary Education, Penn State Abington

Session C (2); Nittany Lion Inn - Boardroom 1

People-to-People Diplomacy in Action: Impacts of Fulbright Teacher Exchanges on a Western Pennsylvania Community

Presenters: Dr. Michele Petrucci, Associate Vice President of International Education and Global Engagement, Indiana University of Pennsylvania; Dr. Sue Rieg, Interim Dean at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Indiana University of Pennsylvania; Dr. Janet Walker, Professor Emeritus, Mathematical and Computer Sciences, Indiana University of Pennsylvania; Mr. James Dykun, French Teacher, Indiana Senior High School

Session C (3); Nittany Lion Inn - Boardroom 2

Duolingo Tournament: Duo Says You Should Be Creative!

Presenter: Emma Hagan, Study Abroad Advisor, Villanova University

3:10-4:00 PM – Concurrent Sessions D

Session D (1); Nittany Lion Inn - Ballroom E

Engaging partnerships to create Global Certificate programs for students and teachers

Presenters: Veronica Dristas, Associate Director of Global Studies Center, University of Pittsburgh; Cindy McNulty, Global Studies Center Associate, University of Pittsburgh

Session D (2); Nittany Lion Inn - Boardroom 1

Beyond Brain Drain: Strategies to Engage Pennsylvania's Global Talent Network for Local Impact

Presenters: 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); Nittany Lion Inn - Boardroom 2

Autoethnography as a Gateway to Cultural Intelligence: A Collaborative Faculty-Student Model for Exploring Identity and Global Awareness

Presenters: Dr. Gina Whalen, Associate Teaching Professor & World Campus BS in Business Inter Campus (BSBIC) Program Director, Penn State; Genesis Nunez, Student, Penn State Schuylkill

4:30 PM – Exhibitor tables close

4:30-5:30 PM - Shuttles available from Nittany Lion Inn to Bryce Jordan Center

5:00-7:00 PM – Reception & Awards; Bryce Jordan Center - 1855 Club
Enter Bryce Jordan Center from the lower mezzanine level on the east side of
the building, between entrances B & C

6:30-7:30 PM - Shuttles available from Bryce Jordan Center to Nittany Lion Inn

Friday, September 19, 2025

8:00 am - 2:15 pm

HUB-Robeson Center

8:00-9:00 AM – Registration & Check-In, Continental Breakfast;
HUB-Robeson Center - Room 233 AB

8:45-9:15 AM- PACIE Business Meeting; HUB-Robeson Center - FLEX Theatre

9:25-10:15 AM – Concurrent Sessions E

Session E (1); HUB-Robeson Center - Room 131

Pedagogical Strategies for Globalizing the Curriculum

Presenters: 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

Presenters: Molly McSweeney, Assistant Director for Student and Community Engagement, Global Hub, 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: A Guide for Instructors and International Students

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

10:25-11:15 AM – Concurrent Sessions F

Session F (1); HUB-Robeson Center - Room 131

Local Faculty, Global Mindsets: Supporting COIL Readiness through the EDGE Journey Resource Map

Presenters: 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

Showcase: PACIE Grant Winners Showcase

Presenters: TBD

Session F (3); HUB-Robeson Center - FLEX Theatre

Language in Motion: Connecting Internationalism and Community Engagement

Presenters: 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

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

11:25 AM-12:15 PM – Concurrent Sessions G

Session G (1); HUB-Robeson Center - Room 131

How I Accidentally Launched an International Writing Contest (And How You Can Too!)

Presenter: 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

Presenters: 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

Presenters: 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: Reflections on Strategic Planning for Continued Cross-University Course Collaborations

Presenters: Dr. Korryn Moziek, Director of Integrative Learning, Office of the Vice Provost for Education and Special Faculty, Carnegie Mellon University; Veronica Dristas, Associate Director of Global Studies Center, University of Pittsburgh

12:30-2:00 PM – Lunch; Hintz Family Alumni Center - Robb Hall (room)

1:00-2:00 PM – Lunch Plenary

2:00-2:15 PM – Closing Statements; Hintz Family Alumni Center - Robb Hall (room)