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    PA EmpowerU

    PA EmpowerU Convening 2026

    The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) invites you to join us in-person for our statewide combined It's On Us PA and PA EmpowerU convening on April 7, 2026, from 8:00 AM – 3:30 PM, at the Best Western Premier – 800 East Park Drive, Harrisburg, PA 17111. The PA EmpowerU Convening brings together postsecondary institutions, community-based organizations, and state agencies to connect and strategize supports for PA students to thrive while reaching their college and credential goals. All tenets of collegiate basic needs are essential for students’ success, but this year’s focus is on intersections with Mental Health, Safety and Belonging, and Financial Wellness. Registration is free, agenda and more details to follow.

    Sign up for PA Collegiate Basic Needs emails

    🎓Keynote Speakers

    Carrie Welton 

    Carrie Welton of Trellis Strategies will speak on the shifting role of state postsecondary entities amidst federal program shut-downs and education department dismantling. Carrie brings deep personal and professional experience advancing public policy at the state and national levels to support postsecondary education and training for economic mobility and shared prosperity.

    Dr. Kristin Austin 

    Dr. Kristin Austin, Vice President of Mission Engagement & Social Impact at Rewriting the Code, will speak on why meeting students’ basic needs is not an act of support, but a strategy for retention, reframing student success through belonging, access, and stability for first-generation and financially disempowered students. Kristin brings over 22 years of experience as a student affairs leader, faculty member, and student development expert, helping institutions build systems where belonging is expected, not earned.

    🎓PA Statewide Basic Needs Survey Data with Students' Expertise

    For the first time, review results from the statewide students' basic needs survey, and hear from students' directly about their experience. The Hope Center will share PA data gathered over the last two years within PA, regional and national contexts. Pennsylvania student leaders will then lend their personal insights and expertise with actionable advice for postsecondary leaders.

    🎓Exhibitors

    Visit exhibitors offering services for student success such as educational programming; public benefits navigation; peer-mental health interventions; fundraising for emergency grants; voter and civil rights programming, and more…

    🎓Break-out Sessions

    Morning Sessions:

    • PA CARES and HungerFree Campus Roundtable Discussions
    • Next Steps AmeriCorps: A Targeted Approach to Supporting First-Gen Low-Income College Students
    • Advancing Mental Health Equity in PA High Schools
    • Expanding the IOUniverse led by It’s On Us National
    • Amplifying Their Voices: Utilizing Peer Facilitators in Sexual Violence Prevention for the FSL Community
    • Innovative Ways to Address Housing Insecurity
    • Roary’s Clubhouse: A Blueprint for Building a Family-Friendly Campus Culture to Support Student Parents
    • Assumption Junction: Checking Bias in Sexual Violence Prevention
    • Buy-In, Branding, and Belonging: Building Widespread Student Engagement in Campus Prevention Efforts
    • Circle of Caring: A Wrap Around Approach to Holistic Support and Care for Students 

    Afternoon Sessions:

    • It’s On Us PA and Parent Pathways Roundtable Discussions
    • Advancing Peer-Led Mental Health Interventions
    • PA EmpowerU Messaging Focus Group
    • The Hope Center: How to Analyze, Discuss, and Position Your Survey Data
    • The Rise of AI: Title IX Considerations for Practitioners
    • Equity in Action: Engaging Students, Empowering Leaders, Preventing Harm
    • Developing a Financial Wellness Curriculum for Health Professions Students
    • Leading with Dignity: Case Management from a Dignity Lens
    • K-12 to College Mental Health Transition Planning & Supports
    • Flipping the Script on Male Athletes: Supporting Silenced Voices
    • Referral: How Partnerships Become Lifelines
    • Connecting the Dots: Partnering to Meet Students’ Basic Needs 

    🎓Registration

    Registration is now closed. If you would like to be added to the waitlist OR if you can no longer attend , please notify RA-EDPAEMPOWERU@pa.gov at your earliest convenience.

      

    🎓Hotel Information

    A block of rooms is available at the Best Western Premier, 800 East Park Drive, Harrisburg, PA.

    • Room Reservations: Call 717-561-2800 or reserve your room online.
    • Room Rate: $124.00 plus tax
    • Cancellation Policy: 72 hours
    • Group Name: EmpowerU Spring Convening

    The room block is full. However, the hotel may be able to accommodate additional rooms at the group rate based on availability, though this cannot be guaranteed.

    If you have any questions about the convening, please email RA-EDPAEMPOWERU@pa.gov.

    Come to learn from state and national colleagues, share best practices, advance solutions and be inspired by the collective power of this work for students' success and PA empowered futures!