The Plan
Download the PDF: Penn State Smeal Strategic Plan: Top 5 in 5
Cross-Cutting Themes
During the strategic planning process, three cross-cutting themes emerged. These themes extend across several priorities and represent points of differentiation that reinforce connections among the College’s goals and initiatives.
SmealX: The Student Experience & Success Engine
We will make Smeal the place where every student — regardless of background — graduates with a portfolio of real-world experiences, in-demand skills, global fluency, and resilience. SmealX unifies and scales career readiness, experiential learning, tutoring, mentoring, study abroad, advising, and mental health services into a data-driven ecosystem that sets Smeal apart.
Smeal COMPASS
Smeal will be the world’s leading business school for responsible management education — where ethics, social responsibility, sustainability, and responsible AI are embedded across our curriculum, research, community engagement, and operations. COMPASS unifies and amplifies our strengths including the Tarriff Center for Business Ethics & Social Responsibility, the Center for the Business of Sustainability, and a new Center for Responsible AI into a single platform that attracts top students, faculty and staff, leading recruiters, and partners.
The Smeal Exchange
We will position Smeal as a top-five U.S. public business school by creating The Smeal Exchange — a 50,000-square-foot, tech-forward expansion that integrates behavioral insight, student success, and employer engagement into one destination. The Smeal Exchange is more than just a building; it's a convening space for discovery, placement, partnership, and thought leadership.
Priority A: Enrich the Student Experience by Expanding & Enhancing Career Services, Experiential Learning, & Support Services
Initiative A: Enhance career services for undergraduate and graduate students to strengthen internship placement, employment outcomes, and overall career readiness
Initiative B: Strengthen engagement with local, domestic, and international corporations to diversify recruiting pipelines
Initiative B: Strengthen engagement with local, domestic, and international corporations to diversify recruiting pipelines
Initiative A: Every major, graduate program, and center will offer at least one signature experiential learning opportunity that showcases its unique disciplinary strengths, expands equitable access to experiential learning, and increases students’ career readiness
Initiative B: Create an Office of Excellence in Experiential Learning that will serve as the College’s central hub for a pervasive learning-by-doing culture
Initiative B: Create an Office of Excellence in Experiential Learning that will serve as the College’s central hub for a pervasive learning-by-doing culture
Initiative A: Establish an Office of Student Success that unifies and expands Smeal’s undergraduate support into a centralized, equity-minded hub — adding life coaching, scalable tutoring, academic recovery, and mental health and wellness to existing support services
Initiative B: Enhance the student experience by fostering a diverse and inclusive learning environment
Initiative B: Enhance the student experience by fostering a diverse and inclusive learning environment
Priority B: Transform Teaching & Learning Through Innovative Curricula, New Program Development, & Innovative Pedagogy
Initiative A: Modernize all Smeal curricula to address the changing business landscape, employer needs, and market preferences
Initiative B: Integrate the use of AI into all undergraduate majors and graduate programs to better prepare graduates for the future of work
Initiative C: Articulate learning outcomes, emphasizing rigor, professional exposure, and soft-skills development throughout the undergraduate and graduate curricula
Initiative B: Integrate the use of AI into all undergraduate majors and graduate programs to better prepare graduates for the future of work
Initiative C: Articulate learning outcomes, emphasizing rigor, professional exposure, and soft-skills development throughout the undergraduate and graduate curricula
Initiative A: Expand undergraduate offerings in high-demand areas that leverage existing expertise and recruiting relationships within and outside Smeal, such as Business Data Science, Healthcare Business, and/or Sports Business
Initiative B: Strategically grow non-degree executive education
Initiative C: Expand Smeal’s Professional Graduate Program portfolio in high-demand fields, such as AI in Business, by leveraging existing expertise and recruiting networks, using innovative delivery models and world-class content
Initiative D: Expand cross-disciplinary programs by partnering with other Penn State colleges, such as Information Sciences and Technology, Health and Human Development, and Engineering
Initiative B: Strategically grow non-degree executive education
Initiative C: Expand Smeal’s Professional Graduate Program portfolio in high-demand fields, such as AI in Business, by leveraging existing expertise and recruiting networks, using innovative delivery models and world-class content
Initiative D: Expand cross-disciplinary programs by partnering with other Penn State colleges, such as Information Sciences and Technology, Health and Human Development, and Engineering
Initiative A: Support faculty teaching excellence with an endowed fund for professional development
Initiative B: Launch a developmental peer-to-peer teaching and learning program for all College faculty
Initiative C: Create a flagship teaching award with a substantial monetary prize to incentivize and recognize exemplary teaching and mentoring of students
Initiative B: Launch a developmental peer-to-peer teaching and learning program for all College faculty
Initiative C: Create a flagship teaching award with a substantial monetary prize to incentivize and recognize exemplary teaching and mentoring of students
Priority C: Advance Research Excellence & Ph.D. Program Distinction by Investing in Talent, Infrastructure, & Marketing
Initiative A: Create six new endowed “super” chairs to attract and retain anchor senior research faculty and six new endowed professorships to attract and retain rising star junior or mid-career research faculty
Initiative B: Update the annual faculty workload policy that defines and balances faculty responsibilities in teaching, research, service, and administration to promote productivity, equity, and transparency
Initiative C: Create a recognition program to reward and recognize research excellence
Initiative B: Update the annual faculty workload policy that defines and balances faculty responsibilities in teaching, research, service, and administration to promote productivity, equity, and transparency
Initiative C: Create a recognition program to reward and recognize research excellence
Initiative A: Increase investment in research centers, technology, and infrastructure, and identify new research funding sources
Initiative B: Increase coordination and collaboration among existing centers and institutes to minimize overlaps in mission and maximize synergies in research, curriculum, and community engagement
Initiative B: Increase coordination and collaboration among existing centers and institutes to minimize overlaps in mission and maximize synergies in research, curriculum, and community engagement
Initiative A: Create an Office for Engaged Scholarship to encourage, support, and communicate practice-based research
Initiative B: Recognize and reward faculty thought leadership by creating monetary incentives for publishing in select practitioner journals and outlets
Initiative C: Provide faculty access to resources to support thought leadership, including translational science writers for writing and editorial assistance, media relations support for media placement, social media profile development and posting guidance, and a curated digital newsletter and website for distribution
Initiative B: Recognize and reward faculty thought leadership by creating monetary incentives for publishing in select practitioner journals and outlets
Initiative C: Provide faculty access to resources to support thought leadership, including translational science writers for writing and editorial assistance, media relations support for media placement, social media profile development and posting guidance, and a curated digital newsletter and website for distribution
Initiative A: Create and execute a comprehensive marketing strategy to increase the depth, breadth, and quality of Ph.D. program students
Initiative B: Improve financial support and workload flexibility for Ph.D. candidates to attract and retain top-tier talent and boost research productivity and achievement of A-level publications
Initiative C: Improve formal training and support resources for doctoral students to become effective teachers
Initiative B: Improve financial support and workload flexibility for Ph.D. candidates to attract and retain top-tier talent and boost research productivity and achievement of A-level publications
Initiative C: Improve formal training and support resources for doctoral students to become effective teachers
Initiative A: Create a Center for Responsible Artificial Intelligence in Business dedicated to supporting research on responsible AI and the future of work, engaging with industry, supporting curriculum efforts and executive education in AI, complementing Smeal’s other centers focused on responsible management (e.g., the Tarriff Center for Business Ethics and Social Responsibility, the Center for the Business of Sustainability, the Office of Diversity Enhancement Programs, and strengthening Smeal’s differentiated competitive position in this area
Initiative B: Create an AI speaker’s series highlighting academics, executives, entrepreneurs, and policy makers to facilitate AI literacy among the Smeal community
Initiative B: Create an AI speaker’s series highlighting academics, executives, entrepreneurs, and policy makers to facilitate AI literacy among the Smeal community
Priority D: Accommodate Organizational Growth & Effectiveness Through Investment in People, Culture, Space, & Infrastructure
Initiative A: Accommodate the current and anticipated growth in enrollments, student services, centers, faculty, and staff by building a 50,000 square-foot expansion to the Business Building that will also serve as a state-of-the art convening space for large Smeal and University events
Initiative B: Launch and complete a comprehensive fundraising campaign to support the execution of the strategic plan, increasing the College's endowment by at least 50%, including a strategic innovation fund with a minimum endowment of $10,000,000 to enable experimentation with innovative initiatives
Initiative C: Renovate the professional graduate program wing in the Business Building to increase the flexible use of its classroom space for diverse teaching methods and delivery, including high-quality synchronous remote instruction
Initiative D: Create a Smeal College Welcome Center on the first floor of the Business Building to strengthen engagement with external stakeholders including alumni, donors, and prospective students
Initiative B: Launch and complete a comprehensive fundraising campaign to support the execution of the strategic plan, increasing the College's endowment by at least 50%, including a strategic innovation fund with a minimum endowment of $10,000,000 to enable experimentation with innovative initiatives
Initiative C: Renovate the professional graduate program wing in the Business Building to increase the flexible use of its classroom space for diverse teaching methods and delivery, including high-quality synchronous remote instruction
Initiative D: Create a Smeal College Welcome Center on the first floor of the Business Building to strengthen engagement with external stakeholders including alumni, donors, and prospective students
Initiative A: Provide enhanced support and resources for staff professional development — including the creation of an endowed fund and small grant program — to strengthen retention and promote staff excellence
Initiative B: Support academic program success and research excellence by growing staff and faculty positions to be competitive with peer schools in student-to-faculty ratio and research output
Initiative C: Utilize benchmarking to contextualize the current state of Smeal’s organizational structure and staffing compared to best practices in the market and assess for opportunities to be more intentional and efficient
Initiative D: Ensure seamless integration of new staff and faculty hires by creating and implementing a comprehensive onboarding program
Initiative B: Support academic program success and research excellence by growing staff and faculty positions to be competitive with peer schools in student-to-faculty ratio and research output
Initiative C: Utilize benchmarking to contextualize the current state of Smeal’s organizational structure and staffing compared to best practices in the market and assess for opportunities to be more intentional and efficient
Initiative D: Ensure seamless integration of new staff and faculty hires by creating and implementing a comprehensive onboarding program
Initiative A: Increase transparency across operational and strategic decision making by creating a key performance metrics dashboard to increase information visibility and accountability
Initiative B: Revitalize the college budgeting process to deploy resources more transparently and effectively to each unit using a collaborative, bottom-up process
Initiative C: Utilize the results of the biannual university faculty and staff employee engagement surveys to improve the work climate and organizational culture
Initiative B: Revitalize the college budgeting process to deploy resources more transparently and effectively to each unit using a collaborative, bottom-up process
Initiative C: Utilize the results of the biannual university faculty and staff employee engagement surveys to improve the work climate and organizational culture
Initiative A: Launch an AI Steering Committee with faculty and staff from across the college to provide strategic guidance, oversight, and coordination for Smeal’s AI initiatives across teaching and learning, research, student experience, and operations
Initiative B: Support integration of AI across the academic and administrative enterprise by establishing an AI governance and policy framework for the ethical and responsible use of AI in Smeal by students, faculty, and staff
Initiative C: Advance college-wide AI literacy by ensuring equitable access to AI tools (e.g., BoodleBox and Copilot) and providing targeted training for internal Smeal community members
Initiative D: Create a comprehensive online AI Hub with resources, guides, and other helpful tools to support AI literacy and the integration of AI into curricula, research, and operations
Initiative E: Create a Smeal AI Exploration Micro-Grant Program to catalyze broad, hands-on experimentation with AI tools by Smeal faculty and staff to raise AI literacy across the college; surface scalable ideas for curriculum, research, advising, and operations; and build a responsible AI use culture
Initiative F: Create AI communities of practice for faculty and staff to share learnings about applications of AI to teaching, research, and internal operations
Initiative G: Create a Smeal-specific large language model that is trained on Smeal data to develop Smeal-specific AI applications and agents to support students, staff, and faculty
Initiative B: Support integration of AI across the academic and administrative enterprise by establishing an AI governance and policy framework for the ethical and responsible use of AI in Smeal by students, faculty, and staff
Initiative C: Advance college-wide AI literacy by ensuring equitable access to AI tools (e.g., BoodleBox and Copilot) and providing targeted training for internal Smeal community members
Initiative D: Create a comprehensive online AI Hub with resources, guides, and other helpful tools to support AI literacy and the integration of AI into curricula, research, and operations
Initiative E: Create a Smeal AI Exploration Micro-Grant Program to catalyze broad, hands-on experimentation with AI tools by Smeal faculty and staff to raise AI literacy across the college; surface scalable ideas for curriculum, research, advising, and operations; and build a responsible AI use culture
Initiative F: Create AI communities of practice for faculty and staff to share learnings about applications of AI to teaching, research, and internal operations
Initiative G: Create a Smeal-specific large language model that is trained on Smeal data to develop Smeal-specific AI applications and agents to support students, staff, and faculty
Priority E: Drive External Engagement & Philanthropy by Building Partnerships & Elevating Smeal’s Brand
Initiative A: Launch a dedicated digital alumni engagement platform to facilitate and increase engagement across the community of alumni, current students, faculty, and staff
Initiative B: Encourage alumni advocacy and contributions by increasing and effectively promoting opportunities to engage with Smeal
Initiative C: Develop and launch virtual alumni programming, including quarterly “lunch and learn” webinars and short asynchronous courses featuring Smeal faculty and alumni industry leaders
Initiative D: Expand Smeal alumni events (e.g., “Smeal on the Road”) in major U.S. and international cities with a critical mass of Smeal alumni
Initiative E: Leverage college centers to strengthen engagement with professional practice and elevate the college’s visibility and impact in the regional economy through targeted conferences and symposia.
Initiative B: Encourage alumni advocacy and contributions by increasing and effectively promoting opportunities to engage with Smeal
Initiative C: Develop and launch virtual alumni programming, including quarterly “lunch and learn” webinars and short asynchronous courses featuring Smeal faculty and alumni industry leaders
Initiative D: Expand Smeal alumni events (e.g., “Smeal on the Road”) in major U.S. and international cities with a critical mass of Smeal alumni
Initiative E: Leverage college centers to strengthen engagement with professional practice and elevate the college’s visibility and impact in the regional economy through targeted conferences and symposia.
Initiative A: Design and deploy a compelling comprehensive integrated marketing strategy with an emphasis on digital channels to increase the prestige of the College among all major constituencies
Initiative B: Expand the Smeal marketing and communications team to support the development and execution of a new integrated marketing strategy
Initiative C: Develop and deploy an annual marketing campaign targeted at senior leaders of U.S. business schools to positively influence their perception of Smeal
Initiative D: Launch a quarterly e-newsletter featuring college updates, faculty research, staff achievements, student spotlights, alumni spotlights, and alumni engagement opportunities
Initiative B: Expand the Smeal marketing and communications team to support the development and execution of a new integrated marketing strategy
Initiative C: Develop and deploy an annual marketing campaign targeted at senior leaders of U.S. business schools to positively influence their perception of Smeal
Initiative D: Launch a quarterly e-newsletter featuring college updates, faculty research, staff achievements, student spotlights, alumni spotlights, and alumni engagement opportunities