Master of Ceremonies
Cade Miller
Our Speakers
Rasha Elwakil
Rasha is a second-year student studying Earth Science and Policy, with minors in history and journalism. She is currently the Chair of Justice and Equity for the University Park Undergraduate Associations’ 18th Assembly. Through this position she ensured the expansion of what people typically think of as DEIB (diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging) and sought to help educate her fellow Penn State community through programming events such as Women’s Empowerment Week, an environmental justice collaboration amongst the Student Sustainability Network, NAACP, and the caucuses, and two Worklink collaborations. She is also a member of the Racial Justice Policy and Advocacy Group since the beginning of her freshman year. While she has other involvements, these ones deal with the topic that she will be speaking about, which is DEIB chairs in Registered Student Organizations. Throughout her Penn State journey, she has constantly worked to promote DEIB efforts and ensure that all students have a positive experience here at the university. She hopes that all students help promote inclusion throughout the university and know that they belong!
Conor Kelley
Conor is a fourth year from Pittsburgh Pennsylvania and is studying Community, Environment, and Development and Global and International Studies. He is currently involved in Lion Ambassadors, as a Committee Director, Student Philanthropy Network, as President, and serves on Student Fee Board. Within these roles he has learned immensely about the University and hopes to share about personal experiences pertaining to student leadership as well as imposter syndrome. He is incredibly excited to have a great discussion and to give back to the University community.
Emma Duffy
Emma (she/her) is a second year at Penn State, majoring in Recreational, Park, and Tourism Management with a minor in Sexuality and Gender Studies. She is a student staff member and Peer Educator at the Center of Sexual and Gender Diversity, a sister in Alpha Delta Pi, President of the queer service organization Kaxom, and involved with Penn State Club Crew. Emma’s speech will be touching on the queer experience as a student, and how to actively unify the queer and straight community at Penn State!
Michael Zeman
Michael is the founding and current Director of the Student Engagement Network (SEN), and operates the SEN Grant program, the Student Engagement EXPO, Summit, Internship program, Engagement App, and Engagement Academy. Prior to his work in student engagement, Zeman was the Director of Science Outreach in the College of Science from 2008-2016 and created the Emmy-award winning K-12 science outreach program, Science-U. Zeman also worked in public schools as a middle school teacher and assistant principal prior to coming to Penn State in 2008. He is an alumnus of the Penn State College of Health and Human Development (B.S. Kines ’98 and M.S. Kines ‘01) and connects with students in the classroom by teaching Biol 141: Human Physiology. As an undergraduate and graduate student at Penn State, he was part of multiple clubs, was a student manager for the 1999 Women’s National Championship Volleyball team and played on the Men’s Division I Volleyball team.
He will be presenting on how engaged learning out of the classroom builds resiliency and offers students the opportunity to maximize their potential beyond a purely academic/grades focus.
Trinity Lyn Jackson
Trinity (she/her) is a 3rd year B.F.A Acting student. She’s currently studying abroad in London this semester! The study abroad aspect of her studies have truly allowed her to discover new parts of herself and the world. She’s a Cancer sun, Taurus moon, and Sagittarius rising.
When she is state side, she is involved with organizations like Performing Arts Council, Student Programming Assoication, University Park Undergraduate Association, and specialized groups within the School of Theatre. To relax she likes to cook, crochet, walk, cafe hop and recently she’s been wanting to get back into roller skating. She is extremely grateful for this opportunity and hopes that her speech can act as a mirror for any other superheroes out there. This speech is proof your anxiety and imposter syndrome is lying to you, keep going! You’re never alone and you matter.
Caden Vitti
Caden (he/him) is a 4th year student from Exeter, New Hampshire studying Energy Engineering and Spanish. He currently serves as the University Park Undergraduate Association (UPUA) Executive Director of Environmental Sustainability, where he is planning the 2nd annual student-led Sustainability Summit on April 1. In this role, he has also redeveloped what is now the Student Sustainability Network, a group for student leaders to share initiatives and collaborate with one another in the sustainability space.
Caden is the Co-Director of the recently formed Queer and Trans Advocacy Initiative, which advocates for better reporting and support for members of Penn State’s LGBTQ+ community. He is also a member of the Presidential Leadership Academy, Gender and Sexual Diversity in Schreyer, and the Sustainable Lab Ambassadors program.
What Caden has found that each of these groups have in common is their shared sense of community that creates paths for progress. In his speech, he will share strategies and experiences in community development for advocacy.
In his free time, Caden likes hiking, kayaking, playing volleyball, and watching Survivor! He can’t wait to share his story with you at the spring conference.
Erika Long
Erika is a fourth-year student from Frederick, Maryland studying electrical engineering with a minor in engineering leadership development. She is in her third semester facilitating for Greeks Care, a student organization that has given hundreds of Penn State fraternity and sorority members the tools to examine their roles in preventing sexual violence. Additionally, Erika serves as a Committee Director for the Lion Ambassadors, a Special Events Captain for Penn State THON, an ENGAGE Peer Educator, and a former Vice President of Event Management for the Delta Kappa chapter of Alpha Delta Pi.
Erika will be speaking about the climate of sexual violence at Penn State and how the university can work to create a safer community. She looks forward to exploring the potential of Penn State students and the State College community!