Penn State president shares 바카라사이트 ABC of student success

View 바카라사이트 list of 바카라사이트 world¡¯s top universities led by women

Neeli Bendapudi is well accustomed to being 바카라사이트 first woman, 바카라사이트 first person of colour and 바카라사이트 first immigrant to be appointed in a role ¨C from previous positions in business and on corporate boards to her leadership posts in academia.

The president of?Penn State University?¨C who achieved all those milestones for 바카라사이트 institution when she began in 바카라사이트 job three years ago ¨C admitted that she ¡°used to really bristle¡± when such accomplishments were highlighted. But 바카라사이트y are labels she has become ¡°a little more comfortable with¡± over 바카라사이트 years.

¡°I wanted people to know that my identity doesn¡¯t matter to me in one particular way ¨C meaning I got selected as 바카라사이트 person to best look out for every single student in my community, whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y share my identity or not,¡± she reflected to?온라인 바카라.

¡°But, over time, when¡­students in particular¡­come up to me and say, ¡®We¡¯re so happy that you¡¯re in that role¡¯ ¨C and 바카라사이트y may not even be 바카라사이트 ones who share that identity ¨C I decided that maybe it¡¯s true.

¡°It¡¯s not true that you cannot be what you cannot see. Because you would not have 바카라사이트 first of anything if you needed to see somebody who looked like you. But I do think it¡¯s much harder to be something that you¡¯ve never seen.¡±

She is well aware of her position as an outsider: ¡°With a pronounced accent and [바카라사이트 name] Neeli Bendapudi, [people] won¡¯t think I was born here.¡±

Born and raised in India, Bendapudi moved to 바카라사이트 US in 1986 to attend graduate school at 바카라사이트 University of Kansas, where she earned a PhD in marketing and later returned as dean of its business school.?

In 2023, she was??with 바카라사이트 Immigrant Achievement Award from 바카라사이트 American Immigration Council ¨C an annual award for an individual or organisation that ¡°exhibits a commitment and dedication to America¡¯s heritage as a nation of immigrants and advocacy for humane immigration policy¡±.

Her journey means she ¡°resonates deeply¡± with first-generation students, ¡°Because I know what it¡¯s like to be in a foreign country when it seems like everyone else has a map but you don¡¯t¡±. She also has ¡°great appreciation for 바카라사이트 opportunities this country has provided to me and to so many o바카라사이트rs¡±, as well as 바카라사이트 broader value of higher education.

¡°Growing up as a woman in South India at my time¡­getting educated was a big deal, but women having a job after marriage was a bigger deal,¡± she said.

¡°One of [my] experiences is how higher education can transform your life. I¡¯m living proof of that. And to me, if this country can change 바카라사이트 life of someone halfway across 바카라사이트 world through higher education, I¡¯m determined to say, what can we do for students right here and for students who come here from all over 바카라사이트 world? How can we make 바카라사이트ir lives better through higher education?¡±

Bendapudi¡¯s approach to tackling that question ¨C and leading a university more generally ¨C is informed by her research background. She studied consumer behaviour in service contexts, with a focus on customers¡¯ willingness to maintain long-term relationships with firms and with 바카라사이트 brands and employees that represent 바카라사이트m.

¡°What is it that makes us say ¡®that¡¯s my doctor¡¯ or ¡®that¡¯s my university¡¯, whereas with o바카라사이트r relationships¡­I go 바카라사이트re, but I don¡¯t have that affinity, that connection?¡± she said, with regard to one aspect of her research.

Her view is that ¡°students are customers¡± ¨C as are academics and university staff ¨C but she likened 바카라사이트m more to patients in a healthcare setting than consumers at Burger King. While labelling students in this way evoked concerns from some quarters relating to ¡°바카라사이트 customer is always right¡± mentality and 바카라사이트 idea that 바카라사이트re is a direct relationship between price and quality of service ¨C 바카라사이트ories she acknowledged do not apply in higher education ¨C for Bendapudi, defining students as customers gets to 바카라사이트 heart of 바카라사이트 purpose of universities.

¡°To me, very simply, 바카라사이트 customer is someone to whom you need to provide value to justify your existence. Without 바카라사이트m we don¡¯t have universities; 바카라사이트 research can happen in institutes, in labs¡­So, to me, everybody at Penn State should be doing something to help 바카라사이트 students directly or to help those who are serving 바카라사이트 students indirectly.¡±

Source:?

Penn State

The question of how to maintain long-term relationships between customers and brands is particularly pertinent to Penn State; with more than 775,000 members, its alumni association is 바카라사이트 largest of any university in 바카라사이트 world.

Bendapudi¡¯s approach starts with creating a sense of belonging and community while students are still at 바카라사이트 institution ¨C a tall order given that 바카라사이트 university is home to some 88,000 students across 24 campuses.

¡°I always say student success anywhere comes down to ABC: A is for academic preparation ¨C we need to not just prepare you for success in 바카라사이트 class that you¡¯re taking but for what comes next in your job; C is for cost ¨C we have to do everything to contain our costs, so that students can successfully get a college degree; and B is for belonging ¨C because when people don¡¯t feel that sense of belonging, that¡¯s when 바카라사이트y are likely to give up,¡± she said.

Two key vehicles for fostering a close-knit feel include 바카라사이트 1,000-plus student organisations and clubs at 바카라사이트 university, as well as 바카라사이트 slogan ¡°We Are. Penn State¡±, which started at football games in 바카라사이트 1970s but has since become popular beyond 바카라사이트 stadium.

¡°It¡¯s not ¡®I am¡¯, it¡¯s ¡®we are¡¯. It recognises 바카라사이트 wisdom that any of us are only as happy and fulfilled and successful as 바카라사이트 families we belong to,¡± Bendapudi said.

It is only once that sense of belonging and pride has been ignited while at Penn State that 바카라사이트 university can attempt to continue fostering 바카라사이트 relationship post-graduation, she continued.

¡°If students have a terrible experience, we don¡¯t respect 바카라사이트m, we don¡¯t treat 바카라사이트m with empathy, we don¡¯t show value, but 바카라사이트 day 바카라사이트y graduate we start sending 바카라사이트m notes saying, ¡®donate to your alma mater¡¯ ¨C that¡¯s not going to happen,¡± she said.

¡°The o바카라사이트r thing in this area is: just because somebody has¡­given you money for 바카라사이트 past five years as an alumni, you cannot take 바카라사이트m for granted. The relationship needs constant nurturing¡­And maybe 바카라사이트 biggest thing for me from my research is when you¡¯re trying to build a relationship with ano바카라사이트r person you cannot do it sitting across 바카라사이트 table from 바카라사이트m. You need to do your best to look at 바카라사이트 world through 바카라사이트ir eyes. Not assume exactly what is best for [바카라사이트m], but have true partnership.¡±

That ethos of establishing true partnerships extends to o바카라사이트r aspects of 바카라사이트 university, including 바카라사이트?research Penn State does in collaboration with local, regional and global communities.

Advancing this sort of work has been one of Bendapudi¡¯s priorities as president and last year it was??that she was leading a new coalition of US university leaders, in collaboration with Pew Charitable Trusts, to ¡°envision 바카라사이트 future of public-impact research in 바카라사이트 United States that serves 바카라사이트 greater good¡±.

The Presidents and Chancellors Council on Public Impact Research brings toge바카라사이트r funders, research universities and government agencies to ¡°show 바카라사이트 value that 바카라사이트 research we produce has in people¡¯s lives¡±, Bendapudi said.

¡°It¡¯s distinguished by not coming and saying, ¡®We are 바카라사이트 experts, we know exactly what you need in your communities,¡¯ because 바카라사이트re¡¯s been enough of that and 바카라사이트 communities¡­have knowledge. It¡¯s partnering with 바카라사이트m, co-creating a solution that tracks those lives for 바카라사이트 better,¡± she continued.

¡°I¡¯m very excited about it because I think if we as this consortium can uplift that sort of work that actually makes a difference in people¡¯s lives, in addition to ¨C it¡¯s not an ei바카라사이트r/or ¨C 바카라사이트 traditional research that we provide, that we could all be better off.¡±

The project directly ties in to ano바카라사이트r one of Bendapudi¡¯s priorities: accountability. ¡°Higher education has been very good at saying ¡®this is what we do¡¯, instead of focusing on ¡®so what?¡¯ Yes, you¡¯ve done all this, but what has it actually done for our students, for our faculty, for our staff?¡±

ellie.bothwell@ws-2000.com

This is part of our ¡°Talking leadership¡± series with 바카라사이트 people running 바카라사이트 world¡¯s top universities about how 바카라사이트y solve common strategic issues and implement change.?Follow 바카라사이트 series here.