In 2021 and 2022, faculty from a variety of disciplines at Penn State New Kensington, supported by the campus chancellor, identified a "future-ready" framework to prepare students for the future. This framework began with conversation on the intellectual pillars that support the growth of industry knowledge, enhance community engagement, advance medial literacy aptitudes and heightened social consciousness. As conversations progressed, three focus areas emerged. Through the 2023 Future Readiness Academy, we will expand and explore many of these concepts together and continue to refine the mission for higher education in Southwestern PA.

The created future-ready framework features the following three focus-areas:

Future Readiness - Globe

Human Conscious Citizenship

  • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
  • Global Competency
  • Financial Literacy
  • Digital Citizenship
  • Sustainability
  • Conscious Capitalism
  • Conscious Consumerism
  • Values and Ethics

 

Future Readiness - Tech

Emerging 21st Century Technologies That Will Change the World

  • Augmented/ Virtual Reality (AR/VR)
  • Artificial Intelligence/ Machine Learning/Sensors
  • Software & Coding Automation
  • Robotics/3D Printing/Data Analytics
  • Cloud computing/Edge Computing
  • Business Intelligence
  • Digital Twinning
  • Digital Thread
  • Block Chain
Future Readiness - Lightbulb

Innovative Entrepreneurial Mindset

  • Innovation
  • Collaboration/Project Management
  • Willingness to Fail/Embrace Risk/Resiliency
  • Transparency
  • Ability to Adapt to Rapid, Constant Change
  • Evidence-based Decision Making
  • Empathy
Future Readiness