Strategic Plan Overview

Learn boldly. Build together. Engineer what's next. 

Message from the Dean

The Penn State College of Engineering Strategic Plan is a comprehensive roadmap articulating how we will advance our mission of engineering excellence through education, research, and service in a rapidly evolving technological, societal, and global context. The plan is intentionally holistic, recognizing that student success, faculty and staff excellence, research leadership, community engagement, and inclusive culture are deeply interconnected and mutually reinforcing.

Our goals, measures, and objectives establish a framework that:

• Guides decision-making, resource allocation, and accountability at the college and department/unit levels
• Enables implementation flexibility as conditions, opportunities, and technologies evolve
• Advances University-level priorities within the context of engineering education, research, and innovation

Through the priorities outlined in our strategic plan, the College of Engineering will serve as both a contributor to and an accelerator of institutional impact, translating University aspirations into discipline-specific strategies and outcomes.

To ensure our goals result in measurable action, we have developed an implementation plan: a living roadmap that will guide annual planning, application, and assessment. Progress will be monitored through defined metrics, periodic review, and continuous feedback. As conditions change—whether through advances in technology, shifts in workforce needs, or evolving student and societal expectations—the plan will be revisited and refined to remain relevant and impactful.

Ultimately, our strategic plan affirms a shared commitment across the college and our stakeholders: to educate and empower engineers, scholars, and leaders; to advance discovery and innovation with meaningful impact; and to serve the Commonwealth, the nation, and the world through excellence in engineering. 

Tonya L. Peeples
Harold and Inge Marcus Dean of Engineering
Penn State

Process

The College of Engineering developed the 2026–2030 strategic plan to shape a vision for engineering excellence. The strategic plan reflects a deliberate, inclusive, and data-informed process that engages stakeholders across the College of Engineering and beyond. This process ensures the plan is grounded in lived experience, responsive to emerging challenges, and aligned with both institutional priorities and external realities. 

Key elements of the planning process included:

• Engagement with faculty, staff, students, department heads, center directors, alumni, and external partners through meetings, forums, and targeted discussions
• Review and synthesis of existing plans, assessments, and data, including prior college initiatives, student success metrics, research performance indicators, workforce trends, and climate and engagement feedback
• Cross-cutting working groups and iterative refinement, ensuring coherence across undergraduate and graduate education, research, diversity and inclusion, and land-grant engagement
• Intentional coordination with University leadership and planning frameworks, ensuring alignment and avoiding duplication of effort

Through transparency and collective responsibility, this strategic plan establishes a unified direction for the College. Successful implementation depends on the continued collaboration among departments, units, and stakeholders.

Mission

The Penn State College of Engineering shapes the future through innovative education, breakthrough research, and transformative partnerships that create real-world impact across Pennsylvania and beyond.

Rooted in Penn State’s land-grant mission and strategic vision, we translate research into societal benefit by partnering with industry, government, and non-profits to drive technology commercialization, job creation, and economic growth.

Our faculty are leaders of interdisciplinary research that addresses urgent global challenges, while our students pursue flexible, future-focused educational pathways that integrate experiential, online, and modular learning. With a strong emphasis on curiosity, community, innovation, and entrepreneurship, we prepare graduates to thrive and create value in a rapidly evolving world.

We believe the future of engineering lies in strategic differentiation: delivering an adaptable, world-class education; leading in translational research; and expanding inclusive access to opportunity.

By fostering a culture of excellence, innovation, and belonging, we are developing the next generation of engineers—leaders, entrepreneurs, and change agents who will shape the technologies, industries, and societies of tomorrow.

Vision

The Penn State College of Engineering will be a global leader in engineering innovation, education, and societal impact—recognized for creating transformative solutions, pathways to opportunity, and a diverse community of learners, researchers, and change-makers.

Rooted in our land-grant mission and guided by the cornerstones of GRACE—Growing our capacity, Refining our operations, Accelerating impact, Cultivating community among stakeholder groups, and Expanding excellence—we envision a future where:

• Translational research drives real-world solutions to the most pressing global challenges through strategic partnerships with industry, government, and communities
• Innovation and entrepreneurship are embedded in our culture—fueling economic development, value creation, and the commercialization of breakthrough technologies
• Our graduates emerge not only as skilled engineers but as leaders, entrepreneurs, and catalysts for change—shaping the technologies, industries, and societies of tomorrow 

Together, we will build a more impactful, connected, welcoming, and resilient future across Pennsylvania and around the world to engineer what’s next.

Values

The Penn State Values guide our actions and decisions as members of the Penn State community:

• Integrity: We act with integrity and honesty in accordance with the highest academic, professional, and ethical standards.
• Respect: We respect and honor the dignity of each person, embrace civil discourse, and foster a diverse and inclusive community.
• Responsibility: We act responsibly, and we are accountable for our decisions, actions, and their consequences.
• Discovery: We seek and create new knowledge and understanding, and foster creativity and innovation, for the benefit of our communities, society, and the environment.
• Excellence: We strive for excellence in all our endeavors as individuals, an institution, and a leader in higher education.
• Community: We work together for the betterment of our University, the communities we serve, and the world.