State of State

03/31/2026

Apply to be the next Executive Director of State of State! The link is in our bio! Applications are due on April 14th at 11:59 PM

03/27/2026

03/21/2026

Come support our amazing speakers this Tuesday! Doors open at 5:30 PM and admission is free! Food will be provided.

03/20/2026

Daniil is a fourth-year IUG student concurrently pursuing a dual major in computer engineering and German, alongside a master’s in international affairs, concentrating in law, policy, and engineering.

Currently, Daniil works as a Career Envoy for the College of Engineering Career Office and serves as the Vice Chair of the Faculty Senate Student Senator Caucus, as well as a representative on the University Park Fee Board. He also served as the President of the 75th Assembly of the Graduate and Professional Student Association, the Penn State graduate student government.

Daniil will be speaking about how Penn State can increase workforce development impact for underclass students by reducing friction, expanding early experiences and mentorship, and measuring access so opportunity reaches students early in their academic careers.

03/19/2026

Arnav Aggarwal is a freshman at PennState in the B.S/M.D. Accelerated Medicine program. Arnav will be speaking about the entrepreneurial mindset—why impact doesn’t begin when you feel ready, but the moment you decide to act.

From a young age, Arnav has been passionate about entrepreneurship, founding CareForAll: a nonprofit that mobilizes doctors across India to deliver free healthcare to underserved communities. Since launching, CareForAll has grown to a team of 400+ and have partnered with 20 hospitals, impacting 2,000+ children and funding 100+ critical surgeries through INR 900,000+ raised. Along the way, CareForAll has been featured in esteemed publications and Arnav has been recognised internationally for exceptional youth leadership.

03/18/2026

Jude is a second-year student majoring in Political Science. Currently, he serves as the Acting President of Lion Caucus, which is the student arm of Penn State’s Office of Government and Community Relations. In this role, he works with students and alumni to advocate for increased investment into Penn State from the State and Federal government. He also serves as the Chief Administrative Executive of the University Park Fee Board, an At-Large Representative in the University Park Undergraduate Association, an Undergraduate Teaching Assistant, and a Lion Ambassador.

Jude will be speaking about Penn State’s history of advocacy and how it has shaped the campus experience here, as well as how we can continue to build upon such advocacy efforts.

03/17/2026

Max Gibbard is a 4th year student studying Computer Science in the College of Engineering with a minor in Engineering Leadership Development. Max currently serves as the President of the Penn State Lion Ambassadors, an organiation designed to instill Penn State pride in the community through carrying on the school’s traditions. He also serves as the Co-Executive Director of the First Year Council in the UPUA where he co-leads students through their freshman year, helping them get acclimated on campus and naviate the complicated world of student government. Outside of his campus involvements Max will be joining Boeing as a full-time Software Engineer this summer in Philadelphia to pursue his lifelong passion of aerospace and technology.

Max will be speaking about how student organizations are the powerhouse of this University, and how you do not need a big title to make a big impact in one. He believes it’s important to know your strengths, and leverage them by pursuing opportunities that align with your passions and abilities. This approach cultivates a better environment for yourself, and for organizations as a whole, and has many benefits beyond your college years. Max hopes he can inspire people to think deeply about how they can make their own organizations better by pursuing what matters to them.

03/16/2026

Noah Youcheff is a junior at Penn State studying Security and Risk Analysis with a minor in Politics and Public Policy. He currently serves as Vice President of the Undergraduate Student Government (UPUA), and as President of the IST Student Council. He has also served as Chair of Academic Affairs for UPUA and as a Student Senator on the University Faculty Senate. He believes that good governance isn’t just about what gets decided, but how. He’s equally interested in the role technology plays in higher education and how universities can approach it in a way that’s ethical, intentional, and student-centered.

Noah will be speaking about navigating technology use in higher education and what it takes to build real policy around it. Drawing from his experience in student governance and his background in security and risk analysis, he’ll explore how universities can approach emerging technology thoughtfully and how students can have a genuine voice in those decisions.

03/15/2026

Prerna Chakkingal is a Schreyer Honors College student majoring in Health Policy and Administration. Prerna advocates annually at the Harrisburg Capitol for per-student funding, working to ensure that student voices are represented in conversations surrounding higher education accessibility. In addition to her campus involvement, Prerna is an EMT and a researcher in a biomedical engineering lab, reflecting her interest in service, innovation, and the broader future of healthcare. She is also a three-time TEDx speaker who has spoken on a range of topics centered on social issues. Beyond TEDx, she has served as a panelist for nonprofit events and spoken at the Global Health Leaders Conference. As a awardee of the Disney Dreamers Academy BE100, Prerna continues to bring energy, authenticity, and purpose to the spaces she enters.

Prerna will be speaking about how students are often taught to define themselves through measurable achievement, and why growth mindset, emotional intelligence, and human connection deserve just as much value. Drawing from her experiences in leadership and advocacy, she hopes to encourage students to rethink how success is defined and to build a campus culture where growth is supported, struggle is normalized, and people are seen as more than the numbers that attempt to define them.

03/14/2026

Hannah Neurohr is a senior studying broadcast journalism and minoring in political science and english. She’s an award winning journalist for her work with the Centre County Report and is also involved with the News Lab, CommRadio, and the news consortium.

Hannah will be speaking about the importance of local, unbiased journalism, and how it can strengthen the communities it is rooted in. She stresses the importance of media literacy and why it is crucial to practice.

03/13/2026

Mike is a fourth-year student majoring in Political Science with minors in media studies and politics & public policy. Currently, he serves as the Chair of the University Park Fee Board, which works closely with administrators to help fund essential campuses resources meant to augment the out-of-classroom experience for all UP students. He also serves as a member of the Lion Ambassadors, and has previously served as the President of Lion Caucus, the student arm of the Office of Government and Community Relations.

Mike will be speaking about the importance of advocacy through coalition building, as well as how to strengthen advocacy efforts through and diverse and robust network of supporters and advocates.

12/01/2025

It’s that time of year! Speaker nominations are open! The link is in our bio!