Provost Endorsement Program

The Provost Endorsement Program sets a new standard for professional development at Penn State. Each endorsement is crafted to include clear goals, purposeful learning outcomes, and a curriculum that is grounded in current research. With at least 10 hours of programming per endorsement, reflective activities, and peer interactions, participants are ensured a robust educational experience.

Endorsements are offered in three domains:
Domain 1: Teaching and Outreach
Domain 2: Research, Scholarship, and Creative Accomplishment
Domain 3: Leadership and Service

These core domains align with how faculty are evaluated during the annual review and promotion processes for tenure-line and non-tenure-line faculty. Current Penn State faculty and postdocs can earn Provost Endorsements. Provost Endorsements are not available to Penn State graduate students, although some programs may offer content simultaneously to faculty and graduate students. Check the individual registration pages for each offering for more details.

We invite you to explore possibilities within the Provost Endorsement Program.

If you have any questions about the Provost Endorsement Program please contact Ann Clements, Assistant Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs - Faculty Development at acc13@psu.edu.

Domain 1: Teaching and Outreach
Accessibility in the Curriculum (AIC)
AI-Enhanced Pedagogy: Exploring Generative AI as a Collaborative Partner
Blended Learning Transformation (Blend TLT) Program
Cognitive Science Principles for More Effective College Teaching
Education Abroad Program Leader Best Practices
Embracing Teaching and Learning with Technology for New Faculty to Penn State
Experiential Learning and Sustainability: Curricular Engaged Scholarship for a Sustainable Future
First Year Faculty Teaching Academy at Penn State Harrisburg
Foundations for Experimental Digital Global Engagement (EDGE)
Foundations for Online Teaching Certificate
Global Learning Faculty Fellows Institute
Inclusive and Equitable Teaching
Making the Most of Program Assessment
Penn State Academic Integrity Academy
Privacy Pedagogy for Open Inquiry and Student Expression (P2OISE)
Provost Endorsement for Championing Teaching & Mentoring in the Bellisario College
Teaching Online Program (TOP)
Top 5 Universal Design for Learning Strategy Series
Domain 2: Research Scholarship, and Creative Accomplishment
Advanced Training in Translational Research — The Clinical and Translational Science Institute Early-Stage Investigator Training Program
Enhancing skills for clinical and translational research through pilot funding opportunities and support services
Mentoring in Research
Provost Endorsement for Research Integrity and Successful Research Environments
Domain 3: Leadership and Service
Building Inclusive Campus Environments: Leadership for Bias Response
Initiative for Faculty Success and Equity (IFSE) Academic Year Workshops
Penn State Emerging Academic Leaders

Interested in developing and offering a Provost Endorsement?

Certification of professional development programs that are offered at Penn State as official Provost endorsements is by application. If you are interested in having your professional development program certified, please complete the following application. Applications for the 2026-2027 academic year are due on March 20, 2026.  If you are offering a previously certified Provost Endorsement program, you do not need to reapply. The application process is for new programs only.

Applications for offering a Provost Endorsement will be run through InfoReady this year.

The application can be found here: https://psu.infoready4.com/#applicationGrid/1957952

  • Once you log into InfoReady please use the search function to search for "Provost Endorsement Program." The application portal is open year-round, but is only reviewed annually beginning on March 20th, 2026.

An informational meeting for those interested in applying to offer a Provost Endorsement granting program will be held on Thursday, January 29th, 2026, from 1:00 - 3:00 PM. The Zoom link is forthcoming.

Open office hours for those with questions about the application process will be held on February 12th, 2026, from 10:00 - 11:00 am. The Zoom link is forthcoming.

An onboarding session for accepted program leaders will be held on Friday, May 15th 12:00 -2:00 pm. The Zoom link is forthcoming.

 

 

More detailed information about the program is available in this Penn State News story.

Archive

Recording from the May 15, 2025 Onboarding Meeting for New Endorsement Leaders.

Video Recording of January 29, 2024 informational session for potential Endorsement Leaders:

PEP Endorsement Leader Informational 1 29 24.mp4

Current Provost Endorsement Leader Information

Thank you for leading a provost endorsement-granting program. Below you will find answers to common questions.

  1. My endorsement offering is complete. How do I ensure that my participants receive their certificates?
    There are two parts to indicating the completion of your Provost Endorsement.

Part 1: To have the certificates and other recognition materials generated, please create two Excel sheets and title them as follows. Then send the completed Excel sheets to Jen Clouser at jel33@psu.edu:

For participants:

Title of Excel Spreadsheet:

participants_”title of endorsement”_”end date”

Format of Excel Spreadsheet

  • Column one: First and Last Name of Participant
  • Column two: 9-digit Penn State ID (9 XXXX XXXX)

For Endorsement Leaders

Title of Excel Spreadsheet:

endorsementleaders_”title of endorsement”_”end date”

Format of Excel Spreadsheet

  • Column one: First and Last Name of Endorsement Leader
  • Column two: 9-digit Penn State ID (9 XXXX XXXX)

Part 2: After sending the Excel sheets, please complete the brief final report available here: Provost Endorsement Final Report