SU Office of Workforce Development

This week, students at the Hersheypark Leadership Development Internship Program participated in their second academic session, Discover You: CliftonStrengths™ Assessment and Discovery, led by Victoria Kerr, Executive Director of the Shippensburg University Career Center .

Interns discovered and developed a greater self-awareness through exploring individual leadership strengths. The CliftonStrengths ™ Assessment highlights talents across four leadership domains: Executing, Influencing, Relationship Building, and Strategic Thinking. This session helped students learn how to apply these strengths as they grow both personally and professionally.

We’re excited to continue following the students’ experiences and leadership development throughout the summer!
Hershey Entertainment & Resorts

We’re excited to kick off our 6th year partnering with Hershey Entertainment & Resorts for the Hersheypark Leadership Development Internship Program!

This unique summer opportunity gives students the chance to gain hands-on experience working in the park while building future career skills through weekly professional development sessions.

This week, students representing 118 different colleges and universities began working in the park and participated in their first academic session led by Dr. Adam Powell, Associate Professor of Marketing.

Dr. Powell discussed guest satisfaction and how expectations are shaped by prior experiences, cost, and perceptions. Students also gained insight into the SWEET and GUEST frameworks used by park employees to create positive experiences and effectively resolve issues.

We’re excited to follow along and share more highlights from the program throughout the summer. Stay tuned for weekly updates!

Recently, we hosted a Six Thinking Hats training session for employees of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.

Participants worked through real-world challenges while learning how different thinking perspectives can improve collaboration, communication, innovation, and decision-making. The session encouraged teams to think critically, share ideas openly, and focus on creating the best possible solutions together.

Thank you to Tracy Montoro for leading, and to all of the DEP employees for engaging in this powerful training session! 👏

Change is constant. Strong leadership is what makes a difference.🌟

In our latest Mid-Level Leadership session, we focused on leading through volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA). Our leaders learned how to assess readiness, handle resistance, and keep things moving during times of change.

Thank you to Dr. Robert Stevens as always and to our guest speaker Lorelee Isbell, Vice President for Strategy and External Relations at Harrisburg University.

📅Our final Mid-Level Leadership session on AI is coming next month; we'd love to see you there!

Data → Insights → Action 📈

Earlier this month, our Mid-Level Leadership participants explored data-driven leadership and how to turn workplace data into meaningful action by leveraging data, applying key metrics, and translating insights into actions that drive stronger performance across organizations.

👏 Special thanks to Dr. Robert Stevens and guest speaker Jesse McCree for sharing his expertise with our mid-level leaders!

Our next session on Leading Change will be held on Friday April 10th, sign up now before all slots are full! https://apply.ship.edu/register/mllseries

Don’t lose your momentum this summer!☀️

Stay on track or get ahead with courses designed to fit into your schedule.

👉Graduate registration is OPEN NOW
👉Undergraduate registration opens Monday, March 30

Explore your options and register today!
https://www.ship.edu/anchor/summer-classes/list-of-online-classes/

Open spots available in our Frontline Leadership Credentialing Program!

Grounded in real workplace needs, this program is designed to support frontline employees and new supervisors as they build strong leadership habits and grow into confident, adaptable team leaders.

📅 Spring 2026 enrollment open now
🔗 Register your employees today!

Link to register: https://workforce.ship.edu/fll/

Our Mid-Level Leadership module on leading others came to a close with a strong session on partnering across teams 🤝

Dr. Robert Stephens led a great conversation with a group of mid-level managers on collaboration, trust, and navigating complexity in the workplace. Our guest leader, Lee Halula, retired Vice President of Sales and Category Management at Karns Foods, shared his professional expertise and experiences with our attendees.

Thank you to participants from Land O’Lakes, the Department of Environmental Protection, and Members 1st for bringing positive energy to our discussions and activities!

✨Our final module of the Mid-Level Leadership Series begins February 6th! Check out the details here: https://workforce.ship.edu/mll/

🚨 New Program Alert! 🚨

The Office of Workforce Development is excited to offer a self-paced resume building program designed to showcase your skills. Perfect for students, recent grads, or anyone ready to make a career move!

✅ Learn at your own pace
✅ Build skills to impress employers
✅ Available in English and Spanish
✅ Free for everyone

Check out our website to find out more about this program and start building your future today!

PS: Your dream job starts with a great resume!!💼



Shippensburg University was awarded a $275,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration in support of its South-Central Career Development and Readiness Initiative. Parts of this program are supported by federal funds.

The holidays are almost here! 🎄✨

We’ll be taking a short break to celebrate—our office will be closed on Christmas day and through the New Year, reopening January 2, 2026.

Thank you for an amazing year! Wishing you a joyful and restful holiday season!❤️