Penn State Forward

Congratulations 🌟 Uma Moriarity! 🌟 Uma - an investment strategist and sustainability advocate who has spent her career building the business case for sustainable capital allocation - will join Penn State's Board on July 1, 2025, for a three-year term.

20 Apr

Penn State's trustees chart the institution's future. Go to PennStateVotes.com right now to vote for the two alumni candidates who will move Penn State Forward. Ali and Karen will prioritize workers' rights and educational equity. All Penn State alumni can vote. ➡️

macfound.orgKristina DouglassInvestigating how past human societies and environments co-evolved and adapted to climate variability.

Investing in climate education and research pays back huge dividends for our community - and our world. Former Penn State Professor Kristina Douglass just won a 2025 MacArthur Fellowship, a.k.a. a "genius grant." 🧠 www.macfound.org/fellows/clas...

psu.eduSurviving in Place: Environmental archeology in Madagascar | Penn State UniversityEnvironmental archeologist Kristina Douglass directs the Morombe Archeological Project in southwest Madagascar. Using an interdisciplinary, community-based approach, Douglass seeks to understand how h...

An archaeologist investigating how human societies and environments co-evolved and adapted to climate variability, she launched her career as a PSU assistant professor of anthropology & African studies. She focuses on the communities first experiencing climate change's significant, acute impacts.

Congratulations, Professor Douglass. 🎉 And, Penn State: More support for scholarship like this, please!

psucollegian.comWPSU to continue operating after trustees approve second proposal to sell its assetsThe Penn State Board of Trustees Finance and Investment Committee unanimously approved a second proposal to sell WPSU assets during a special session on Monday.

A better university is possible when we demand it. ✊ Over twenty thousand Penn Staters signed an online petition. Thousands more publicly commented, emailed, and called. Organizing works. www.psucollegian.com/news/adminis...

post-gazette.comPenn State branch campus professors outraged as President Bendapudi gets 47% pay raise amid campus closuresWhen Penn State New Kensington professor Andrea Adolph learned of President Neeli Bendapudi’s 47% salary raise, she felt it was

21 Sept 2025

Significant increases for high-level executives during a budget crisis, campus closures, and cuts to public services sends the wrong message. Notably this enthusiasm for so-called fair compensation vanishes when it comes to the workers who keep Penn State running.

radio.wpsu.orgPenn State decision to shut down WPSU, rather than sell it, draws rebukesAfter Penn State trustees rejected a plan to sell WPSU to WHYY, that station's leader called the decision "a shame," and community members expressed frustration about the impending loss of a community...

13 Sept 2025

The decision to "wind down" WPSU gives more power to federal officials who spurn truth, science, and our public institutions. Bad for our community and terribly self-destructive.

And, of course, this would have been impossible without her running mates Daniel Zahn and Katherine Wheatle's incredible work. They rose to the challenge and ran alongside Uma, representing a new generation of Penn Staters ready to lead on academic freedom and educational equity.

Uma is ready to lead on climate action, transparency, and ethical governance. And we'll be in touch soon with our future plans. For now: Thank you, thank you, thank you for your support. 💙

Uma graduated in 2014 with honors and high distinction, with two bachelor's degrees and a master's in Accounting. She's on the Smeal Sustainability Advisory Board and received the Scholar Alumni Society's Outstanding GOLD Scholar Alumni Award in 2023.

Her election is an amazing personal achievement, and much more. As educational institutions capitulate to political demands, thousands came together to vote for leaders ready to protect students. Uma's success reflects Penn Staters' collective belief that our institution must keep moving Forward. ➡️

Penn State Forward reposted

Hannah Cave Stout

@gdrp2009.bsky.social

congratulations on winning a BoT seat, Uma! 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 #PennStateForward

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#PennState Forward candidate Uma Moriarity is a sustainability investment strategist who has spent her career making the business case for sustainable capital allocation. 📈🌎🌱

psucollegian.comPenn State Faculty Senate passes resolution to establish Big Ten Mutual Defense CompactThe Penn State Faculty Senate passed a resolution supporting the formation of a Mutual Academic Defense Compact (MADC) among Big Ten universities on Tuesday.

1 May 2025

#PennState faculty just passed a resolution for a unified defense against political and legal threats to higher education. Our leadership must heed their calls. Solidarity is the best shield to safeguard our academic freedom and institutional autonomy. www.psucollegian.com/news/campus/...

onwardstate.comCommunity Content: It’s Time For Us To Renew Our Commitment To Sexual Violence Prevention"Right now, our students don’t believe that University leadership will prevent sexual violence or protect the thousands of survivors and victims who call Penn State home."

29 Apr 2025

"Our students don’t believe that University leadership will prevent sexual violence or protect the thousands of survivors and victims who call Penn State home." Voting is now open. Vote for Katherine Wheatle, Daniel Zahn, and Uma Moriarity: PennStateVotes.com. onwardstate.com/2025/04/29/c...

insidehighered.comThe Precedent Higher Ed Can’t Afford to Set (opinion)The mere prospect of a consent decree at Columbia is a flashing warning sign for trustees at colleges across the country, Ross Mugler writes.

25 Apr 2025

"We need a collective stance among governing boards, higher education associations, and institutional leaders that reasserts the value of independent governance in a democratic society." Vote for Daniel, Katherine, and Uma before May 8: PennStateVotes.com. www.insidehighered.com/opinion/view...

pbs.orgRead the full letter from universities opposing 'government intrusion'Hundreds of college presidents and other officials have signed a letter protesting the “unprecedented government overreach and political interference” that higher education is facing under the Trump a...

25 Apr 2025

Our peer institutions have formed coalitions to oppose the “unprecedented government overreach and political interference” that higher education faces under the Trump administration; it's time for leaders at Penn State to do the same. www.pbs.org/newshour/edu...

21 Apr 2025

#PennState alumni: Voting for alumni-elected trustees is now open! 🎉 Trustees chart the university's future, and all Penn State graduates can vote. Cast your ballot at PennStateVotes.com for the candidates ready to lead our university forward: Daniel, Katherine, and Uma.

19 Apr 2025

The federal government is attacking universities; we need Penn State trustees who will improve our financial situation, safeguard our students, retain our values, and end encroachment on civil liberties across our campuses. Katherine, Uma, and Daniel are those candidates. Voting opens on Monday!

17 Apr 2025

Check out Katherine's recent feature in Onward State! "We’re at a point in higher ed where we can’t just talk about inclusion, we have to act on it,” she said. “That means thinking critically about affordability, representation, and the student experience.” onwardstate.com/2025/04/17/k...

onwardstate.comCommunity Content: Colleges Are Facing Constitutional Crises; Penn State Needs Trustees To Meet The MomentBoard of Trustees candidate Daniel Zahn aruges Penn State needs to do more to stand up to recent actions by the federal government.

15 Apr 2025

NEW TODAY: Daniel Zahn’s piece about standing up to the actions by the federal government. onwardstate.com/2025/04/15/c...

onwardstate.comUma Moriarity Aiming To 'Future Proof University For Generations To Come' In Board Of Trustees Campaign“We’re really proving the fact that you can invest in a way that both generates great returns but also does so while thinking about the positive impact that you can create."

2 Apr 2025

Read Onward State's feature on #PennState Forward candidate Uma Moriarity here! onwardstate.com/2025/04/02/u...

28 Mar 2025

Voting opens in three weeks! Sign up for a voting reminder today at PSUForward.org/vote.

26 Mar 2025

We've reached 100 followers - just two weeks after joining Bluesky! 🎉

22 Mar 2025

As a sustainability investment strategist, Uma Moriarity generates superior risk-adjusted returns by considering climate impact. She knows that supporting climate research and renewable energy education and backing energy-efficient campuses at Penn State is just good business. 📈

pennstatevotes.comI voted in the Penn State Alumni Trustee ElectionI voted in the Penn State Alumni Trustee Election and you can, too! Your vote matters!

22 Mar 2025

Move Penn State Forward - All Penn State alumni can vote for Uma and her running mates (higher education policy expert Dr. Katherine Wheatle '08 and civil rights lawyer Daniel Zahn '20) starting April 21 at PennStateVotes.com.

#PennState Forward candidate Uma Moriarity is a sustainability investment strategist who has spent her career making the business case for sustainable capital allocation. 📈🌎🌱

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She's ready to promote representative governance and sustainable financial management - including by considering climate impact in capital projects.

Starting April 21st, all Penn State alumni can vote. Don't miss your chance - sign up for a voting reminder today at PSUForward.org/vote.

#PennState Forward candidate Uma Moriarity is a sustainability investment strategist who has spent her career making the business case for sustainable capital allocation. 📈🌎🌱

Uma created her firm's sustainability practice, promotes the UN's Sustainable Development Goals, supports the transition to climate-friendly and healthy built environments, and empowers women to invest in alignment with their values.

Dr. Katherine Wheatle is a higher education policy expert and Pell Grant recipient committed to making postsecondary education attainable for all. ✊🗣️

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She's ready to promote educational opportunity, workers' rights, and community voice in governance - including through requirements that the Board review community recommendations publicly and, when choosing leadership, solicit nominations from the University community.

Starting April 21st, all alumni can vote. Don't miss your chance - sign up for a voting reminder today at PSUForward.org/vote.

Dr. Katherine Wheatle is a higher education policy expert and Pell Grant recipient committed to making postsecondary education attainable for all. ✊🗣️

Katherine has taught college students, published over a dozen articles on higher education, developed grant program assessment methods, and advocated for innovative policy to close opportunity gaps.

Penn State Forward candidate Daniel A. Zahn '20 is a civil rights lawyer committed to protecting academic freedom and student and faculty speech & promoting democratic decision-making. ⚖️

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He's ready to promote educational opportunity and protect student and faculty speech - including by advocating for a labor union recognition policy & public access to university records.

Starting April 21st, all alumni can vote. Don't miss your chance - sign up for a voting reminder today at PSUForward.org/vote.

Penn State Forward candidate Daniel A. Zahn '20 is a civil rights lawyer committed to protecting academic freedom and student and faculty speech & promoting democratic decision-making. ⚖️

Daniel has organized for equal educational opportunity, secured community access to records about abusive policing, and protected noncitizen protestors from government retaliation. 💪