Sue Kelley
2025 Recipient
Bio
Dr. Sue Kelley received a degree in psychology from the Pennsylvania State University (Schreyer Honors College). She graduated summa cum laude with honors. She went on to earn her M.S. And Ph.D. In Developmental Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh.
Sue’s research has focused on the socioemotional development of toddlers. She has studied factors related to self-conscious emotions and mastery, learned helplessness, and attachment.
After spending nearly 20 years teaching psychology at Lycoming College in Williamsport, PA, Sue served as Dean of the School of Business, Arts & Sciences at Pennsylvania College of Technology for five and half years. She has returned to the classroom and is now in her first year as an Associate Teaching Professor in Biobehavioral Health at Penn State.
Campus: University Park
Impact Statement
As a new faculty member at Penn State, I was eager to learn about the technological resources and how to use them best. Students are so familiar with and focused on technology. I thought it was important to create online platforms and utilize technology to make interactions in my courses as seamless and easy as possible. I also wanted my content to be organized, attractive, and engaging. I attended workshops to learn about canvas and Top Hat as well as several offerings related to AI given the growth in that field. The joint Schreyer Teaching Institute and TLT AI workshops in mid-May were great. Being physically present with peers and instructors was very helpful. Indeed, I am in the midst of completing the Schreyer Institute summer read (The Extended Mind: The power of thinking outside the brain by Annie Murphy Paul) and this book highlights how thinking can be enhanced through interactions with experts (i.e., our instructors) and peers. I found that to be very true. The instructors did a great job planning the event to model appropriate pedagogy and make the experience as productive and meaningful as possible. I believe that I learned a lot, was exposed to a number of resources, and left with a concrete outcome (i.e., an AI assignment for one of my courses).
Programs and Events
Through collaboration, creativity and a commitment to ethical AI practices, TLT empowers the Penn State community to embrace AI confidently—shaping the future of teaching and learning with enthusiasm and purpose.
Top Hat is Penn State’s Student Response System and Learning Engagement Platform. During class, drive discussions, take live polls, and give students real-time feedback. Outside of class, instructors can create and personalize interactive content, assignments, and assessments.