University Court

About University Court

As a Penn State faculty and staff member, you dedicate your time to not only the University, but to the students that you influence on a daily basis. Why not have the opportunity to be recognized for that great commitment? Penn State Homecoming University Court is made up of 4 individuals whose devotion to the Nittany Lion family goes above and beyond the call of duty. These individuals are advisors, professors, staff and researchers, who are nominated by the students who admire them. The experience of a University Court member is unique, and one that allows for a faculty and staff member to be fully immersed in Homecoming from a point of view that very few get the opportunity to have. We look forward to having you a part of this great tradition!

Meet the University Court

Homecoming 2023

Danica White

Danica White (she/her) became part of the Penn State community in 2019, relocating from Emporia, Kansas to University Park. Currently, she serves as the Coordinator for Undergraduate Research & Engagement at University Libraries, where she is passionate about fostering a sense of belonging and inclusivity. When it comes to Creamery ice cream, her top pick is Grilled Stickies – it’s the ultimate sweet treat! Choosing a career at Penn State was an easy decision for her, thanks to the university’s unwavering dedication to educational excellence and its warm, welcoming community. Outside of work, you’ll often catch Danica engrossed in Stephen King novels or indulging her creative side with embroidery.

Jenna Craig

Dr. Jenna M. Craig, PhD (she/hers)
B.S. in Molecular Biology with minors in Biochemistry and Coaching
Ph.D. in Genetics (Penn State)
Dr. Jenna M. Craig is a teaching faculty member in the biology department. This is her second year teaching at Penn State. She is from Lewistown, PA (very close to Happy Valley!) and she
teaches introductory biology, anatomy and physiology, and plant and animal physiology courses. She loves teaching and interacting with her students, so she is excited to attend homecoming events and see her students out and about on campus. Penn State runs in her family so to speak and feels like home. Jenna’s mom and her siblings all went to Penn State, and she received her Ph.D. from Penn State and grew up coming to State College for various reasons including football games. Besides teaching, she has two awesome kids, Maddie is 7 and Beau is 5. Maddie is deaf so she’s always learning American Sign Language and loves interacting with the deaf community. Jenna is very proud to be a part of Penn State and it is her number one goal to make her classroom inclusive and equitable to all students in my courses!

Nick Pazdziorko

Nick Pazdziorko (he/him/his) not only has earned two degrees from Penn State – a Bachelor of Communications in 2003 and a Masters of Education in 2011 – but has also been fortunate to
work for the university for the past 19 years. He has spent the majority of his career in Residence Life at the university and currently serves as the Interim Director for Off-Campus Student Support. Throughout his time as a Nittany Lion, Nick has been fortunate to take on various leadership roles. Most notably, he has cherished his role as the advisor for Penn State’s Movin’ On music festival for 17 years, helping it grow into one of the largest college music festivals in the nation. He watched students work to bring some of the biggest music acts to the university to celebrate the end of the school year as a community. He has also witnessed many students use this experience to go beyond this organizational activity to have successful careers in the music industry. Seeing their achievements beyond the university is a great joy to Nick. In his personal time, Nick works within the music industry as a freelancer, often as a stage manager for the annual Boston Calling Music Festival. This personal experience helps him guide the students of Movin’ On. He also uses his experience to help put a stage in Beaver Stadium for an in-person graduation ceremony for the class of 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was an experience and memory he will never forget, helping students celebrate their achievements with their families during a difficult time. The Homecoming event that he is most excited about is the parade. Nick has always enjoyed watching the pride and passions of both former and current Penn Staters shine through at this event. As for his favorite creamery ice cream flavor, you can catch Nick indulging in a scoop of WPSU Coffee Break whenever he can. He wants to thank you for the opportunity to share a piece of his Penn State journey with you, and is looking forward to celebrating Homecoming week with all of you!

Paul Clifford

Paul J. Clifford ’20 (He/Him) is the chief executive officer of the Penn State Alumni Association and associate vice president for alumni relations for Penn State. He is the organization’s 11th chief executive in its 153-year history and began his tenure in January 2016. With 174,697 members, the Penn State Alumni Association is the largest dues-paying alumni association of its kind worldwide. He earned a Master of Education degree in Higher Education from Penn State in 2020. Paul loves Homecoming and how it connects generations of Penn Stater through this common experience and tradition. He and his wife Jennifer live in State College and have three adult children, Aidan (23, Bellefonte), Avery (21, Eugene, Or), and Abbey ’26 (19, 2nd Year at Penn State)

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