Online course on generative AI now open to all Penn State alumni | Penn State University
Online course on generative AI now open to all Penn State alumni | Penn State University.
Course offers opportunity to learn about accessible AI tools and practical strategies for effectively using them in real-world scenarios
The course “Generative AI In Action: Practical Skills for Real-World Applications,” presented by the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications in partnership with the Penn State Alumni Association, is now available to all Penn State alumni. Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — All interested Penn State alumni can gain a high-level understanding of what generative AI is and how it works in a free online mini-course presented by the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications in partnership with the Penn State Alumni Association.
After being offered exclusively to Penn State Alumni Association members earlier this year, the course — “Generative AI In Action: Practical Skills for Real-World Applications” — is now available to all alumni.
It delivers valuable insights and resources tailored to the professional and personal development of Penn State graduates.
The course comprises three distinct sessions, hosted by Heather Shoenberger, associate professor of advertising at Penn State. Each session features tutorial-based lessons coupled with hands-on demonstrations that make it easy for participants to engage with AI tools.
To access the course, visit alumni.psu.edu/courses, where each session’s recording and corresponding resource slides are available.
Shoenberger’s research examines the impact of the evolving advertising and media landscape on consumers, as well as ways to make media content better, more relevant, and, where possible, healthier for consumer consumption.
She has published work in journals including the Journal of Advertising, The International Journal of Advertising, Communication Research, and the Journal of Health Communications, among others.
Shoenberger earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology and creative writing from Drury University, and her master’s degree in journalism, juris doctorate, and doctorate in journalism from the University of Missouri.
The Penn State Alumni Association offers numerous events and programs that seek to inform, educate and inspire. Visit the association’s PSAA Presents listing to see other upcoming events and programs.
For more than 150 years, the Penn State Alumni Association has provided alumni with a strong and welcoming community representative of the Penn Staters it proudly serves.
The association keeps alumni connected to the University and to each other, while upholding Penn State traditions and supporting the University’s mission of teaching, research and service.
The association also produces the award-winning Penn Stater magazine and other publications, and offers alumni and friends volunteer opportunities, educational programming, and many other services. For more information about the Alumni Association, visit alumni.psu.edu/youbelong.
Last Updated April 17, 2025
