UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State is launching a Canvas-based resource to support students enrolled at commonwealth campuses scheduled to close at the end of the 2026-27 academic year.
In a 25-8 vote in May 2025, Penn State trustees approved the closure of seven campuses, including Penn State Shenango in Sharon, Pa.
The Degree Completion & Transition Support course is being added to eligible students’ Canvas dashboards to provide clear, centralized information as they plan next steps toward completing their degrees.
The course brings together guidance on academic advising and degree planning, financial planning, housing, student engagement and university resources. It is designed to complement the individualized support students continue to receive from faculty and staff at their campuses, a news release states.
“Supporting our students through this transition is a top priority,” said Andrea Dowhower, vice president of student affairs and co-executive lead of the university’s student transitions workstream. “Students will continue to work closely with the faculty and staff at their campuses who know them best. This resource adds another way to find information, understand options and connect with the right resources across the university.”
The Canvas course will appear automatically in students’ dashboards and will be updated as new information becomes available. Students are encouraged to use the course as they plan their path forward and to return to it as needed.
Campus-based advisers, faculty and student support staff remain students’ primary source of guidance, the release states. The course is intended to reinforce that support by providing a consistent, accessible resource that connects students to information and services across Penn State.
More information about support for students at closing campuses is available HERE.
The other campuses to close are DuBois, Fayette, Mont Alto, Kensington, Wilkes-Barre and York.