Smeal AI@Work

Equipping Faculty & Staff to Better Support Students

Supported through the Dean’s Office and the eLDIG team, Smeal AI@Work prepares faculty and staff to use AI in ways that strengthen teaching, learning, and student services. Through structured training and access to secure, enterprise tools—including Dean-funded Microsoft Copilot licenses—Smeal builds internal expertise that directly supports student success and operational effectiveness.

Rather than leaving the Smeal community to solely experiment with AI individually, Smeal AI@Work provides a community of practice built upon coordinated tools, guidance, and professional development so staff and faculty can apply AI confidently, responsibly, and consistently across the College.

Guiding Principles

• Providing Access to tools and training
  Enhancing and optimizing business education and operations
• Responsible and ethical use
  Grounded in transparency, human oversight, and practices that reflect Penn State values and the Smeal Honor Code.
• College-wide community of practice
  Supporting shared learning rather than isolated experimentation.

Why This Matters

• Peer support and training
  Staff and faculty use shared tools, receive guidance, and explore ways to apply AI solutions to everyday work across courses, programs, and operations.
• Better academic and student support services
  Staff use AI to improve advising, communication, and administrative processes—helping students get timely, accurate support.
• Responding to real workplace needs
  Staff and faculty use AI in ways that reflect professional standards and modern organizational practices to streamline workflows.
• Focus on learning how to leverage AI tools
  Centralized support enables faculty and staff to focus on improving efficiency and optimizing business practices.

Earn a Microsoft 365 Copilot License through the Smeal AI@Work Series

We’re excited to share that participants in the Smeal AI@Work Series will have the opportunity to earn a Microsoft 365 (Paid) Copilot license with increased functionality beyond the free PSU Microsoft Copilot license. M365 Copilot is recommended for staff and faculty who want to leverage Microsoft suite tools for workplace productivity.

To be eligible, you must:

1. Attend at least three Smeal AI@Work sessions live (or by watching the recordings below).
2. Complete the session survey for each of those sessions.

Once both requirements are met, you’ll qualify to receive a license for Microsoft 365 Copilot funded through the Dean’s office.

Join the SmealAI@Work group in Micosoft Teams

Past Sessions

Smeal AI@Work Excel and Copilot

March 24, 2026

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Smeal AI@Work: Outlook and Copilot: make the Most of Your Email

March 13, 2026

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Smeal AI@Work: Microsoft 365 Copilot for Outlook and Teams

March 13, 2026

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Powerpoint and Copilot: Power Prompts

February 25, 2026

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Microsoft Teams: Beyond the Basics

November 11, 2025

Virtual collaboration and communication have become an integral part of higher education. However, staying organized while using different applications is often challenging. Take your Teams skills to the next level and learn synergistic approaches to communicating and collaborating with Microsoft Teams. During this 1.5-hour hands-on session, you will explore different scenarios for using Teams, providing fresh ideas and the knowledge to put those ideas into practice.

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Microsoft Copilot 365 Copilot for Word

November 3, 2025

This intermediate-level session is for people who are new to Microsoft Copilot 365 Copilot for Word and are ready to build their skills and confidence. Join us for an interactive session focused on how Copilot can support the drafting, editing, and collaboration of documents in Word.

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Microsoft 365 Copilot for Outlook and Teams

October 22, 2025

Already familiar with the basics of GenAI? This intermediate session will focus on ways to leverage Microsoft 365 Copilot to increase productivity across your daily tasks focusing on Outlook and Teams.

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Smeal AI@Work: MS365 (Paid) Copilot Basics

October 6, 2025

Not sure where to start with Microsoft Copilot? Join our hands-on introduction to Microsoft Copilot 365 (paid) and learn how to make AI your everyday productivity partner. You’ll discover how Copilot integrates into tools like Word, Excel, Outlook, and Teams to help you write, analyze, and organize with ease — plus see real-life examples, beginner-friendly tips, and plenty of “I didn’t know it could do that!” moments.

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Smeal AI@Work: Writing Effective Prompts

September 26, 2025

Ready to get more out of Generative AI (GenAI)? This beginner-friendly Smeal AI@Work session introduces you to effective prompt writing strategies to return better results from AI tools like the free version of Microsoft Copilot. You’ll learn what makes a good prompt, explore different types of prompts, and walk through the prompt-writing process. Participants learn how to craft precise and relevant prompts, understand the nuances of GenAI applications in higher education, and explore strategies to integrate AI into our daily work. Whether you’re drafting emails, building presentations, or organizing student materials, this session gives you practical, hands-on guidance for building smarter prompts for GenAI.

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Smeal AI@Work: Key Tools for Storage and Collaboration with ITLD

September 16, 2025

This Smeal AI@Work session explores the storage and collaboration functions of OneDrive, SharePoint, and Teams. You will also learn how OneDrive, SharePoint, and Teams interact and the relationship between the three. The session provides you with information and opportunities for hands-on application of these Key Tool and their features. Learning to effectively use OneDrive, SharePoint, and Teams builds the foundational collaboration and data management skills that strengthen AI literacy, helping faculty and staff streamline workflows, enhance productivity, and better integrate Microsoft Copilot and other AI tools into their daily work.

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Smeal AI@Work: GenAI Basics and Overview (Demystifying GenAI)

September 4, 2025

This Smeal AI@Work session introduces faculty and staff to the basics of Generative AI, focusing on Microsoft Copilot, which is freely available to all Penn State users. The workshop will separate myths from reality, show practical uses of AI already embedded in tools like autocomplete, and demonstrate how Copilot can improve productivity through real-world examples such as meeting notes and email drafting. Designed for beginners, it provides a hands-on look at how AI can support everyday academic and professional tasks.