PanAPIDA Circle

Penn State has selected PROFESSOR VASANT HONAVAR as the inaugural vice provost for artificial intelligence (AI) to guide a comprehensive AI strategy and advance the University's leadership in human-centered and ethical AI innovation across teaching, learning, research and operations.

In this new position, Honavar reports to Senior Vice Provost and Chief of Staff Josh Davis. He will collaboratively develop and implement Penn State's AI TRANSFORMATION INITIATIVE, working closely with Executive Vice President and Provost Fotis Sotiropoulos and leaders across colleges, campuses and administrative units to ensure that Penn State's AI strategy aligns with the University's institutional values and long‑term strategic goals.

Honavar will collaborate with the AI Coordinating Council, the AI Student Advisory Group, and other AI working groups and advisory bodies.

Photo: Penn State. Creative Commons

Read the full article that details Professor Honavar's extenstive qualifications to lead the development of Penn State's AI strategy.
https://www.psu.edu/news/administration/story/vasant-honavar-named-vice-provost-artificial-intelligence-penn-state

Learn more about Penn State's AI Transformation initiative.
https://www.psu.edu/news/administration/story/penn-state-makes-strategic-investments-prepare-students-ai-driven-future

You can also visit the University's AI website for more information.
https://ai.psu.edu/

Grab a cup of coffee and listen to this charming podcast interview with MINA KIMES -- an Emmy nominated NFL analyst and a Celebrity Jeopardy champion. Her latest career milestone was hosting the Scripps National Spelling Bee at the end of May.

Kimes is having one of the more unexpected and genuinely delightful career pivots in sports media right now, and the story of how it came together runs directly through her time on Celebrity Jeopardy.

Enjoy the podcast.
https://podcasts.apple.com/ci/podcast/mina-kimes-on-hosting-the-spelling-bee-sports-emmy/id1579078258?i=1000769085761

Spotlight on the the 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee champion -- 14-year-old SHREY PARIKH from Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.

After three days of competition in May, the pool of nine finalists dropped to two: Parikh and 12-year-old Ishaan Gupta from Jersey City, N.J. After each had nailed their eighth respective word, officials carried a sleek silver podium — with a buzzer on top — onto the stage, prompting huge gasps from the crowd. It was time for a spell-off.

"I was not excited at all, because to be honest, regular spelling I feel like is a much better show of what spelling is meant to be," Parikh told reporters immediately after his win. "But I accepted the fact that there was going to be a spell-off, I calmed my mind, I got some water … and I just tried to take it all in stride and do the best I could."

It's only the third time a spell-off has decided the spelling bee since it was introduced in 2021.

Photo: Allison Robbert/AP

Read more about this year's fierce spelling bee competition.
https://www.npr.org/2026/05/29/nx-s1-5837572/scripps-national-spelling-bee-shrey-parikh-spell-off

Thank you to PanAPIDA Circle member Hyeseon Kim for organizing and presenting Sunday's APIDA HERITAGE MONTH CELEBRATION FOR KIDS at the Schlow Centre Region Library!

The children and their parents enjoyed the activites -- learning how to fold ORIGAMI MOON JARS, decorating a special LIBERTY BELL ornament -- as well as browsing through the display of 18+ APIDA children's books available from the library.

Also thanks to PanAPIDA Circle members Sharon Fong and Sandy Fong as well as the Schlow Centre Region Library staff and volunteer for their assistance in making the event informative and entertaining for the families.

Looking forward to next year's APIDA HERITAGE MONTH CELEBRATION FOR KIDS!