Parle honored with Alumni Achievement Award

College of Education alumna Christina Parle is among those recognized this year by the Penn State Alumni Association with the Alumni Achievement Award. The award recognizes alumni 35 years of age and younger for their extraordinary professional accomplishments. These prominent young alumni demonstrate to students that Penn State alumni succeed in exceptional fashion at an early age.

Parle, who graduated in 2016 with a master’s degree in higher education, is co-founder, team lead, educator and consultant at Social Responsibility Speaks, an organization that seeks to create a culture of belonging and mattering through a focus on equity, inclusion and justice.

“Christina Parle already has proven her capacity to be a catalyst for change in the equity/inclusion/ diversity arena. In addition to her paid professional positions, she volunteers as director of equity and inclusion for the Association for Student Conduct Administration Board of Directors,” said Dean Kimberly A. Lawless. “As a dynamic speaker, National Coalition Building Institute facilitator, and student affairs professional and leader, Christina is poised to share her breadth of knowledge and expertise with College of Education faculty and student groups, as well as Penn State Student Affairs staff. She will be a phenomenal resource and partner in helping the college achieve its strategic plan goals — especially those that relate to equity, inclusion and diversity.”

Parle previously served as director of chapter services and conduct for Zeta Beta Tau Fraternity Inc. (ZBT), the world’s first and largest Jewish fraternity, from February 2019 to March 2022. Prior to her work at ZBT, she was the assistant director of student conduct and community standards at the University of Kansas (KU) where she served as the student housing liaison and then transitioned to a focus on student organization misconduct. Before KU, she was a fraternity and sorority adviser at Western Carolina University, where she advised the Panhellenic, Interfraternity and National Pan-Hellenic Councils.

In 2019, Parle was named to Sigma Kappa’s inaugural class of 35 under-35 honorees for facing the world with bravery, strength, intelligence, compassion and understanding. In 2020, she received the Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisers Gayle Webb New Professional Award, which recognizes outstanding contributions to the field of fraternity/sorority advising.

Parle is president-elect of the Association for Student Conduct Administration, a national organization dedicated to upholding the integrity of the student conduct process, resulting in the ability to build safer educational communities and positively impact the higher education experience.

In 2021, Parle delivered the keynote talk, “Empowerment & Authenticity: It Starts with Uncomfortability,” for the College of Education GOLD Women’s Leadership webinar series.

In addition to her graduate degree from Penn State, Parle holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and political science from the University of Central Missouri.

Photos: Annemarie Mountz

While Alumni Achievement Awardwinner Christina Parle was on campus to receive her award, she spent time with students, faculty and staff in the College of Education, above, and gave an interactive presentation on leadership.