Graduation is just around the corner for the class of 2013, and with it comes the annual Penn State Senior Sendoff, to be held from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 25, at the Hintz Family Alumni Center. This is a free event and all seniors are welcome to attend.
Hosted by the Lion Ambassadors and the Penn State Alumni Association, Senior Sendoff will feature free food from Rita’s Italian Ice, Chick-fil-A, Insomnia Cookies, and more. Entertainment will include a special performance by the local band, My Hero Zero, student performers, and appearances by the Nittany Lion and Men’s Basketball Coach Pat Chambers. Giveaways (including a football autographed by Bill O’Brien), a moon-bounce, and bell tower tours will also be featured.
Pre-registration is required to participate. To register, visit http://alumni-psu.cvent.com/events/penn-state-senior-sendoff-2013/event-summary-25a92f85665c480291b6abfbb9dd09d2.aspx.
The University-wide Senior Sendoff is hosted by the Penn State Lion Ambassadors—the student alumni corps of the Penn State Alumni Association. Their goal is to instill knowledge and pride in all members of the Penn State community by hosting events focused on different aspects of Penn State. Lion Ambassadors also play an active role in as campus tour guides in University admissions, and serve as an important outreach arm of the Alumni Association. For more information, visit alumni.psu.edu/ambassadors.
]]>This year’s honorees work for nationally recognized organizations such as The New York Times, the National Earthquake Information Center and a popular website called CareerBliss. Some started their own companies and one works on the National Security Staff at the White House. These bright, young alumni stars will receive the 2013 Alumni Achievement Award for reaching an extraordinary level of professional accomplishment by the age of 35 or younger.
Academic colleges or campuses nominate alumni who are then selected by a University-wide committee. President Rod Erickson invites them to return to campus for several days to share their expertise with students and the University community. The Alumni Achievement Award began in 2005 and since then has honored 96 outstanding alumni.
This year’s Alumni Achievement Award recipients, along with their year of graduation, current title, place of employment and city of residence are:
Erickson will present each Alumni Achievement Award recipient with a commemorative medal. The medal was commissioned by the Alumni Association and designed by internationally recognized artist Jeanne Stevens-Sollman, a 1972 graduate of Penn State’s master of fine arts program and a 2007 Alumni Fellow Award recipient.
Following is a synopsis of each awardee. Full biographical information about these and past award recipients are on the Alumni Association’s website at www.alumni.psu.edu/awards/AAA.
David W. Boyce ’01 is CEO of CMI Industry Americas, Inc., a leading supplier of steel-processing complexes for flat carbon steel production, as well as equipment for processing stainless steel and long products. Boyce joined CMI in 2008 as the vice president of engineering for CMI EPTI, LLC, a division of CMI Energy in Erie, Pa. CMI Energy provides heat recovery steam generators (HRSG) to gas turbine power plant customers around the world. In 2009, he relocated to CMI Energy’s corporate headquarters near Liege, Belgium, for 18 months as the executive vice president of engineering.
Matthew P. Brezina ’03 is the co-founder and CEO of Sincerely, a mobile startup whose apps allow users to send gifts to friends and family. By 2012, Sincerely had 16 employees and over $3 million in venture capital has been raised. Brezina’s first startup, Xobni, had more than seven million downloads, and Bill Gates called it “the next generation of social networking.” Brezina is a member of the Schreyer Honors College External Advisory Board; has spoken at the Penn State College of Information Science and Technology’s Start-up Week; and advises Innoblue, Penn State’s student entrepreneurship incubator.
Rebecca West Burns ’02, ’08g, ’12g is an assistant professor at the University of South Florida, where she teaches in the Childhood Education and Literacy Studies Department. Her research comprises teacher education, supervision, professional development, and teacher leadership, with a focus on hybrid educators. She completed an internship on improving teacher development programs at the Krause Center for Innovation at Foothill College in Los Altos Hills, Calif. Burns is a member of numerous professional societies and has earned a number of awards, including the Outstanding New Graduate award from the Penn State College of Education in 2002.
Shaun E. Clair ’06 is CEO of Clair Broadcast, where he oversees business lines to the broadcast market. Clair Broadcast rents equipment and provides technical consulting to the entertainment industry. Clair has helped diversify the company into new business lines beyond audio, including backline and wireless, communications, video, and IT systems. Clair is also project manager for Aermonix, a new sound technology delivered to concert-goers via a smart phone application. He serves on the board of directors of Music for Everyone, a non-profit organization that strengthens the role that music plays in the Lancaster, Pa., schools and community.
Susan E. Dickinson ’11g is the supervisor of the federal programs unit in the Office of Unemployment Compensation Benefits Policy, part of the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry. Her role requires her to stay in touch with the U.S. Department of Labor, as well as with other states, to work together in providing the best service to unemployment claimants who have held federal or military jobs. Dickinson was also the director of the Office of Unemployment Compensation Service Centers, where she oversaw eight state service center locations and more than 1,200 employees.
H. Jacob Hanchar ’02, a director of the family-owned River Hill Coal Company (RHCC) in Central Pennsylvania, is a recognized international consultant on coal markets in the United States, Europe, South America, Asia and the Middle East. He is revolutionizing an aging mining industry by incorporating green technology and has generated proof that coal-related pollution can be solved through natural biological methods. RHCC has solved environmental problems left from legacy operations and has helped reintroduce wildlife, such as elk and trout, into these reclaimed sites, winning national and state recognition.
Gavin P. Hayes ’07g is a geophysicist with the National Earthquake Information Center (NEIC), part of U.S. Geological Survey. The NEIC is responsible for the immediate, real-time analysis of large earthquakes worldwide; advancing methodologies for analyzing earthquakes; and relaying information to government agencies, emergency response groups, and the news media. Hayes is recognized in the seismology field for his profound impact on society by improving the understanding of earthquakes, and for developing and implementing tools for rapid, mission-critical response. As a Penn State student, he received the award of a research proposal funded by the ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company.
Matthew D. Miller ’01 is chief technology officer for CyberCoders, and co-founder and chief technology officer of its sister company, CareerBliss. Miller uses technology and company culture to transform the fields of executive recruiting and job search, resulting in thousands of people finding meaningful employment. His contributions to CyberCoders go far beyond the algorithms that have matched thousands of high-level professionals with competitive and technical positions in several industries. With CareerBliss, he works to uncover the influences affecting employee work happiness. Miller has returned to Penn State to share his knowledge and inspire students to pursue fulfilling work.
Laura M. Rosenberger ’02 is director for China and Korea on the National Security Staff at the White House. After a rapid rise within the U.S. Department of State, Rosenberger was chosen in 2012 to join the National Security Staff, where she provides analysis and recommendations to the President and senior national security officials regarding policy on China and the Korean Peninsula. Rosenberger is an active Penn State alumna who provides career counseling and mentoring to former and current students. She received the Outstanding Young Liberal Arts Alumni Award in 2010.
Leon G. Shahabian ’01 is the co-founder, vice president and treasurer of Layalina Productions, Inc., a 9/11 public diplomacy initiative to inform and influence millions of television viewers in the Middle East and North Africa. Shahabian is in post-production on the first season of Generation Entrepreneur, a youth entrepreneurship reality series, which he created, wrote, and is executive producing. He is also in post-production on the first season of American Caravan, a reality series featuring six young Americans traveling across the Arab world in the footsteps of the Arab Spring. Shahabian has also executive produced several documentaries.
Daniel H. Victor ’06 is staff editor for social media for The New York Times, coordinating social media strategy with the Metro and Sports desks, and contributing to other projects that imbue social practices into the news-gathering process. He runs the @nytimes Twitter account weekly and responds to newsroom social media needs. Victor served as social media editor for ProPublica, an investigative journalism website that was a recipient of the 2011 Pulitzer Prize in National Reporting. Victor is a board member of the College of Communications Alumni Society and has taken part in mentoring and job-hunting workshops for students.
]]>For the second consecutive year, the Penn State Alumni Association today (April 4) launched its "Three Questions for the Candidates" website—http://pennstatermag.com/bot2013—that includes responses from alumni trustee candidates to key issues facing the University. The initiative is aimed at helping alumni voters make informed voting decisions in the upcoming Penn State Board of Trustees election.
Thirty-six of the 39 candidates responded to three questions posed by the staff of the Alumni Association's Penn Stater magazine. The questions gave candidates the opportunity to address vital issues concerning Penn State's future. The questions are:
1. What should Penn State be looking for in its next president?
2. What changes or reforms should the Board of Trustees consider to help the University progress after the events of 2011 and 2012? Please explain why—or, if you don’t think reform is needed, please explain why not.
3. How do you define the role of an alumni trustee, and how would that inform the way you would approach your term on the board?
On the website, voters will find candidates' answers to the three questions, additional biographical information and links to the candidates' official position statements and their social media sites. The Three Questions site will remain available through the end of the trustee election, which runs from April 10 through 9 a.m. EDT May 2.
Additional details about the Board of Trustees and the upcoming election can be found on the Board of Trustees' website at http://www.psu.edu/trustees.
]]>Since the award was established in 1973, more than 700 alumni have been honored with the title of Alumni Fellow, designated a permanent and lifelong title by the Penn State Board of Trustees. This represents one-eighth of one percent of all 560,000 living Penn State alumni.
“The Alumni Fellow program showcases the significant contributions Penn Staters make to our nation and the world every day,” said Roger L. Williams, executive director of the Penn State Alumni Association. “At the same time, it provides these shining stars a chance to share their expertise with students, faculty and staff while on campus.”
This year’s Alumni Fellow recipients, along with their graduation year, current title, career affiliation and hometown, are:
Complete bios can be found at http://alumni.psu.edu/awards/individual/afa.
The Alumni Fellow program is administered by the Penn State Alumni Association in cooperation with the University’s academic colleges, campuses and the Office of the President. Alumni are nominated by a college or campus as leaders in their professional fields and accept an invitation from the President of the University to return to campus to share their expertise with students, faculty and administrators. Each Alumni Fellow will receive a commemorative award, designed and hand cast by Jeanne Stevens-Sollman ’72g, an acclaimed sculptor and medalist and an Alumni Fellow.
The Penn State Alumni Association is the largest dues-paying alumni association in the world with more than 169,000 members. Established in 1870, the Alumni Association strives to connect alumni to the University and to each other, provide valuable benefits to members and support the University’s mission of teaching, research and service. For more information on the Alumni Association, go to www.alumni.psu.edu.
]]>The Alumni Association increased membership from 165,182 to 169,209 members, a net growth of 4,027 members or 2.4 percent. “This represents our biggest membership increase since the 2003–04 academic year, when we saw a gain of more than 6,000 members,” said Williams.
Of the total membership, 102,928 are life members, up from 100,600 last fiscal year, and 11,878 are members of the Blue & White Society, the student contingent of the Alumni Association. Life members now compose 61 percent of total membership, while annual members account for 39 percent.
The number of “active, addressable” alumni (all alumni for whom some contact information is available) for the year ending June 30, 2012, is 560,658. While Penn Staters are scattered all over the globe, more than 40 percent of them live in five metropolitan areas: Philadelphia; Pittsburgh; Harrisburg, Pa.; New York City and Washington, D.C.
Established in 1870, the Penn State Alumni Association strives to connect alumni to the University and to each other, provide valuable benefits to members and support the University’s mission of teaching, research and service. More information about the Alumni Association and membership is available at www.alumni.psu.edu.
]]>Ten new members elected to serve on Alumni Council, along with their vote totals, are Karen E. Keller (6,676), Sharon B. Stringer (5,897), Martha “Liz” Bligan (5,343), Beverly Sobel-Redler (4,829), Jeff High (4,742), Roxanne (Hoffman) Shiels (4,435), Shawn M. Hinkle (4,426), Samuel Morris Bernstine (4,420), Wendy E. Braund (4,391), and Steven Wagman (4,241).
Three additional alumni were appointed by Alumni Association President Kathleen Arnold Smarilli to serve on Alumni Council, as required by the Alumni Association’s bylaws. The three appointees are Joelyn Beneigh Niggel, Andrew J. Santacroce and David W. Ulmer.
Alumni Council is an all-volunteer governing body that guides and directs policy for the Penn State Alumni Association. The council determines strategies and programs to be carried out by the Alumni Association staff and is also responsible for electing the Alumni Association president and vice president. The Alumni Council election is conducted entirely online. Alumni members of the Penn State Alumni Association are eligible to vote. Of the 132,432 eligible voters, 10,669 voted, for a voting percentage of 8.06 percent. The turnout this year exceeds last year’s participation of 6.63 percent. The election was administered and results were certified by Votenet Solutions, Inc., of Washington, D.C.
Following is a brief biography about each newly elected and appointed Alumni Council member:
Samuel M. Bernstine, New Castle, Pa.; A 1978 graduate of the College of Health and Human Development, Bernstine is a principal of Kepner-Tregoe, Inc. This is his second term on Alumni Council, having been appointed to a three-year term in 2009. He previously served as vice chair of the Membership Committee.
Martha “Liz” Bligan, Chesterbrook, Pa.; A 1981 graduate of the Eberly College of Science and a 1998 Interdisciplinary Fields graduate, Bligan is director of Human Resources for AGC Chemicals American Inc. This is her second elected term on Alumni Council. She previously served on the Membership Committee and Volunteer Support Committee.
Wendy E. Braund, Cheyenne, Wyo.; A 2001 graduate of the Penn State College of Medicine, Braund is a state health officer and senior administrator in the Public Health Division of the Wyoming Department of Health. This is her first elected term on Alumni Council. She previously served as the representative from the College of Medicine Alumni Society and was a member of the Legislative Education and Advocacy Committee.
Jeffrey L. High, Frederick, Md.; A 1991 and 1993 graduate of the College of Engineering, High is a senior engineering manager for Manitowoc, Inc. This is his second elected term on Alumni Council. He previously served as vice chair of the Volunteer Support Committee.
Shawn M. Hinkle, Reading, Pa.; A 2001 graduate of Penn State Berks, Hinkle is the demand planning manager for C.H. Briggs Company and is the president of the Berks County Chapter of the Alumni Association. This is his first elected term on Alumni Council.
Karen E. Keller, Wilmington, Del.; A 2000 graduate of the Eberly College of Science, Keller is a partner at Shaw Keller LLP. This is her first elected term on Alumni Council.
Joelyn Beneigh Niggel, Williston, Vt.; A 1974 graduate of the School of Nursing, Niggel is a nurse manager for Fletcher Allen Health Care. This is her first term on Alumni Council. She serves as president of the Alumni Association’s Vermont Chapter.
Andrew J. Santacroce, Horsham, Pa.; A 1988 graduate of the Eberly College of Science, Santacroce is an associate director for Verizon Wireless. He previously served one term as an elected member to Alumni Council, serving as a member of the Legislative Education and Advisory Committee.
Roxanne (Hoffman) Shiels, Julian, Pa.; A 1990 and 1993 graduate of the College of Agricultural Sciences, Shiels is associate director of strategy, planning, and faculty/student engagement in the Office of the Vice President for Outreach at Penn State. This is her first elected term on Alumni Council.
Beverly Sobel-Redler, Fairfax, Va.; A 1985 graduate of the College of the Liberal Arts, Sobel-Redler is writer/consultant for RedPrompt. This is her first elected term on Alumni Council. She previously served as the representative from the College of the Liberal Arts Alumni Society and served on the Budget & Finance Committee.
Sharon B. Stringer, State College, Pa.; A 1978 graduate of the College of Communications and a 1996 and 1999 graduate of the College of Agricultural Sciences, Stringer is an associate professor at Lock Haven University. This is her second elected term on Alumni Council. Previously, she served as chair of the Communications Committee and as a member of the Executive Board.
David W. Ulmer, Audubon, Pa.; A 2001 and 2008 graduate of the Smeal College of Business, Ulmer is manager of member support services for PJM Interconnection. This is his first term on Alumni Council.
Steven B. Wagman, Blue Bell, Pa.; A 1982 graduate of the College of Health and Human Development, Wagman is vice president of Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc. This is his first elected term on Alumni Council.
For more information about the Alumni Association or its Alumni Council governing board, visit www.alumni.psu.edu/council.
]]>"These last seven months have been difficult for Penn Staters everywhere," said Penn State University Senior Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations Rodney Kirsch. "We've heard from thousands of alumni, and we felt it was important to proactively reach out in a measured way that ensures we understand what our alumni think and then communicate those results openly to the entire Penn State community."
Every three years, the Alumni Association conducts a national survey of alumni attitudes toward Penn State, membership, and current events. Last conducted in 2009, the alumni opinion survey was designed to benchmark historical trends in attitudes and behaviors among alumni.
"This survey helps to quantify the connection our alumni feel toward and about the Alumni Association and Penn State," said Kirsch.
Some of the findings include:
To access the full survey results, go to www.alumni.psu.edu/researchandreports.
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StrategyOne was commissioned by the Penn State Alumni Association to conduct a survey of alumni. The survey was conducted May 8-20, 2012, using a mixed-mode data gathering. The Alumni Association provided a sample of 10,000 records, selected at random from among all alumni for whom a telephone number and/or e-mail address was available. A total of 1,282 respondents completed the survey, with 779 completing it online and 503 on the phone. The margin of error is plus or minus 2.56% in 95 out of 100 cases.
The Penn State Alumni Association is the largest dues-paying alumni association in the world with more than 165,000 members. Established in 1870, the Alumni Association's mission is to connect alumni to the University and to each other, provide valued services to members, and to support Penn State's mission of teaching, research and service. For more information, visit our website at www.alumni.psu.edu.
StrategyOne is an insights-driven strategic consulting firm owned by Daniel J. Edelman, the world's largest independent PR company. StrategyOne provides evidence-based stakeholder insights, analysis and media measurement to corporate, organizational and governmental clients globally. The firm specializes in reputation, branding and communications research. Headquartered in Washington, DC, StrategyOne also has U.S. offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, New York, Rochester (NY), San Francisco, Seattle and San Mateo. International StrategyOne offices are located in Abu Dhabi, Brussels, Dubai, London and Paris. Visit www.strategyone.com for more information.
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