Alumni Insider

October 2008

Features

Olympian Selected Homecoming Grand Marshal

Olympic gold medal winner and former Nittany Lion track star Horace Ashenfelter III ’49, ’55g will serve as the 2008 Homecoming Grand Marshal, Oct. 17–19.
[FULL STORY]

Outstanding Penn Staters Designated Alumni Fellows

From a man who oversees the design of athletic footwear across the globe to a woman at NASA’s Mission Control who serves as flight director for astronauts orbiting the globe, Penn State’s 2008 Alumni Fellows have demonstrated outstanding professional accomplishments in their varied careers. Learn more about all 20 Alumni Fellows.
[FULL STORY]

Pep Rally Revs Up Fans at Syracuse

More than 1,000 blue-and-white clad fans overflowed out of the Penn State pep rally tent next to the Carrier Dome prior to the Nittany Lions’ first away game—a 55-13 crushing of the Syracuse Orange. Penn Staters were singing along with the Pep Band, enjoying the Lion's antics, cheering with the cheerleaders, and listening to some rallying words. Just a typical Penn State pep rally.
[FULL STORY]

Executive Director's Letter

Blue Band Embodies Penn State Pride

So there we were in an end zone corner of the Carrier Dome, maybe 45,000 spectators tops, but one-third of them Penn Staters. But from where we sat, it wasn’t the Nittany Lions stealing the show—it was the Penn State Pep Band!
[FULL STORY]

Alumni Association News

Penn State Passion Pays

Sporting a Nittany Lion tattoo? Blue-and-white flamingos in the front yard? Are the twins named Joe and Sue? Penn State pride could produce $500 in easy cash with “The MyExpression Search for Alumni Passion” contest sponsored by Bank of America. But don’t delay: the deadline for entries is Oct. 24.
[FULL STORY]

Penn State Alumni Career Services

Disillusioned? Downsized? Dismayed by employment prospects? Alumni Career Services can help. “We see a lot of alumni who’ve been downsized out of a company or are looking for a career change,” said Cheryl Bonner, director of Alumni Career Services. “And we have a full range of services to help alumni.”
[FULL STORY]

Travel Ties

Alumni Rick Schutz ’72 and his wife, Donna ’72, avoided traveling with tours before March 2007, preferring to plan their own trips instead. But their March 2007 trip to Australia and New Zealand with the Penn State Alumni Association changed all that. Not only did they like the ease of group travel, they also made lasting friendships.
[FULL STORY]

Spotlight on Groups

Northern New Jersey Chapter

It used to be that the only way to see Penn State football games was in person—no ESPN, no Big Ten Network, no routine coverage on ABC or NBC. So attending home and away games was the initial objective of the Northern New Jersey Chapter in 1966. While watching football remains popular with the group, the chapter’s other activities have expanded considerably during the past 42 years.
[FULL STORY]

The World Comes to Centre County

To anyone passing by the Hintz Family Alumni Center that night in August, it might have looked like a TV show called “American Idol Goes Global” was holding auditions. In reality, it was part of the fun when the Penn State Alumni Association and the Centre County Chapter welcomed international students to the Penn State University Park campus.
[FULL STORY]

History and Traditions

Marching Through History: The Penn State Blue Band

The drum major flips, splits, and salutes the crowd. The Blue Sapphire tosses her baton skyward, spins around, and catches it. The Blue Band marches downfield in the “Floating Lions” formation. They reverse and do it in the other direction. Learn about the origins of these and other Blue Band traditions during the group’s 109-year history.
[FULL STORY]

Calendar of Events

Alumni Association Events

10.03.2008 :: Parents & Families Weekend

10.04.2008 :: Purdue Away Game Pep Rally

10.11.2008 :: Wisconsin Away Game Pep Rally

10.17.2008 :: Homecoming Ice Cream Social

10.18.2008 :: Homecoming

10.18.2008 :: Alumni Association Homecoming Tent

10.18.2008 :: Young Alumni Homecoming Celebration

10.18.2008 :: Huddle with the Faculty

10.25.2008 :: Ohio State Away Game Pep Rally

Affiliate Group Events