Thomas says he chose to attend Penn State because of its meteorology program; growing up, he was always interested in the weather and how it affects daily life. It wasn’t until college, though, that he realized he wanted to pursue a track in the College of Liberal Arts with a plan of becoming a teacher after finishing his undergraduate education. His first job at a local TV station introduced him to marketing and advertising, and it was then that he found his passion. He credits his strengths for technology and efficiency, and passion for learning, in helping him learn about the world of marketing quickly. Today, Thomas’s goal is to guide consumers down a path of purchase – he aims to have brand recognition continue to the point of purchase by looking at the way consumers interact with products. 

Of the six Penn State values, Thomas’s favorite is Community. He tries to stay involved with his local community as much as possible, and has even organized events at work to give back to the community. In terms of his Penn State community, Thomas is a LionLink mentor, giving advice to current students looking to enter the marketing field. The first word Thomas thinks of in reference to Penn State is prestige; he raved that Penn State is a great institution with a great reputation, and he is confident when meeting a fellow Penn Stater that they received the best education possible.  

Thomas says he owes everything to Penn State; “A lot of who I am today was cultivated by experiences at Penn State.” He credits his advisor Emily for helping him throughout his undergraduate degree. He says he reached out to her several times a semester to talk about careers and guiding through tough decisions. He felt comfortable enough with her to reach out to her even after graduation, and says he owes a lot of thanks and gratitude to her. In a more personal than academic aspect, Tom says his favorite place on campus is the Lion Shrine, as he had a lot of memorable experiences there, including meeting his wife! One of his favorite college memories is running into Joe and Sue Paterno on the Pattee Mall near the end of the semester.  

The greatest thing Thomas learned from his time at Penn State is patience and learning to “roll with the punches.” He loved everything about his Penn State experience and learned many different life skills. He sometimes thinks about what might have happened if he pursued meteorology, but he knows that no matter what would have happened, his Penn State experience played a big part in landing him where he is today. When Thomas thinks back to the first day of his freshman year of college, he remembers being excited and scared, and unsure of where his journey would take him; it’s as if he was shapeless in the hands of fate. His biggest advice to college students: be patient and enjoy the experience. He urges to not get overwhelmed by the experience or expectations; bur rather enjoy your time in Happy Valley. Tom also advises to not get hung up on living the life you thought you would live, and to be open to things you didn’t think about before. He says, “you need to be patient and be open to more things; everything happens for a reason.” 

QUOTE: “Everything happens for a reason” 

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Angelo Fields graduated from Penn State with an undergraduate general science degree in 2000 and an MBA in 2013. During his undergraduate career, Angelo was involved with the Penn State Lion Ambassadors and was an avid fan of Penn State athletics. In his current role, Angelo is a Marketing Manager for Nestle USA, specifically on the frozen snacking team.
Angelo came to Penn State with fresh eyes and he immediately understood the passion others more closely connected with the University had exhibited throughout his high school years. He says he fell in love with the school and it delivered over his expectations each time he was a student. His first degree was a general science degree, and it took completing a co-op rotation for him to realize the career path he wanted to pursue. His first job was working at Anheuser-Busch as a quality assurance group manager, where he learned of marketing when hosting food-pairing events. He decided to pursue his MBA, which helped him land his current role at Nestle.
During his undergraduate career, Angelo was involved with the Penn State Lion Ambassadors. He says he didn’t find his niche at Penn State until joining L’Ambs, and everything he owes to his college experience stems from Lion Ambassadors. Lion Ambassadors made his college experience multi-dimensional and showed him everything Penn State offered. To this day, Angelo says his favorite place on campus is the Hintz Family Alumni Center due to the connection with Lion Ambassadors. Returning to University Park for graduate school conjured all of the fond undergrad memories for Angelo and gave him a sense that while he may have further developed personally and professionally, Penn State had largely remained the same great place.
Angelo continues to remain active in the Penn State community. He’s consistently been a graduate school guest lecturer for Dr. Ralph Oliva’s Brand Management and Integrated Marketing Communications classes and in the most recent spring semester, he generated a Lean Cuisine case study for Jennifer Coupland’s Penn State Prime: Branding and Advertising Practicum undergrad capstone class. In addition, he serves as a mentor for multiple undergrad and graduate business school students.
Professionally, Angelo says Penn State provided him all the tools to be successful. He says he feels prepared, worthy, and confident in his abilities. Personally, Penn State has provided Angelo with so much more, as the majority of his friends today are friends from Penn State. He says he can’t count the number of Penn State friends’ weddings he’s been to, and he knows his friends from school are people he can call or text at a moment’s notice.
As far as what he’s learned from Penn State, Angelo said it’s that you get out what you put in. He says that every individual has to make Penn State work for them and that the university works hardest for people who make it work for them. He strongly feels his favorite line of the Alma Mater is “Thou didst mold us, dear Old State.” When someone mentions Penn State, Angelo first thinks of community and connection, and how the “We Are” chant is such an instantaneous connection to anyone who bleeds blue and white.
If Angelo could give advice to college students today, it would be to strive for work-life balance as much as you are able by having outside interests and passions. That said, early on he admittedly wasn’t as intentional about his career path as he could have been. Looking back, he advises to look for opportunities that make you uncomfortable and try to run toward them. “Take a little bit of controlled risk; if things are good because maybe you’re too comfortable, look for development that might make you a little uneasy.”

~ Rachel Betz

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Jenna Spinelle is a 2008 Penn State graduate, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism. She was very involved during her time as a student, acting as a member of Homecoming and the Pre-Law Society, a reporter for the Daily Collegian, and a Schreyer Honors College scholar. Jenna still resides in State College, now working for the University she learned from.
Jenna’s day job is working at the McCourtney Institute of Democracy, housed within the College of Liberal Arts at Penn State. There she creates a podcast about how democracy works and the different aspects of what it means to live in a democracy, including voting, elections, and how people receive media and information. In addition to working at the McCourtney Institute, Jenna writes for Penn State News and teaches within the Bellisario College of Communications. She is also a freelance writer, and her classes involve teach students how to work their brand. Outside of work, Jenna is involved with her community in several ways. Living in State College, she is active within the Penn State community, but also the surrounding areas. She plays in the Bellefonte Community Band, volunteers for WPSU, and helps her husband with work for the State Theatre.
Jenna says her connections with her professors helped her land her teaching job within the Bellisario College of Communications, and she can work with professors that once taught her in a new peer-to-peer relationship. She says that being a Penn State alumnus is like having a ticket in the professional world; you will have an instant bond and conversation starter with other Penn Staters you encounter.
She stresses to her students to be curious, ask good questions, and learn to think on their feet. If she could thank Penn State, for one thing, it would be the opportunity to be entrepreneurial and independent. She says that experiences at Penn State are beneficial to students in terms of learning how to do things on your own. While Jenna does not have a favorite line of the Alma Mater, her favorite place on campus is the library. Her parting advice to Penn State students is that you have more time than you think you do and you can do more than; you can imagine “your mind and motivation stands in your way.”

~ Rachel Betz

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Michelle McDyre, a 2013 graduate of the College of Liberal Arts, currently works with a child advocacy center in Montgomery County. As a Penn State student, Michelle worked at LionLine and was a member of the criminal justice club, working on their speaker series. Today, Michelle lives in Phoenixville, PA, and enjoys trying new Pinterest recipes, tending to her (way too many) indoor plants, and spending time with friends and family.
Michelle graduated from Penn State with a Bachelor of Science in Crime, Law, and Justice with a concentration in Legal Studies and a minor in Sociology. Michelle was inspired to pursue a criminal justice degree because of her family; her father is a retired chief of police and she grew up in a law enforcement family. She has been passionate about social justice issues since she was a child, as she was always trying to take a cause and make it better. Her passions shifted from animal abuse to child abuse, but she is still able to see her childhood dreams come full circle.
Michelle currently works for Mission Kids Child Advocacy Center. Her job ties together her passions for public speaking, fundraising, and non-profit organizations into one. In her role, she can directly impact her community by creating child abuse prevention training. In the training, she teaches small children about body language, secrets versus surprises, and safe adults to talk to. She also teaches adult focus prevention training, showing adults how to recognize signs of child abuse. Her county is the third-largest in PA, and her goal is to educate at least 5% of the population.
Michelle credits Penn State for teaching her who she is as a person, and her favorite line of the Alma Mater is “may no act of ours bring shame”. She says that her college years were very formative years of her life, and learning how to network was crucial for her landing her job today. Her Penn State degree has helped her move up the corporate ladder and meet people she shares something in common with Penn State. Michelle made many close friends at Penn State and still talks to them today. If Michelle could thank Penn State, for one thing, it would be for making her the adult she is today. She also encourages current students to think of the life they want after college, and how important it is to make an impact on your community.
If you are interested in what Mission Kids Child Advocacy Center does, visit missionkidscac.org

~ Rachel Betz

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PJ Mullen graduated from Penn State in 2007 with a degree in Telecommunications. During his time at Penn State as a student, PJ was involved with the PSU Comm Radio program, as well as helping broadcast THON. Today, PJ is still in Happy Valley, working for Penn State Athletics as the Director of Marketing. 

PJ describes his role as a “dream job”, being able to come back to State College after graduating and working on the fan experience. He takes pride in being able to put on a fantastic experience for all Penn State fans, whether it be in Beaver Stadium or the BJC, acting as if it is someone’s first or last time in that arena. Additionally, as Director of Marketing, PJ oversees Nittanyville and Legion of Blue, as well as work with many different clubs and organizations, such as Homecoming and THON, to help produce their perspective sporting events.   

While PJ’s full-time job is working for Penn State Athletics, he also works part-time at the university, teaching in the Bellisario College of Communications as an adjunct professor. Through teaching, PJ can see life come full circle, as the people who taught him are now his colleagues when he teaches. PJ also dedicates part of his week to volunteer with different organizations in the Penn State and State College area, including UPUA, Movin’ On, LifeLink, SAB, the Special Olympics 5k, and the Polar Bear Plunge with YMCA. 

PJ says the greatest way he’s kept Penn State in his life after graduation is by utilizing connections made within Penn State. He credits the Alumni Association and “connecting the dots” for allowing him to return to State College and Penn State. He also says networking is the greatest thing he has learned from Penn State. Penn State taught PJ to have a true passion for something outside of friends and family and to enjoy everything life throws his way.  

PJ’s favorite flavor of Creamery ice cream is WPSU Coffee Break, and his favorite line of the Alma Mater is “thou didst mold us, Dear Old State.” If PJ could give one piece of advice to college students today, it would be to take calculated risks and go after everything. He also stressed to make an impact, make something happen, and enjoy the rollercoaster ride of life.

-Rachel Betz

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Meaghan DeMallie is a 2015 graduate of the Smeal College of Business with a degree in Marketing. During her time at Penn State, Meaghan was involved in THON and her sorority, Pi Phi. Today, Meaghan works in brand management full-time while also attending graduate school at the University of Chicago.

It wasn’t until she joined the executive board of the Panhellenic Council that Meaghan found her place at Penn State. She served as a Vice President of the council and moved into the President role for her junior/senior year. Meaghan says the biggest take-aways from her time as President were learning to challenge the status quo, as well as challenging other student leaders to do what is right.

Meaghan took what she gained from Penn State and applied it to her personal and professional life. She assists several non-profit organizations as a pro bono consultant, providing her skillset to the organizations that need help. Meaghan was inspired to help non-profits from her time in the Panhellenic Council. Serving as President, she saw a large group of people come together to help their community and make a big impact. Penn State shaped Meaghan’s professional career by teaching her to stand up when things are not right and to be comfortable with contradictory opinions. She says that having this mindset has helped her early on in her career.

Meaghan chose Penn State because she “just knew” Penn State was the right fit for her. She says that having a degree from Penn State has given her an edge in the professional world, and connected her with some of her closest friends at work. Meaghan keeps her Penn State connection through mentoring students in Smeal, and through her siblings, who are both currently Penn State students.

Meaghan says if she could thank Penn State, for one thing, it would be for teaching her to use her voice. She also learned from her college career how important it is to be passionate about what you are doing. She credits Penn State for the things she learned in the classroom, but also what she learned outside her marketing classes, leadership skills, and tools that she uses in her job today.

Penn State shaped Meaghan DeMallie into the person she is today, and for that reason, her favorite line of the Alma Mater is “thou didst mold us, Dear Old State.” The HUB holds some of Meaghan’s best memories, as walking through the HUB late at night showed her countless students all working to better themselves and each other. If Meaghan could give one piece of advice to college students, it would be to make time and space for learning outside the classroom; “more often than not, this is where you find yourself.”

-Rachel Betz

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What was your design process in creating the logo?  

Starting with research into past homecoming logos, I noticed the frequent use of iconic Penn State imagery (Lion Shrine, Old Main, etc) meshed within imagery that best represents the annual theme. To keep the concept of the annual logos cohesive, I followed this idea while making sure to keep the theme imagery and illustration style fresh and eye-catching. 

How do you think the logo embodies this year’s theme “Envisioning Nittany Horizons”?  

This logo is a metaphorical connection between Penn State imagery and the chosen theme, “Envisioning Nittany Horizons”. The logo connects these two topics by combining Old Main with a lighthouse. A lighthouse allows us to quite literally envision a horizon while keeping us safe in our journey forward, wherever that may be. Combining this with the iconic imagery of Old Main with a sleek illustration styling evokes the feeling that Penn State is the one guiding us forward into the future. 

What’s your favorite aspect of the logo?  

Probably the fact that it actually worked out! I was pretty skeptical through most of my illustration process but I gotta say that I’m extremely happy with the final product. 

What does Penn State Homecoming mean to you, especially as a merch captain this year?  

Penn State Homecoming has a bit of history in my family (s/o my sister Dena Feinberg, parade director 2013), so I knew that this year being my last chance to get involved meant I should just shoot for a position and see where my cards land. Once I got the merch position, I would have been extremely happy with that alone, but knowing I’m going to be designing some of the merch with my own logo is pretty sweet to think about on top of it all! 

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Wednesday April 22^nd, 2020 – Alumni Day 

All Day – Alumni Court Applications open! 

10:00 AM – Alumni Video Contest Open, take a video of you and your family showcasing your Penn State pride, and why you love Penn State! Enter to win by posting it with the hashtag #LeaveYourPSULegacy! The winning video will receive a prize! Deadline to submit your video is Wednesday, April 22nd at 11:59pm! 

12:00 PM – This or That, Penn State edition! 

03:00 PM – Alumni Merchandise 

Thursday April 23^rd, 2020 – Seniors, Leave Your Legacy! 

All Day – LeaveYourPSULegacy, post a video sharing your favorite Penn State Memory, tag 3 friends, and use the #LeaveYourPSULegacy 

12:00 PM – Penn State Homecoming Bingo 

6:00 PM – Speaker Roundtable (more information coming soon!) 

Friday April 24^th, 2020 – Logo Reveal Day! 

12:00 PM – Penn State Talent Show Video

01:00 PM – “PSU, We Love You” Video 

02:00 PM – Alumni Video Contest Winner Revealed! 

03:00 PM – Logo Reveal! 

03:30 PM – 2020 Logo Merchandise 

4:15 PM – Power Remix, join us for a Penn State themed virtual Power Remix on the @pennstatecrec Instagram story to celebrate the release of the 2020 Homecoming Logo!  

Online Legacy will be available on all Penn State Homecoming Social Medias! #LeaveYourPSULegacy 

Facebook: Penn State Homecoming 

Instagram: psuhomecoming 

Twitter: PSUHOMECOMING 

YouTube: Penn State Homecoming

~Hady Truesdail 

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The Blog:  

If you are reading this, you are in the right place! Of course, there is the blog. With biweekly posts, you will never miss a (Blue Band) beat of what’s going on. We will always keep you up to date with the latest events and give you all the information on how to get involved in Penn State Homecoming!  

Twitter:  

Our social media team is always creating new and fun content for our Twitter account. They make sure to keep you up to date on all the exciting events that Homecoming 2020 has to offer! If you want to make sure you are in the know, you can follow us at @PSUHOMECOMING.  

Instagram:  

Missing some of your favorite Homecoming directors, captains, and committee members. Click on over to our Instagram to catch up on all the latest work Homecoming 2020 is doing and see all your favorite people. Follow us @psuhomecoming to see more fun pictures of Homecoming throughout the years celebrating For The Glory! 

Facebook/LinkedIn:  

Want to share with your family all the great work Penn State Homecoming is doing? Looking to get those 500+ connections on LinkedIn? Connect with us @PennStateHomecoming to share all the latest and greatest going on with Homecoming 2020! 

– Hady Truesdail  

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