Logo

    The People of Penn State

    On each episode of The People of Penn State podcast you can expect to hear the voices of Penn Staters talking about what they are passionate about, and you can expect to feel the pride and the power of the Penn State network.
    en-us69 Episodes

    People also ask

    What is the main theme of the podcast?
    Who are some of the popular guests the podcast?
    Were there any controversial topics discussed in the podcast?
    Were any current trending topics addressed in the podcast?
    What popular books were mentioned in the podcast?

    Episodes (69)

    Episode 56 — Jasmine Forsberg: Artist and Songwriter

    Episode 56 — Jasmine Forsberg: Artist and Songwriter

    Jasmine Forsberg '21 is an emerging star of Broadway...and she's a Penn Stater!

    Forsberg is currently performing in the hit Broadway musical "Six" after touring the country for over a year in the First National Tour. Last summer, Jasmine made her Broadway debut in the all-Filipino cast of "Here Lies Love."

    In addition to her successes on stage, Jasmine starred in the 2021 Hallmark movie "One December Night," which featured her singing her own original music.

    A talented songwriter, Jasmine's music is also featured in "Results Will Vary," a 45-minute musical sketch comedy show that prepares incoming students for life at Penn State and is performed during each New Student Orientation program at Penn State University Park.

    Connect with Jasmine on her website or Instagram
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Timestamps for our conversation with Jasmine: 

    0:00 — Intro

    2:00 — Becoming a Penn Stater

    7:00 — Developing a passion for stage acting 

    9:50 — Jasmine's career journey 

    14:15 — Being a part of the first all-Filipino cast on Broadway

    18:45 — Playing Jane Seymour in "Six"

    27:45 — Starring in a Hallmark movie 

    32:00 — How Jasmine has left a legacy at Penn State

    36:30 — Lessons learned in the Penn State Musical Theatre program

    39:15 — Lightning Round Q&A

    44:15 — Outro  

    Episode 55 — Photojournalist Pat Little

    Episode 55 — Photojournalist Pat Little

    From early days with the Daily Collegian to time spent with the Centre Daily Times and the Associated Press, photographer Pat Little '77 has chronicled life at Penn State for fifty years.

    Some of Pat's most famous photos include a lion cub...sitting atop the famous Nittany Lion shrine, President Bill Clinton eating Berkey Creamery ice cream, and the return of the team busses to State College after Penn State football's 1983 Sugar Bowl victory over Georgia.

    He takes us through the stories behind these iconic photos and more on this episode of The People of Penn State Podcast.

    You can see Pat's tremendous work on his Facebook page.  Also be sure to check out the Penn Stater magazine's feature on Pat from the March/2024 issue.

    Timestamps for our conversation with Pat:

    0:00 — Intro

    1:07 — Growing up in State College and becoming a Penn Stater

    3:05 — Joining the Daily Collegian

    7:55 — Pat's book "Penn State Then and Now," which chronicles Penn State's history in images

    18:27 — The story behind Pat's photo of a lion cub sitting on top of the Nittany Lion Shrine

    20:04 — Capturing a famous photo of Bill Clinton at Berkey Creamery

    25:10 — Meeting Neil Armstrong

    28:37 — Joe Paterno stories

    32:45 — Pat's journey as an artist

    38:05 — Being featured in the Penn Stater magazine

    43:00 — Lightning Round Q&A

    45:03 — Outro
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Learn more about the Penn State Alumni Association: alumni.psu.edu.
    Follow the Penn State Alumni Association on:
    Facebook
    X (Twitter)
    Instagram
    LinkedIn

    The People of Penn State
    en-usFebruary 29, 2024

    Episode 54 — Journalist and Author Erin Strout

    Episode 54 — Journalist and Author Erin Strout

    Alumni Association Paul Clifford '20g is joined by journalist Erin Strout '97 for an engaging conversation on her career — including covering health, fitness, and Olympic sports — mental health awareness for female athletes, the state of media coverage on higher education, and more.

    Erin's work has appeared in the Washington Post, ESPN-W, Self, Women's Health, Outside, Runner’s World, and more.

    Her upcoming book, "The Price She Pays: The Hidden Mental Health Crisis in Women's Sports — From the Schoolyard to the Stadium,"  co-authored with Tiffany Brown, Ph.D., and Katie Steele, LMFT, will be published in June 2024.

    Watch the video version of this podcast on our YouTube page.

    Connect with Erin on her website, Instagram, X, and LinkedIn.

    Timestamps for our conversation with Erin: 

    0:00 — Intro

    2:20 — Becoming a Penn Stater

    4:17 — Ad Read (The Football Letter)

    5:27 — Erin's career path

    11:35 — Media coverage of higher education

    18:05 — Experiences covering the Olympics and Olympic athletes

    21:20 — Mental health awareness for female athletes

    35:41 — Contributing as a writer for the Penn Stater  magazine

    38:07 — Lightning Round Q&A

    42:07 — Outro
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Learn more about the Penn State Alumni Association: alumni.psu.edu.
    Follow the Penn State Alumni Association on:
    Facebook
    X (Twitter)
    Instagram
    LinkedIn

    Episode 53 — Anessa Fike: CEO and Founder, Fike+Co

    Episode 53 — Anessa Fike: CEO and Founder, Fike+Co

    Anessa Fike, otherwise known as the "Queen of Fractional HR," is the CEO and Founder of Fike+Co, a multi-million-dollar consulting firm that specializes in interim or fractional people, human resources, and talent executive leadership with companies that are experiencing growth, scale, transition, or transformation.

    A 2007 Penn State graduate, Anessa has led more than a dozen startups and organizations as Chief People Officer and has worked with more than 110 organizations globally including NPR, Niche, and Uber.

    Her work has led her to become an industry leader on all things people and talent, and she has also won multiple human resources awards, including Most Inclusive HR Influencer.

    Watch the video version of this podcast on our YouTube page.

    Connect with Anessa on LinkedIn and Instagram! Be on the lookout for her upcoming book, "The Revolution of Work."

    Timestamps for our conversation with Anessa: 

    0:00 — Intro

    2:14 — Becoming a Penn Stater

    5:50 — Anessa's career journey in human resources

    10:57 — What it means to be a human resources influencer

    14:35 — Working with NASA

    16:14 — A people first mindset in the workplace

    21:15 — Her upcoming book "The Revolution of Work"

    28:35 — AD Read (LionPerks)

    30:05 — Lightning Round Q&A

    32:45 — Outro
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Learn more about the Penn State Alumni Association: alumni.psu.edu.
    Follow the Penn State Alumni Association on:
    Facebook
    X (Twitter)
    Instagram
    LinkedIn



    Episode 52 — Lisa Lambert: Chief Investment Officer, George Kaiser Family Foundation

    Episode 52 — Lisa Lambert: Chief Investment Officer, George Kaiser Family Foundation

    We have a Lady Lions basketball legend on today's episode of The People of Penn State, as we're joined by Lisa Lambert '89!

    Lisa's successes as a student at Penn State — and as a team captain for the Lady Lions in the late 1980s — have helped propel her to become one of the most successful venture capitalists in the country.

    Professionally, Lisa is the Chief Investment Officer, Private Markets for the George Kaiser Family Foundation, and the Founder/CEO of UPWARD, a global network of executive women. In a career spent investing in innovative startups at Intel, founding and leading National Grid’s innovation and investment operations, and founding a UPWARd to help advance women and minorities to top corporate leadership positions, Lisa has always been most in her element when disrupting the tech world’s status quo.

    Watch the video version of this podcast on YouTube.

    Timestamps for our conversation with Lisa:
    0:00 — Intro

    1:50 — Choosing Penn State

    2:50 — Memories of being a student-athlete

    4:30 — Initial career goals

    6:15 — The mission of UPWARD

    11:55 — Experiences playing for the Lady Lions

    14:40 — Striving for equality and diversity in leadership positions

    18:29 — Being teammates with fellow Lady Lions legend, Susan Robinson

    24:55 — Lightning Round Q&A

    33:19 — Outro
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Learn more about the Penn State Alumni Association: alumni.psu.edu.
    Follow the Penn State Alumni Association on:
    Facebook
    X (Twitter)
    Instagram
    LinkedIn

    Episode 51 — Sam Coffey: Pro Soccer Player for the Portland Thorns and the U.S. Women's National Team

    Episode 51 — Sam Coffey: Pro Soccer Player for the Portland Thorns and the U.S. Women's National Team

    Today on The People of Penn State, we chat with professional soccer player Sam Coffey! Sam is a midfielder for the Portland Thorns of the National Women's Soccer League and the United States Women's National Team.

    Sam is a two-time NWSL Best XI honoree and recently scored her first goal for the United States in a friendly against China.

    She takes us through her time in Happy Valley, competing with and against some of her childhood heroes in the NWSL, a love for writing, and the day to day life of pro soccer player. Sam also dives into her debut USWNT goal, staying positive after not making the World Cup roster, focusing on the mental health aspects of being an athlete, and the drive to continuously improve.

    Follow Sam on Instagram: @sscofff.

    Alumni Association members can read Sam's column from the Sept/Oct edition of the Penn Stater magazine online.
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Learn more about the Penn State Alumni Association: alumni.psu.edu.
    Follow the Penn State Alumni Association on:
    Facebook
    X (Twitter)
    Instagram
    LinkedIn

    Episode 50 — Antonella Crescimbeni: Video Shooter/Editor for the New York Rangers

    Episode 50 — Antonella Crescimbeni: Video Shooter/Editor for the New York Rangers

    Every day's commute to work is a "pinch me moment" for alumna Antonella Crescimbeni '17.

    Her office is the "World's Most Famous Arena," Madison Square Garden, home of the NBA's New York Knicks and NHL's New York Rangers, the latter of which Antonella works for as a Video Shooter/Editor.  With the Rangers, she is responsible for all aspects of the creative process including videography, photography, editing, and producing social videos, long-form features, event presentation, and marketing platforms.

    On our 50th episode of The People of Penn State Podcast, Antonella joined the program to discuss her role with the Rangers, what it's like working at MSG (she's a lifelong Knicks fan), and how she honed her photography skills with The Daily Collegian, The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and VOX Media.

    During her time at Penn State, Antonella had the opportunity to cover events such as the Republican and Democratic National Conventions in 2016, Inauguration, the Big Ten Championship game, Rose Bowl Game, the 2016 Paralympics in Rio, and more.  She was also awarded the prestigious Bunton-Waller Fellowship full-tuition scholarship.

    Antonella graduated in 2017 with degrees in journalism from the Bellisario College of Communications and fine art photography from the College of Arts & Architecture.

    You can follow Antonella's work by visiting her website antonellacphotography.com, or by connecting with her on Instagram, X, and LinkedIn.

    Watch the video version of this podcast on our YouTube page.
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Learn more about the Penn State Alumni Association: alumni.psu.edu.
    Follow the Penn State Alumni Association on:
    Facebook
    X (Twitter)
    Instagram
    LinkedIn

    The Football Letter Podcast: Peach Bowl Special

    The Football Letter Podcast: Peach Bowl Special

    We're feeling peachy! With Penn State Football heading to Atlanta to take on Ole Miss in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, we're bringing you a special postseason episode of The Football Letter Podcast!

    On the program, we're joined by 83rd President of the Penn State Alumni Association Anand Ganjam, Penn State Athletics Chief of Staff and former men's basketball captain Nick Colella, and Penn State Football letterman Garrett Taylor. 

    First (0:55), we spoke to Anand about: 

    • Connecting with alumni in Atlanta. 
    • The importance of our volunteer service projects at bowl games. 
    • The impact and value of the Penn State Alumni Association. 
    • His first six months as president. 
    • Looking ahead to 2024. 

    Next (20:33), we were joined by Nick to discuss:

    • His role as Chief of Staff.
    • Working with James Franklin and other Penn State coaches. 
    • The buzz that alumni and fans bring on the road.
    • His love for Penn State and wanting to stay connected to the University even after his playing days were over. 

    Then (32:44), Garrett stopped by to talk about: 

    • Choosing Penn State as a recruit. 
    • Working is way into a starting role and being voted a team captain. 
    • Memories of the 2019 Cotton Bowl. 
    • Being honored with the team's Ridge Riley Award, which recognizes the student-athlete who best demonstrates sportsmanship, leadership and friendship.
    • Spending time with our Florida Gulf Coast Chapter.

    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Learn more about the Penn State Alumni Association: alumni.psu.edu.
    Follow the Penn State Alumni Association on:
    Facebook
    X (Twitter)
    Instagram
    LinkedIn


    The People of Penn State
    en-usDecember 18, 2023

    Episode 49 —Brian Kappel: Creative Thinker, Design Director and Professional Tinkerer

    Episode 49 —Brian Kappel: Creative Thinker, Design Director and Professional Tinkerer

    Since his time growing up in the Finger Lakes in New York, alumnus Brian Kappel (1998 - Visual Arts) has long had a passion for Penn State. This second generation Nittany Lion took a very different path which provided a one of a kind experience in Happy Valley and paved the way for a successful career in art and design.

    The now Portland-based designer and visual artist has completed work for the College Football Playoff, Nike, Jordan Brand, and a mural for the Paterno Library Starbucks. He also now owns his own design company, "Space Monkey Designs."

    In our conversation with Brian we talked about his strong family ties to Penn State, many involvements as a student, a love sports, working with Nike and the Jordan Brand, creative inspiration, and his artistic creation for the Paterno Library Starbucks.

    Watch the video version of this podcast on our YouTube page. 

    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Connect with Brian:
    Instagram
    LinkedIn
    Website

    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Learn more about the Penn State Alumni Association: alumni.psu.edu.
    Follow the Penn State Alumni Association on:
    Facebook
    X (Twitter)
    Instagram
    LinkedIn

    The Football Letter Podcast Special: Penn State All-Sports Museum / AAAOs

    The Football Letter Podcast Special: Penn State All-Sports Museum / AAAOs

    Welcome to this week's episode of The Football Letter Podcast as we close out the regular season with another great episode.

     First (0:56), we talk with Director of the Penn State All-Sports Museum, Lew Lazarow, about the museum's new photomosaic mural honoring Franco Harris, Franco's legacy at Penn State, the mission of the museum, its other featured exhibits, and more.

    Follow the All-Sports Museum on Facebook and X.
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Then (20:50) , we're joined by Jeremy O'Mard, President of our African-American Alumni Organization of D.C. Alumni Interest Group.

    Jeremy provided an overview of the African-American Alumni Organizations (AAAOs), how the D.C. AAAO brings Penn Staters together for football watch parties, playing a role in strengthening the alumni network, his passion for giving back, and other marquee events/activities hosted by the AAAOs.

    Learn more about our African-American Alumni Organizations.
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Learn more about the Penn State Alumni Association: alumni.psu.edu.
    Follow the Penn State Alumni Association on:
    Facebook
    X (Twitter)
    Instagram
    LinkedIn

    Episode 48 —Joe Moskowitz: The Amazing Race, Season 35 Contestant

    Episode 48 —Joe Moskowitz: The Amazing Race, Season 35 Contestant

    The popular adventure reality television show, "The Amazing Race," is now in its 35th season...and one of the contestants is a Penn Stater! Alumnus Joe Moskowitz and his fiancé, Ian, started competing on the show in June of this year.

    Joe joined The People of Penn State Podcast to discuss his experiences on "The Amazing Race" so far, including being a long-time fan of the show, the application process, behind-the-scenes details, what it's like competing alongside his fiancé, and more.

    He also discussed his path to Penn State, majoring in Hospitality Management, and his professional role with Dealpath, a commercial real estate firm for data-driven investment decisions.

    Check out the video version of this conversation on our YouTube page.

    Connect with Joe on:
    Instagram
    LinkedIn

    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Learn more about the Penn State Alumni Association: alumni.psu.edu.
    Follow the Penn State Alumni Association on:
    Facebook
    X (Twitter)
    Instagram
    LinkedIn

    Today's episode is also our season two finale of The People of Penn State! We'll see you after the Thanksgiving holiday for season three, featuring plenty of more conversations with inspiring and impactful Penn Staters! 

    We Are! 

    The Football Letter Podcast Special: Hawaii Chapter President Angela White

    The Football Letter Podcast Special: Hawaii Chapter President Angela White

    Aloha, Penn Staters, and welcome to the newest episode of The Football Letter Podcast!

    In this episode, we're joined by our Hawaii Chapter President Angela White to hear her Penn State story and discuss how the chapter aims to keep alumni and friends connected thousands of miles from a Penn State campus

    Angela detailed the Hawaii Chapter's football watch parties hosted at locations across the state on fall Saturdays, the year-round activities hosted by the chapter, her career as an event planner, how she developed leadership skills at Penn State, and much more.

    Connect with the Hawaii Chapter:
    Website
    Facebook
    Instagram
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Learn more about the Penn State Alumni Association: alumni.psu.edu.
    Follow the Penn State Alumni Association on:
    Facebook
    X (Twitter)
    Instagram
    LinkedIn

    The Football Letter Podcast Special: Bob Ceh / John Black

    The Football Letter Podcast Special: Bob Ceh / John Black

    From team manager to starting long snapper, letterman Bob Ceh had quite the journey as a part of the Penn State Football program.

    On this week's episode, Bob took us through that experience, what it was like working with Brad "Spider" Caldwell, memories as the long snapper for the game-winning kick to upset No. 1 Notre Dame in 1990, his career in education, and the life lessons he learned from Joe Paterno.

    Our conversation with Bob starts at the 6:20 mark of the episode.
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    To open the show, we took a look back at the 2013 4 OT win over Michigan with Football Letter Editor Emeritus John Black

    You can listen to our segment with John at 0:51.
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Learn more about the Penn State Alumni Association: alumni.psu.edu.
    Follow the Penn State Alumni Association on:
    Facebook
    X (Twitter)
    Instagram
    LinkedIn

    Episode 47 — Char Morett-Curtiss: Chair, Teammates For Life

    Episode 47 — Char Morett-Curtiss: Chair, Teammates For Life

    Both a United States Field Hockey Hall of Fame and a National Field Hockey Coaches Association Hall of Fame inductee, as well as an inductee of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame, Char Morett-Curtiss is a Penn State coaching legend.

    Having led Penn State Field Hockey for 36 seasons, she compiled 541 victories, eight Big Ten regular-season titles, seven Big Ten Coach of the Year honors, 30 NCAA Tournament appearances and six Final Four appearances.

    Char retired as the program's head coach this past spring, but her commitment to Penn State was far from over. She is now serving as an advisor for Penn State Athletics and the Chair of Teammates For Life.  Teammates For Life is a women’s athletics initiative created to celebrate, elevate and engage past, present and future women student-athletes at Penn State.

    Char was gracious enough to stop by The People of Penn State for an enlightening conversation on topics such as:

    - Competing at the 1984 Summer Olympics;
    - Her retirement from coaching;
    - The lessons she learned and shared with fellow Nittany Lion coaching legends such as Joe Paterno, Russ Rose and Erica Dambach;
    - Teammates For Life and its purpose;
    - The Penn State Field Hockey Complex being dedicated in her honor.

    Connect with Char on X.
    Follow Teammates For Life on:
    Instagram
    X
    YouTube
    Facebook
    TikTok
    LinkedIn

    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Learn more about the Penn State Alumni Association: alumni.psu.edu.
    Follow the Penn State Alumni Association on:
    Facebook
    X (Twitter)
    Instagram
    LinkedIn

    The Football Letter Podcast Special: Hunter Kelly / Baltimore Chapter President Hunter Davey

    The Football Letter Podcast Special: Hunter Kelly / Baltimore Chapter President Hunter Davey

    Welcome to this week's episode of The Football Letter Podcast! On today's show, we're joined by letterman offensive lineman Hunter Kelly (0:56) and Baltimore Chapter President Hunter Davey (20:49).

    Hunter Kelly was a member of the 2016 Big Ten Championship squad, a two-time Academic All-Big Ten selection, and most recently played for the Massachusetts Pirates in the Indoor Football League.

    He discussed what it was like to get the chance to play football at Penn State after growing up as a huge fan of the Nittany Lions, how he excelled as an athlete and as a student, the work he put in to earn a scholarship, his experiences in arena football, and the significance of alumni support.

    Follow Hunter on X
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Hunter Davey has been heavily involved as an alumni volunteer since graduating from Penn State in 2019 with a degree in chemical engineering. Having been named as a member of our Young Alumni Ambassador class of 2019-20, Hunter is now serving as the President of our Baltimore Chapter.

    We talked with Hunter about what made Penn State the school for him, the many events and activities of the Baltimore Chapter, his role as chapter president, how our alumni chapters can be a bridge to connect Penn Staters with each other, and what he's up to professionally as an account manager with Ecolab.

    Get involved with the Baltimore Chapter:
    Website
    Facebook
    Instagram
    X

    The Football Letter Podcast Special: College Football Writer Matt Fortuna and Letterman Johnathan Thomas

    The Football Letter Podcast Special: College Football Writer Matt Fortuna and Letterman Johnathan Thomas

    Week 9 of the college football season is here and so is a new episode of The Football Letter Podcast!

    This week, we first talked with Matt Fortuna, Founder of The Inside Zone, college football’s newest online community. Matt has previously covered college football for ESPN and The Athletic. In 2019 at the age of 30, Matt served as the president of the Football Writers Association of America, becoming the youngest president in the FWAA’s 80-year history.

    During our conversation with Matt (0:51), we covered topics such as:
    - His time working for The Daily Collegian.
    - Manny Diaz's Penn State defense.
    - Big Ten realignment.
    - The changing landscape of college football.
    - The best games he's covered.
    - Getting back to Happy Valley with his family.

    Visit The Inside Zone's website and follow Matt on X.
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    We were then joined by letterman running back and kick returner, Johnathan Thomas.

    Johnathan discussed (19:17):
    - What his recruiting process with former head coach Bill O'Brien and Penn State was like.
    - How he stayed patient and prepared as a redshirt player.
    - His impact as a kick returner.
    - Being recognized by teammates and coaches at a team awards banquet.
    -  What he's up to professionally, working with Quest Healthcare Solutions In Atlanta.
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Learn more about the Penn State Alumni Association: alumni.psu.edu.
    Follow the Penn State Alumni Association on:
    Facebook
    X (Twitter)
    Instagram
    LinkedIn

    Episode 46 — Christina Parle: Co-founder & Team Lead, Social Responsibility Speaks

    Episode 46 — Christina Parle: Co-founder & Team Lead, Social Responsibility Speaks

    It's a pivotal time for justice and equity in the United States. In episode 46 of The People of Penn State, we discussed this critical topic with Christina Parle (she/they), an equity, inclusion, and diversity (EID) educator and consultant with her company, Social Responsibility Speaks.

    Much of Christina's work with Social Responsibility Speaks is rooted in unlearning, conflict resolution, and effective communication. Christina’s particular interest is in language and its impacts, with specific experience in behavioral conduct, curriculum writing, and leadership education.

    Here's what Christina discussed on today's show:
    - Developing as a leader during her time as a student at Penn State;
    - Serving as the Director of Chapter Services and Conduct for Zeta Beta Tau Fraternity (ZBT);
    - The inspiration behind Social Responsibility Speaks;
    - Justice, equity, inclusion, and diversity strategies and education;
    - What it was like being honored as an Alumni Achievement Award recipient in 2022;
    - and more

    Visit Social Responsibility Speaks' website
    Connect with Christina on Instagram and LinkedIn
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Learn more about the Penn State Alumni Association: alumni.psu.edu.
    Follow the Penn State Alumni Association on:
    Facebook
    X (Twitter)
    Instagram
    LinkedIn

    The Football Letter Podcast Special: Garrett Sickels and Jeff Hartings

    The Football Letter Podcast Special: Garrett Sickels and Jeff Hartings

    Another great episode for you this week on our Football Letter Podcast, as we were pleased to be joined by two standout lettermen in Garrett Sickels and Jeff Hartings.  Football Letter Editor Emeritus John Black also stopped by to look back at the series history between Penn State and Ohio State.

    We talked to Garrett (0:56) about what it was like being a part of the Nittany Lions' upset over Ohio State in 2016, memories from that magical season, the lessons he learned as a student-athlete at Penn State, and what he's up to now professionally in Nashville as President of Construction at Creative Development Partners.

    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    John Black stopped by (19:06) to look back at the series history between the Nittany Lions and Buckeyes, with a special focus on that upset at Beaver Stadium in 2016.

    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    To wrap up the show, Jeff joined us (23:13) to discuss the togetherness of the offensive line unit for the 1994 season, his NFL career and finding his faith, coaching high school football, and his connections with fellow alumni.

    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Learn more about the Penn State Alumni Association: alumni.psu.edu.
    Follow the Penn State Alumni Association on:
    Facebook
    X (Twitter)
    Instagram
    LinkedIn

    Episode 45 — Katie E. McPeak, M.D.

    Episode 45 — Katie E. McPeak, M.D.

    On this episode of The People of Penn State, we speak with Katie McPeak, M.D.

    Katie is a primary care pediatrician and Medical Director for Health Equity of the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

    She is also an associate professor of Clinical Pediatrics at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Katie has extensive experience in quality improvement, system redesign, and primary care management in predominantly Medicaid-insured/underserved communities.

    During our conversation with Katie, she talked about her time at Penn State, her career, pediatric health care, health care disparities, the importance of trust between patients and physicians, and more.

    Connect with Katie:
    Instagram
    Facebook
    LinkedIn

    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Learn more about the Penn State Alumni Association: alumni.psu.edu.
    Follow the Penn State Alumni Association on:
    Facebook
    X (Twitter)
    Instagram
    LinkedIn

    The Football Letter Podcast Special: Matt Zanellato / Florida Gulf Coast Chapter

    The Football Letter Podcast Special: Matt Zanellato / Florida Gulf Coast Chapter

    This week on The Football Letter Podcast, we were joined by letterman wide receiver Matt Zanellato (2011-15) and Florida Gulf Coast Chapter President Nick Bocci.

    Now the wide receivers coach at UMass, Zanellato will be returning to Beaver Stadium this weekend as a member of the Minutemen staff. Previous coaching stops for Matt include time at Lock Haven (Pa.), Davenport (MI.), Saginaw Valley State (MI.), and Western Michigan.

    In part one (0:56), we spoke with Matt about choosing to stay at Penn State, when he knew he wanted to get into coaching, the bond between football lettermen, and the emotions of returning to Beaver Stadium on the opposing sideline this weekend.

    Connect with Matt on Instagram and X.

    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    In part two (31:49), Nick joined the program to discuss why he chose Penn State, the Florida Gulf Coast Chapter's football watch parties, an overview of how the chapter keeps Penn Staters in their area connected year round, receiving the fundraising award from the Penn State Alumni Association through our Volunteer Awards, and more.

    Get involved with the Florida Gulf Coast Chapter:
    Website
    Facebook
    Instagram

    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Learn more about the Penn State Alumni Association: alumni.psu.edu.
    Follow the Penn State Alumni Association on:
    Facebook
    X
    Instagram
    LinkedIn