READY TO ROLL: Senior airman Alexander Dugan ’20 Hbg, a U.S. Air Force reservist serving as an airfield specialist on his first deployment to Iraq, recently showed off his blue-and-white pride (above). Dugan is a third-generation Penn State alum—and represents the fourth generation of his family to serve in the U.S. military.
Outside the Box
The first-of-its-kind Penn State Defense and Intelligence Career Summit (above) connected alumni with employers and industry leaders.
Traditional career Fairs and networking events are great for connecting prospective employees with companies looking to hire in just about any industry. But employers in the defense and intelligence sector have unique needs—and strict eligibility requirements for who can fill those needs. One such employer is the Applied Research Laboratory at Penn State, a Department of Defense-designated, university-affiliated research center with an employee base of over 1,500.
“It is very difficult to recruit for ARL because of the work that we do,” says Tina Kephart, a Penn State human resources employee dedicated to recruiting for ARL. “They are very niche, hard-to-fill positions. I spend a lot of time trying to think outside the box.”
The newest outside-the-box recruiting venture happened thanks to the Alumni Association, which partnered with ARL, Penn State World Campus, the Fox Graduate School, and several other colleges and campuses to host the first Penn State Defense and Intelligence Career Summit, held in April in Washington, D.C. The summit connected 154 alumni with 17 companies and industry leaders at an event that was equal parts educational, professional, and social.
“The event was a huge success, forming the foundation for annual events and likely expansion next year,” says Alumni Career Services Director Cheryl Bonner, who worked with the Alumni Association’s events team and a committee that included Kephart to pull it off.
The idea was born a few years ago, when ARL had close to 350 openings and Ned Brokloff ’82 Eng, a defense research liaison for ARL and the College of Engineering, proposed an unconventional professional event that might help ARL and other government-related employers make fruitful connections with their prospective workforce. “ARL likes to hire the cream of the crop,” Brokloff says.
The summit combined networking and career fair elements with an educational panel and a social setting for informal dialogue designed for alumni who are mid-level job seekers in the defense and intelligence sector. The panel discussion, “Enabling National Security Through Research and Innovation,” featured several alumni in the industry. Says Kephart, “We weren’t sure what it would look like, but I think it exceeded everyone’s expectations.”
MEMBER BENEFIT
Penn State License Plate
Members living in Pennsylvania—and eight other states—can drive with their Penn State pride on full display thanks to a special Alumni Association license plate. A one-time fee for the Nittany Lion plate helps to fund Alumni Association programs. Besides Pennsylvania, Penn State plates are available in Delaware, New York, Texas, Connecticut, Maryland, North Carolina, New Jersey, and Virginia. To get yours, call 877-778-7467 or email pennstateplate@psu.edu.
SAVE THE DATE
July 30, Sept. 3: AI and Hiring Webinar
Alumni Career Services hosts this recurring webinar that explores the evolving role of AI in recruitment and breaks down the key components of Applicant Tracking Systems. See how ATS platforms use AI to efficiently filter résumés and assess candidate qualifications, and learn best practices for job seekers to optimize résumés for ATS algorithms. alumni.psu.edu/careerevents
Oct. 10: Ice Cream Social
Come home to Hintz for the annual Alumni Ice Cream Social on Friday, Oct. 10, before that evening’s Homecoming parade, Guard the Lion Shrine, and the Oct. 11 Homecoming game against Northwestern. This year’s theme is Find the Glory in Your Story. alumni.psu.edu/homecoming
Nov. 1, Nov. 29: Roar Tour Stops
Come join the Alumni Association at our Roar Tour stops at Ohio State (Nov. 1) and Rutgers (Nov. 29). The free pregame event at away football games features Penn State cheerleaders, the Nittany Lion, and special guests, plus games, refreshments, and more. Learn more at alumni.psu.edu/gameday.
FROM THE ARCHIVES
Fishing with Presidents
Eighty-five years before this issue’s cover subject, George Daniel, took the helm of Penn State’s fly-fishing program, the program’s creator, George Harvey ’35 Agr, organized the first angling and fly-tying classes in the United States. A feature from our January/February 1981 issue shares more about Harvey’s fly-fishing history, and the former U.S. presidents who fished Central Pennsylvania’s streams alongside him. Read the full story.
CHAPTERS & GROUPS
THE HOPE GALA/NEW YORK CITY/NORTHERN NEW JERSEY
The Hope Gala, with support from the New York City and Northern New Jersey chapters, raised $291,733.97 to fight childhood cancer through its yearlong fundraising effort. The total was revealed at the 2025 Hope Gala on March 15 at Gotham Hall in New York. Since 2008, The Hope Gala has raised more than $2.7 million.
LEHIGH VALLEY
The Lehigh Valley Chapter (left) won the award for most food and funds donated to Second Harvest Food Bank in March, the results of an annual Alumni Food Club Challenge; the chapter also won the award in 2020. Second Harvest is one of eight local charitable organizations for which the chapter focuses its community service.
NEW YORK CAPITAL DISTRICT
The New York Capital District Chapter has fully endowed its scholarship, raising more than $25,000, and will award funds to eligible students at its student sendoff event in August. The endowed status means the scholarship will continue to provide financial aid to students in perpetuity.
Have news to share from your chapter, AIG, or alumni society? Send it to rsr3@psu.edu.
Volunteer Spotlight
Sam Cipar, President, Chicago Chapter
When Sam Cipar ’16 Bus ran the Big Ten 10K in 2022, he met the Chicago Chapter’s past president, Courtney Jackson ’15, ’20 MS EMS, who encouraged him to get more involved. Within the month, Cipar had signed up for a six-year board commitment that now finds him in his second year as chapter president, overseeing a board whose members include alumni from the 1960s to the 2020s.
“It’s really an opportunity to give back,” says Cipar, a State College native who met his wife, Angelee Tango ’17 Bus, at his first job after college. “I view it as a service to our university, too. I’m passionate about Penn State, and I’m passionate about Chicago.”
With 1,500 dues-paying alumni in the Chicagoland area, the chapter has four watch party locations for game days, which are its best-attended events and raise money for THON and for their scholarships—a source of pride for the chapter. “We give out between $12,000 and $15,000 a year in scholarships,” Cipar says.
Support PSAA
Shop Christmas in July
We’re proud to announce the return of the Penn State Elms Collection walking sticks and canes produced by Brazos Walking Sticks in Waco, Texas. Each walking stick and cane is handcrafted from a solid, single piece of elm wood from the University Park campus, and is branded with the Penn State Elms Collection logo and the Brazos Walking Sticks medallion. These items make unique and meaningful gifts for any Penn Stater on your list. Visit pennstateelmscollection.com to purchase your piece of Penn State history!
Leave Your Legacy
When you earned your Penn State degree, you became a Nittany Lion for life. Show your pride with a commemorative paver within the Alumni Plaza. Forever display a message of celebration, remembrance, or recognition on the University Park campus. Visit our website to see options and availability. Place your order by Aug. 1 to be included in this fall’s installation. Learn more at alumni.psu.edu/alumniplaza.
Sen. Vogel Earns Legislative Award
Pennsylvania Sen. Elder Vogel Jr. is this year’s Friend of Penn State Legislative Award recipient for his strong support of the university, rural health initiatives, Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, and for his efforts to secure funding for ag research and extension services.
“Senator Vogel’s deep-rooted dedication to agriculture, exemplified by his leadership in the Pennsylvania Senate and his efforts to support Pennsylvania’s farming community, is at the core of Penn State’s mission as the state’s sole land-grant university,” said Mike Stefan, vice president for the Office of Government and Community Relations. “We are greatly appreciative for his support for Penn State and commitment to advancing higher education in Pennsylvania.”
Since 2009, Vogel has served residents in Beaver, Butler, and Lawrence counties as a representative of the 47th senatorial district of Pennsylvania. He is majority chair of the Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee and vice chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee.
The award, first given in 2006, is sponsored by the Alumni Association and recognizes Pennsylvania legislators who play a significant role in the continued improvement of Penn State.
Three Named Honorary Alums
You don’t have to be a graduate to be Penn State Proud. Since 1973, the Alumni Association has bestowed Honorary Alumni status on non-alumni who made significant contributions toward Penn State’s welfare, reputation, and prestige. This year, we celebrate three Honorary Alumni (from left):
Grace Hampton
Professor emerita of art, art education, and integrative arts in the College of Arts and Architecture, Hampton served as director of the School of Visual Arts, vice provost, and executive assistant to the provost for the development of the arts.
Kay F. Kustanbauter
During her 43 years of service to the university, Kustanbauter served as Nittany Lion Club executive director from 1989 until 2005, leading the club through multiple capital campaigns, and was a Penn State Renaissance Fund Honoree of the Year in 2013.
Daniel J. Larson
Larson is Verne M. Willman Dean Emeritus and professor emeritus of physics in the Eberly College of Science at Penn State. He joined Penn State in 1998 as dean of the Eberly College of Science, helping transform it into a top–10 U.S. science college.
