Association News
Strength in Numbers

Susan Robinson sees big opportunities as the 84th president of the Penn State Alumni Association.

head shot Susan Robinson, courtesy
By Robyn Rydzy '95 Com

 

Penn State is in the midst of balancing its budget, launching a new capital campaign, and restructuring its commonwealth campus system, all while the Alumni Association—which supports the university and our alumni through all these endeavors—is also embarking on a search for its next full-time executive officer.

That’s a lot for an all-volunteer Alumni Council to navigate. Serendipitously, the Alumni Association’s new volunteer president, Susan Robinson ’94 H&HD, is an adviser and consultant whose day job is helping business leaders with efforts that impact revenue, relevance, and reputation. 

“To me, all of this is ripe with amazing opportunity for not only the Alumni Association but for alumni, and for Penn State,” says Robinson, who began her two-year term in July, alongside new vice president Melissa Brickhouse ’99 Bus. Robinson succeeded Anand Ganjam ’15 Bus, who has begun a two-year term on the Penn State Board of Trustees as the Alumni Association’s immediate past president.

A former president and current advisory board member of the New York City Chapter, Robinson describes her Penn State experience as “atypical” in that, halfway through her time on campus, she was diagnosed with a vision impairment that instantly shifted her career plans but did not slow her down. “I never skipped a beat, and neither did Penn State. They were just like, ‘We follow your lead; tell us how we can help,’” she says. “And it gave me confidence that whatever I wanted to do in the world was possible.”

Robinson hopes to have accomplished three things by the end of her term:

  • Elevate the association’s relevance and value to alumni everywhere.
  • Amplify the ways in which alumni have “swelled thy fame.”
  • Strengthen the organization through traditional and innovative efforts—“and, most importantly, because of who WE ARE.”

As Penn State alumni ranks swell to 800,000 worldwide this year, Robinson is mindful of the immensity, and diversity, of the group the Alumni Association represents.

“Penn Staters come in all flavors, regions, languages, interests, majors, and career trajectories,” she says. “How can we be the home for all of those folks and make sure that every Penn Stater grows in their connection­­ with each other, with the alumni association, and with the university?”