The People of Penn State
Welcome to the People of Penn State Podcast — the podcast from the Penn State Alumni Association that brings you the incredible stories of Nittany Lions making their mark on the world! Each episode, a rotating cast of hosts sit down with Penn State alumni who are changing the game in business, science, sports, the arts, and beyond. You never know who you'll hear from next — but you do know it'll be a conversation worth tuning in for!
Episodes
In this special episode of The People of Penn State, we talk with Forrest Coley '85 HHD, '90g Bus, a member of the Educational Equity Advisory Board, about the University’s Office of Educational Equity and his participation in Penn State’s Black Alumni Reunion.
Forrest shares why educational equity matters, the importance of supporting first-generation students, and how alumni can help create opportunities for the ...
In this episode, we chat with Amanda Gifford Lockwood ’04 Com, Edu, a senior vice president of production at ESPN, where she helps lead coverage of some of the network’s biggest sporting events.
Amanda reflects on her time at Penn State and the experiences that shaped her career, shares the journey that led her to ESPN and her work in sports production, and talks about how she stays connected to the Penn State community....
This week, we chat with Jared Freid ’07 Bus, a stand-up comedian, podcaster, and author known for his sharp, relatable take on dating, relationships, and everyday life.
But comedy wasn’t always the plan. After graduating from Penn State, Jared began his career in insurance before leaping to pursue comedy full-time.
Jared looks back on his time at Penn State and the unexpected path that led him to a career in comedy....
Jim Minarik ’75 Bus, ’77 MBA is an author, investor, board member, and CEO coach who began his entrepreneurial journey as a Penn State student. After a 25-year career as a CEO, Jim went on to create Sound United, a billion-dollar global home audio business with brands including Bowers & Wilkins, Denon, Marantz, and Polk Audio.
Now, Jim is the author of Reckoning: A Journey Through Tragedy, Triumph, and Transcendence,...
In this episode, we chat with Mattie Leon ’09 A&A, a soulful folk singer-songwriter from Hamilton, Ontario, whose journey from student-athlete to musician has taken him far from the golf course and back to Penn State in an unexpected way.
Mattie shares what it was like balancing life as a student-athlete at Penn State, accepting a golf scholarship, and making memories that would stay with him long after graduation....
In this episode, we sit down with Eric Yeamans, '10 A&A, to explore the intersection of design, technology, and digital strategy. As the leader of digital initiatives at Actual Size, Eric shares how he leverages emerging technologies, data-driven insights, and innovative marketing strategies to help organizations grow their digital presence and create meaningful audience engagement.
We also discuss Actual Size's work on th...
In this episode, we sit down with Eric Wagner '96 Lib and Eric Vishnevetsky '15 Bus to explore their career journeys in wealth management, leadership, and the power of building meaningful relationships.
Eric Wagner, a Managing Director at UBS Private Wealth Management and co-founder of PWJ, has helped build one of New York City’s premier wealth management teams while bringing together his background in finance and law to serve...
In this episode, Jackie Layer '13 EMS shares how childhood weather events sparked a passion that led her to a career in broadcast meteorology.
Now the Chief Meteorologist at DC News Now, Jackie reflects on her Penn State experience, covering everything from devastating tornado outbreaks to tropical storms, earning her AMS Certified Broadcast Meteorologist designation, and the responsibility that comes with keeping communities ...
On this episode of The People of Penn State podcast, we chat with Dan Barefoot '13 A&A, a professional landscape architect and Team USA skeleton athlete who represented the United States at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina.
Dan shares how he discovered the sport after graduating from Penn State, what it took to balance a full-time career with the demands of elite international competition, and the journey ...
On this episode of the People of Penn State podcast, we sit down with Jennifer Colvin ’97 Behrend, chief innovation officer at Learning Undefeated and self-described “crazy ideas captain.”
Jen reflects on her time at Penn State Behrend, where she earned her biology degree in 1997, and shares how her Penn State experience helped shape her passion for STEM education and community impact.
She shares how Learning ...
On this episode of the People of Penn State podcast, we chat with Janelle Burrell '05 Lib, Emmy Award-winning journalist and morning anchor at CBS News Philadelphia.
Janelle shares the story of how she almost didn’t attend Penn State — and why changing her mind became one of the best decisions she ever made. She also reflects on her journey from working behind the scenes to earning a seat at the anchor desk, the le...
On this episode of the People of Penn State podcast, we sit down with Brian Kappel ’98 A&A, whose creative career has taken him from Penn State to major brands like Nike, Jordan, Under Armour, ESPN, PlayStation, and more.
Brian reflects on his time as a student, how Penn State helped shape his creative journey, and why he decided to move back to Happy Valley after living in Oregon for more than 20 years.
In this episode, we talk with Cade Miller ’24 Com, Associate Director of Admissions at Shepherd University.
Cade reflects on how his Penn State experience and involvement across campus shaped his path, how those experiences led him to his current role in higher education, and how he brings storytelling and student engagement into his work.
Plus, hear how a podcast project turned into an unforgettable experience with a par...
In this episode, we talk with Katie Collins ’00 HHD, co-founder of both ECM Therapeutics, a regenerative medicine company, and Abigail Collins, a collegiate apparel brand.
Katie reflects on how her Penn State experience and time as a student athlete shaped her path, what it takes to build mission-driven companies, and how she continues to leverage the Penn State alumni network to stay connected to the University and fellow Nit...
In this episode, we talk with Emmy-nominated meteorologist Cheryl Nelson, ’02 EMS, about her journey from Penn State to national broadcast news and beyond.
Cheryl shares why she almost didn’t choose Penn State (but is grateful she did!), how her connection to the University only deepened after graduation, and what shaped her career in broadcast meteorology.
We also discuss what inspired her to launch...
On this episode, we’re joined by Kennedy White ’23 Com, who has always known she wanted to use her voice to make a difference. Now a gift officer at Penn State, Kennedy combines her passion for communication with purpose-driven work every day.
She also recently became a published author with her first children’s book, "I Am Who I Am." Kennedy shares her journey at Penn State and why she chose to stay after...
On this episode of The People of Penn State podcast, we’re joined by Kassie Hilgert ’97 Com, President and CEO of ArtsQuest, one of Pennsylvania’s largest nonprofit arts organizations.
Kassie shares her unique journey to Penn State and reflects on how her time there helped shape her confidence, leadership style, and sense of purpose. She also talks about building a career rooted in creativity, community, and ...
Welcome to season 6 of The People of Penn State podcast!
On this episode, we chat with Mohan Sivaloganathan, who earned a B.S. in Civil Engineering in 2005 and an MBA in 2007.
Known as the “Batman of social impact,” Mohan is a leader, speaker, and artist whose work blends leadership, creativity, and purpose. From his early experiences with leadership and civic engagement to using music and storytelling as tools for change...
It’s our 100th episode! For five seasons, Penn Staters have shared their stories, inspiring past, present, and future generations. We’ve heard from alumni making an impact across every industry, and as our network surpassed 800,000 living alumni this year, we’re just getting started.
To celebrate this milestone, who better to join us than the Symbol of Our Best—the Nittany Lion! For the past three years, Maso...
As communications chair of our Vermont Chapter, Tara Bandy ’03 keeps her lifelong Penn State connection strong as one of our volunteer leaders. She discusses the chapter's inspiring community work in response to historic flooding, the significance of Alumni Association membership, and much more.
Learn more on the chapter's Facebook page.
For more alumni stories, visit pennstatermag.com
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