In mid-February, Smeal welcomed hundreds of alumni and professional graduate students attending events in Arlington, Virginia; Atlanta; Boston; Charlotte, North Carolina; Chicago; Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Houston; London; Miami; New York; Philadelphia; Pittsburgh; San Francisco; Seattle; and Tampa Bay for the second annual “Smeal in Your City” event.
Smeal alumnus and past Alumni Society Board member Justin McClure, a 2000 graduate with a degree in management, served as host for the inaugural event in Harrisburg.
“In my experience, the Penn State community has always been strong. But post COVID, there’s been a real desire for connections, especially in our local communities,” he says. “When I heard about “Smeal in Your City,” I wanted to help make it a success.”
At each location, volunteers were asked to help secure a venue and serve as a point person for the evening.
According to Jen Crispell, Smeal’s director of alumni relations, the event was inspired by Duke University’s annual “Fuqua Around the World,” a global networking and social event for Fuqua alums and current and admitted students. The event takes place on one night in roughly 90 locations around the world.
Crispell says enthusiasm for the event continues to exceed her expectations.
“We’ve been blown away by the number of alumni who have registered for the various city events,” she says. “We’ve even invited Smeal’s professional graduate students, many of whom are virtual learners and therefore never set foot on our campus, to join us. They’re a very important part of the Smeal community and our goal was to help them make the personal connections that are often missing in a remote learning environment.”
From McClure’s perspective, there is something for everyone.
“We’re all Penn State Smeal alums, so we have that shared experience to talk about. People can form new friendships, make business connections and discover career advancement opportunities. It’s a remarkable event,” he says.
—Anne Louise Cropp
