IST Alumni Newsletter
March 2022
Dear IST Alumni, Donors, and Friends, 

While it remains cold on campus, signs of spring are starting to arrive. We’re nearing the halfway mark of the semester, THON just raised a record $13.7 million for pediatric cancer research, and our busy campus will calm next week for spring break. And within a few weeks we’ll turn our attention to commencement.

We’re excited to celebrate hundreds of soon-to-be IST alumni in the class of 2022 on May 7, and to honor class of 2020 graduates on April 30 during Penn State’s Class of 2020 Commencement Celebration Weekend.

As always, we celebrate all IST alumni who are leveraging their degrees to make a difference. A few are recognized below, and many others are featured on our website. Sharing these successes helps us recruit talented and diverse students by demonstrating the benefits of the IST experience. I encourage you to keep us updated on your personal and professional achievements so that we can recognize you and strengthen our college.

No matter your connection to IST, we look forward to celebrating all that you achieve.

Andrew Sears, dean
Upcoming Events
Happy Valley Networking Social
Friday, March 25 from 5-7 p.m.
State College, PA

IST alumni are invited to gather at the Graduate State College hotel over food and drinks to socialize and network with fellow alumni.
IST Identity Talks – Strength in Diversity
Tuesday, April 5 at 6 p.m.
Virtual Program

Save the date! More information will be available soon.
Class of 2020 Commencement Celebration
April 29 - May 1
University Park, PA

Class of 2020 graduates and their friends and families are invited to University Park from April 29-May 1 to walk across the graduation stage and enjoy a variety of events and activities. The College of IST will also host a special reception for 2020 alumni on April 30.
Save the Date:
We Are Weekend
June 17-18
University Park Campus

For a full list of Penn State Alumni Association events, visit: alumni.psu.edu/events.
Getting Involved
IST Outstanding Alumni Award
Nominations are being accepted through May 1 for the IST Outstanding Alumni Award. This award recognizes College of IST alumni who have demonstrated a record of outstanding accomplishments and who have made significant contributions leveraging their expertise and knowledge gained through their degree. If you know an IST alum who is deserving of this award, please complete the brief nomination form.

Alumni Association Membership
If you aren’t a member of the Penn State Alumni Association, now is the time to join! Beginning March 16, the Alumni Association will be holding a membership promotion with pop-up prizes for new members. Keep an eye out for more information and be ready to join the greatest alumni network in the world!
News & Highlights
From IST to the media industry: Maggie Sapovchak ’03 applies system thinking in entertainment
Students propose innovative human-centered tech solutions in first HCDD capstone course
Stay informed: read the latest issue of iConnect magazine and subscribe to IST Headlines.
Alumni Shout-outs
Welcome to Mathew Lamb '19 and John Esteves '18 as the IST Alumni Society Board’s newest members!

Congratulations to Madison Oliver '16 for her promotion to Senior Security Analyst at GitHub!

Congrats to Dan Yosua '13 on his new role as manager, business analytics at BorrowLenses at Shutterfly. Dan is excited to work at the intersection of data and photography!
Stay Connected!
If you have career or personal news you'd like to share with IST alumni, send your update to alumni@ist.psu.edu.

Update your information to stay informed of the latest IST news and events.
ist.psu.edu