The People of Penn State

Episode 103–A Story for Every Voice with Kennedy White

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 graduation, the inspiration behind her storytelling, and why believing in yourself can change everything. Plus, she offers a sneak peek at the next book she’s working on!Purchase your copy of "I Am Who I Am."For more alumni stories, visit pennstatermag.com

Episode 102–Where Creativity Meets Community with Kassie Hilgert '97

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 impact, and how those early Penn State experiences became the foundation for where she is today.Learn more about ArtsQuest here.For more alumni stories, visit pennstatermag.com

Episode 101–Making a Social Impact with Mohan Sivaloganathan

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, Mohan shares how he’s built a career focused on creating impact and inspiring others to lead with intention.Tune in for a thoughtful conversation about finding your voice, following your passions, and how a Penn State experience can help lay the foundation for meaningful work.For more alumni stories, visit pennstatermag.com

Episode 100–The Symbol of Our Best with Mason Reber

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, Mason Reber has been the man behind the suit, becoming the 54th Nittany Lion in Penn State history. He’s preparing to graduate this month with a degree in civil engineering and serves as an ROTC Army Cadet in the Engineer Corps of the Army Reserves.Mason shares how he found his way to Penn State, why he took a leap of faith and tried out to be the Nittany Lion, and some of the most memorable moments from his time in the suit.We’ll be back in 2026 with a new season of The People of Penn State podcast, featuring even more stories from alumni making their mark on the world. Thank you to our guests for sharing their journeys, our team for bringing each episode to life, and our listeners for tuning in, subscribing, and supporting the podcast over the past five seasons. We couldn’t have reached this milestone without you.For more alumni stories, visit pennstatermag.com

Football Letter Podcast Episode: Tara Bandy ’03

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