FACULTY SPEAKERS
Sam Richards Sam Richards is a Professor of Sociology and Co-Director of the World In Conversation project and instructor of the largest race relations course in the United States. Just under a million people have watched his TED talk, “A Radical Experiment in Empathy.” Sam will speak about dialogue as the starting point for action at Penn State: basically, he wants to talk about how to talk. Watch his talk here! 
Mimi Barash Coppersmith Mimi Barash Coppersmith (‘54) is a retired businesswoman and first female Chair of the Penn State Board of Trustees. Mimi will start a conversation about town and gown relations, framing the Borough of State College and Penn State University as one team. Watch her talk here! 
Philip Burlingame Philip Burlingame is the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs. Philip will share ideas about how students can develop more agency in their own learning, and will also prompt discussion on the topic of how future online learners can have access to the fullest possible Penn State learning experience (from both sides of the classroom door). Watch his talk here! 
Ruth Mendum Ruth Mendum is the Director of the Undergraduate Fellowships Office. Before her current position, she has worked with Scientific American magazine and taught German, English and drama in a high school in the South Bronx. Ruth will speak on the rapid increase in higher education resources available in the 21st century. Watch her talk here! |
Steve Garguilo Steve Garguilo (‘09) is the Founding Curator of TEDxPSU and now Curator of TEDxJNJ, He works to amplify the impact of remarkable people worldwide by helping them prepare the talk of a lifetime. Steve will start a conversation about communication within our community, analyzing examples of “marketing” that fall flat vs. authentic messages that really resonate. We’ll explore what works best and what we should each strive for and demand from our leaders. Watch his talk here! 
Michael Bérubé
Michael Bérubé is the Edwin Erle Sparks Professor of Literature and Director of the Institute for the Arts and Humanities. In October 2012, he received national attention for his Chronicle of Higher Education article explaining his resignation as Paterno Chair of Literature. Michael will discuss the implications of dwindling state support for higher education. Watch his talk here! 
Chris Long Chris Long is the Associate Dean for Graduate and Undergraduate Education in the College of the Liberal Arts. His talk, “GenEd $201,” focuses on GenEd reform, why GenEd Matters, and how students can take ownership of their GenEd experience. He points out that, assuming you pay full tuition and take out 10-year student loans, your general education courses cost you $201 per month for the next 10 years of your life. Why not turn that cost into an investment? Tweet him @deancplong to learn more. Watch his talk here! |
STUDENT SPEAKERS
Emma Gregory Emma Gregory (‘14) is studying Nutritional Sciences with a minor in global health. She is involved with the Penn State Thespians and has performed, directed, and produced shows throughout her college career. She is also involved with THON last year as a Morale Captain and this year as a Public Relations Captain. Emma aims to create a platform for constructive dialogue about THON, its size, and its effect on the rest of the university. Watch her talk here! 
Jackie Guo Jackie Guo (‘14) is studying Chemical Engineering. She is involved with Springfield, a special interest organization benefitting THON serving as a fundraising chair for THON 2013 and dancing in THON 2014. She wants to talk about international student integration at Penn State and the overall difficulty of reconciling one’s own distinct cultural background while still making an effort to “fit in” at Penn State. Watch her talk here! 
Rob Nellis Rob Nellis (’13) was the Nittany Lion mascot through the years of the Sandusky Scandal. Rob will speak about the role of mascots, symbols, and individual identities during a scandal. Although Old Main, Beaver Stadium, the Joe Paterno statue and other Penn State symbols took on connotations of institutional guilt, Rob will discuss how the Nittany Lion mascot remained untainted. Watch his talk here! 
Alexandra DiStefano Alexandra DiStefano (‘16) studies Finance. She is the Lead Analyst for the Consumer Staples sector in the Nittany Lion Fund, which is a student-run mutual fund, comprised of alumni investments. She is the Head Intern for Wall Street Boot Camp and is also a Rogers Family Trading Room Intern, where she hosts presentations about FactSet investment technologies. She will be discussing the implementation of Project-Based-Learning in Penn State’s classrooms, beginning with changing the Teaching Assistant structure to support this new system. Watch her talk here! |
Abiola Ajibola Abiola Ajibola (‘14) studies Energy Business and Finance with minors in Economics and Psychology. He is the president of the National PanHellenic Council which is one of the four governing Greek councils at Penn State. He is also the vice president of his fraternity, Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc. Abiola will be discussing the mis-education of diversity within the Penn State community and the influence of each individual on diversity. Watch his talk here! 
Bret Turner Bret Turner (‘15) is studying Environmental Resource Management with minors in Environmental Engineering, Environmental Economics, and Watershed Management. He is involved with the Penn State ERM Society and his THON committee. Bret will be discussing internalized discrimination and hate within Penn State’s LGBT community and issues that face LGBT students in relation to the Penn State community as a whole. Watch his talk here! 
Shane McGregor Shane McGregor (’13) is a former Penn State quarterback, known for “the flow.” McGregor will candidly take State of State through his analysis of the feelings, thoughts and actions of the Penn State football team during and after the Sandusky Scandal. Watch his talk here! 
Anthony Panichelli
Anthony Panichelli (‘14) is studying Political Science. He is also the Speaker of the Assembly of the University Park Undergraduate Association (UPUA), and a Penn State Lion Ambassador. Panichelli will try to answer the question, “What will a Penn State education look like in 2020?,” by talking about open educational resources (OERs) and engaged scholarship as they pertain to the future of higher education. Watch his talk here! |
