After two years defined mainly by virtual events and programming, March of 2022 brought a refreshing change for Schreyer Honors College. The Alumni Awards Ceremony and annual Connect Networking and Career Day were hosted in person at University Park and allowed current Scholars and alumni to interact with each other face-to-face.

Held on back-to-back days, the awards ceremony and Connect showcased, in unique ways, the powerful benefits of network- ing and relationships that are built within the Honors College community.

The Alumni Awards Ceremony brought back to campus Scholar graduates from as far away as Los Angeles and as nearby as Philadelphia. They were recognized for exemplary leadership skills and high achievement in their fields, and excellence in mentoring current Scholars. Connect, sponsored by the David S. Rocchino Family Foundation, meanwhile, gave current Scholars an entire afternoon to meet, learn from, and gain perspective on their careers from Scholar alumni who excel in their respective fields.

Brian Harkless, command property officer division director with NAVAIR (U.S. Navy), and Stephanie McKenny, police psychologist with the Los Angeles Police Department, were two Scholar alumni who traveled to University Park to participate in the events. Harkless ‘95 Eng received the 2021 Outstanding Scholar Alumni Award, and the 2022 Outstanding Scholar Alumni award went to McKenny ‘87 Lib, ‘90g, ‘96g Edu. They were both profoundly appreciative of the chance to be present at the events, and to be honored for their achievements.

“It was wonderful being in the more intimate settings of the awards ceremony and Connect,” said Harkless. “[They] highlighted the strong desire for, and tangible benefit of, building and maintaining relationships built on handshakes rather than Zoom backgrounds.”

“Returning to campus sparked so many strong emotions that I genuinely did not anticipate,” noted McKenny. “I will never forget when Donna Meyer (Schreyer Honors College director of student programs) recognized me from behind, hugged me, and told me how good it was to see me again. I felt like family.”

They were joined at Connect by Ellie Manca ’21 HHD, associate scientific communications manager with AlphaGroup Medical Communications. Her attendance was noteworthy because she was the lead student volunteer working on Connect in 2019, its most recent in-person offering prior to 2022.

“Sitting in on panels to impart my advice upon current students really felt surreal to me,” Manca said. “I was impressed and humbled by the Scholars in attendance. It reminded me of what Schreyer is all about, and it reminded me how driven my peers were and are. Their drive ended up motivating me, too.”

This year, rising second-year Scholar Lauren Clymer held the role formerly occupied by Manca. She worked alongside College staff in creating Connect’s schedule, gathering input for the event’s programming from alumni and fellow Scholars, assisting with marketing, and helping to run the event.

“After months of planning, it was amazing to see the hallways of the Forest Resources Building filled with Scholars and alumni interacting and making connections,” Clymer said. “While there are benefits to virtual networking opportunities, many students gave us feedback that networking feels more natural in-person.”

As the day wound down, Clymer noticed many attendees taking extra advantage of their time together.

“I loved seeing Scholars and alumni interacting after the last panel session of the day. That, to me, was Connect achieving its goal,” she said.

For Harkless and McKenny, their participation in the events and collaboration with the College are a testament to the overall commitment to Scholars’ successes as students and professionals.

“I believe that a Penn State education in general, and an Honors experience in particular, build an inherent desire to give back to the community that invested so much time and effort into my own education and growth that there’s nothing I wouldn’t be on board to help out with,” said Harkless. “I’ve never said no to helping a Penn Stater, and I can’t foresee a situation where that would change.”

“It’s important for me to be a resource to Scholars because it creates a sense of belonging for them as they move in overdrive towards their professional goals and aspirations,” added McKenny. “Schreyer Scholars are, individually, truly among the best and brightest in the world and, collectively, can be the fulcrum that moves the world.”