The brochure read: "Welcome to the Alumni Leadership Conference. Over the next three days, you will have the opportunity to engage in stimulating and informative workshops related to the operation of your affiliate group. You will also have the chance for fellowship and networking with alumni volunteers from around the world."
It was all of that and more. From the attention-to-detail planning that obviously went into the conference . . . to the dedicated and highly skilled Alumni Association staff who led the workshops . . . to the enthusiastic Alumni Interest Group and Chapter representatives who attended . . . to the inspiring words of the conference keynote speakers . . . and throughout the world-class food and service provided by the Nittany Lion Inn . . . it was an enriching and learning experience extraordinaire. It was also a rare opportunity to renew old acquaintances, make new friends, and rekindle this alumnus' affection for his Alma Mater and his admiration of her ongoing mission of education, research, and service.
Another quote from the conference brochure read: "We also hope that you will return home refreshed, inspired, and anxious to share insights gained with fellow Penn Staters."
Toward that end, Janie and I have tried to summarize what we learned during the five workshops one or the other of us attended. In addition to this information, we've also brought back detailed handout material that was distributed during the workshops. Needless to say, this material is available for any of our chapter members. If you just can't wait to take a look at what we learned during the workshop sessions, please click here to jump directly to our summaries.
Although the conference didn't start until Friday, we left Dayton a day early and checked into the Atherton Hotel late Thursday afternoon. So, if you'd like to meet (via photo) some of the folks we met and the places we saw, please continue scrolling down . . .
The two good folks in the middle of this photo are Bob and Ann Kindig. Bob and I were room-mates in the Pollock B dorm (subsequently renamed Hartranft Hall) for two years. We have maintained a close friendship throughout the decades. Bob and Ann recently moved from Lewisburg to Middleburg, and we always try to get together whenever we return to central PA. In this shot we've just finished a tonsil-titillating dinner at the Nittany Lion Inn.
The Alumni Association's planning left nothing to chance. Early arrivals like Janie and me had an opportunity to take a guided tour of the campus via air-conditioned bus. Here you see our guides, Deepa and Toby. Janie and I believe it would be most difficult to find two more congenial, knowledgeable, and articulate Lion Ambassadors than these two young people.
Many of you will recognize Todd Blackledge, pictured here during his Friday evening keynote address in the Mount Nittany Lounge at Beaver Stadium. Todd was an Academic All-American and the team's starting quarterback for three seasons. He has played with the Kansas City Chiefs and the Pittsburgh Steelers, and is currently the lead college football analyst for CBS Sports. In his keynote address he spoke at some length on motivation, discipline, and perseverance as being key factors in success.
The Alumni Ballroom, in the Nittany Lion Inn, was the scene for our Friday morning continental breakfast.
Immediately after breakfast our workshops began in the Chambers Building, pictured here — and conveniently located within a five-minute walk of the Nittany Lion Inn.
Conference participants attended a luncheon with University President Graham Spanier at midday on Saturday. It was quite a privilege to listen to him speak, and then respond to a number of questions from the floor.
Janie just loves JoePa, and figured this might be as close as she ever gets to helping him lead the team onto the field.
Here's the Penn State All-Sports Museum — a two-level 10,000 square foot tribute to the University's winning spirit. It is filled with the sights, sounds, and the feel of every Penn State sport — something for every sports fan.
"We are Penn State! The words inspire our teams, spark our fans, bond our athletes. The words echo in the ears of visiting teams. They roar back and forth across the stadiums and shake the walls of arenas near and far. The words crack in the frigid winter air and hang seemingly forever on the crisp Saturday afternoons in the fall . . ."
The Lady Lions exhibit is on the second floor of the museum. Janie spends a few minutes looking at the display honoring Suzie McConnell-Serio, one of the Lady Lions' greatest players.
Janie loves the Nittany Lion too. We see her here posing with the Lion — a Lion bedecked in every imaginable piece of paraphernalia known to collegiate sports.
Robb Hall, located in the Hintz Family Alumni Center, is the "living room" for Penn State alumni who return to the University Park campus. The Hall exemplifies the Association's mission of "connecting alumni to the University and to each other."
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