UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — A big-time opportunity awaits Penn Staters traveling to Northwestern this weekend for the game between the fourth-ranked Nittany Lions and the Wildcats.
That’s true for the football team, and also just as accurate for the hundreds of alumni, fans and friends who will attend the Friday night mixer that’s co-hosted by the Alumni Association and its Greater Chicago Chapter. The latter group has been planning for this weekend since February, or in other words, shortly after last season ended.
And for good reason.
“It’s a phenomenal opportunity for the chapter,” said Ed Chicoski, Greater Chicago Chapter president and 2009 IST graduate. “I think it really showcases bringing Penn Staters together, and the reach Penn Staters have locally and broadly within the Midwest.”
Added Bob Nagy, past chapter president and 1983 electrical engineering graduate: “We are always looking to deliver great experiences for our chapter members. A weekend like this helps us to expand our reach and hopefully add to the number of active members (almost 500 here in Chicago alone).”
Nagy, who was in the first class of Lion Ambassadors, noted that the chapter hosts more than 60 events a year, with Friday night’s mixer one of the “spotlight events,” along with their THON and spring scholarship fundraisers.
Friday night’s event is at the Chicago Sports Museum, “an interactive museum right in the heart of Michigan Avenue,” by Chicoski’s description. The chapter has secured the entire venue for the night, giving Penn Staters plenty of opportunity to get energized for the game while also tapping into Chicago’s vibrant sports history.
The event sold out with more than 200-plus people planning to attend, and the chapter partnered with Penn State Undergraduate Admissions, buying game tickets for prospective students. “We try to provide a top-rate experience for everyone who is coming to support our Nittany Lion team here in Chicago,” Nagy said.
A few years ago, the group hosted a rooftop event before another Northwestern football game, and received tons of great feedback, Nagy said, and like Chicoski, he said they’re expecting both local alumni and Penn Staters who are visiting. It’s an opportunity to expand membership, or simply to make a few introductions and share some information.