MEDIA, Pa. — Penn State alumnus Andrew Szczerba, founder of the real estate company The Szczerba Group, has been appointed to the Penn State Brandywine Advisory Board. Advisory Board members serve as ambassadors for the campus and provide guidance in many areas, including academic programs, student life, civic engagement, and career pathways and preparation.
Szczerba, who attended Penn State's University Park campus on a football scholarship and earned his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice in 2011, was connected to Penn State Brandywine via Chris Bradley, managing partner of i-core networks.
“I found out about the Advisory Board through Chris Bradley, who I met at a networking event a few months ago. After chatting with each other for a while, we found out we were both Penn State alumni, so we instantly hit it off,” Szczerba said.
“His father is also a real estate agent who’s been in the business for decades, so we connected on that as well. After talking more, we realized we had some mutual connections at Penn State and on a local level, so he recommended I join the Advisory Board.”
Szczerba notes that his main goal while serving on the Advisory Board is to be an asset to students, especially student-athletes.
“I want to be somebody that, whether you’re a student on or off campus, you can come to me and ask for advice or mentorship,” he said.
“More than that, though, reflecting on how I could be an asset, I really want to engage with the student-athletes. Coming from Delaware, which is such a small state, stepping foot at Penn State was a huge culture shock. I was competing with people from all over the country, and in some cases, all over the world. I really want to help those student-athletes navigate that fast-paced, high-stress environment.”
In 2021, Szczerba founded his own residential real estate agency with his wife called The Szczerba Group after pivoting his career from a National Football League player to sales and real estate. What he enjoys most about being in the real estate business, he said, is the adrenaline rush he gets after bringing good news to families.
“What I enjoy most about the real estate industry is its competitive environment. There’s nothing better than calling a family and letting them know that their offer was accepted,” he said.
“A home is such a special place where memories are made and helping make that dream a reality is an incredible feeling. But, there are also circumstances when I have to deliver disappointing news. My time at Penn State has helped me tremendously in my real estate career. It’s taught me a work ethic to be successful but most importantly how to rebound quickly from disappointment and use it as fuel to adjust and get better.”
He also stated that his time under Coach Joe Paterno’s leadership on the Penn State football team helped shape him into the person he is today, especially in the real estate business.
“Going into real estate was the best decision I could’ve made for myself. It’s extremely competitive and fast-paced, which is also what I enjoyed about playing football at Penn State,” he said. “Joe Paterno taught us many life lessons, but the one that sticks with me the most is a quote he used to frequently say, ‘You’re either growing or you’re dying.’ He challenged us to get better every single day. No matter how successful you were, he believed there was always room for improvement.”