Editor’s Note: This is the second in a two-part series showcasing the Michigan Chapter of the Penn State Alumni Association. The first story featured a Q&A with Chapter President Gary Wade, a 1977 Penn State graduate. This series coincides with an alumni mixer and pep rally scheduled for Sept. 23 and 24 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, ahead of the Penn State-Michigan football game.
When Penn State joined the Big Ten Conference, there was a little-known ripple effect that occurred in the Midwest.
Specifically, in the Great Lakes State.
The Michigan Chapter of the Penn State Alumni Association had typically traveled to South Bend and Columbus when Penn State football would play Notre Dame and Ohio State before joining the Big Ten, Chapter President Gary Wade said.
But now, Penn State was coming to them — and will do so again this weekend.
The Alumni Association and the Michigan Chapter will co-host an alumni mixer Friday night at the Eastern Michigan University Convocation Center. Details are on the Alumni Association’s website.
It’s the latest example of the group maximizing opportunities to connect with Penn Staters in their state (and region). Back in the early 1990s, when it was announced Penn State was joining the conference, Wade said the group knew it could now host events and leverage the proximity of the games.
Tickets were also available through the group, a draw for potential chapter members.
“It actually increased the appeal of the club,” said Wade, a 1977 Penn State graduate who’s lived in Michigan for nearly 40 years. “People would come to a dinner or event, and now they were interested in joining.”
Granted, Penn State doesn’t play at both Michigan and Michigan State each year, but typically does make one road trip to the state. And that’s just for football. With Penn State men’s ice hockey joining the newly formed Big Ten hockey conference a few years ago, that increases the opportunities for the chapter to come together, while simultaneously raising their own profile.
There’s plenty else going on.
Wade noted that Chrysler, Ford and General Motors — which he called the “Big Three” — routinely hire Penn Staters as summer interns and full-time employees. And that’s how Wade ended up in Michigan, starting at Chrysler, hired by a Penn Stater named George Miller, who remains on the board of the Michigan Chapter today.
Miller held breakfast meetings for Penn Staters working at Chrysler, and that led to inviting Wade to serve on the board. Over the years, and continuing today, the group holds mixers for Penn Staters new to the area. Wade and the chapter also work with local businesses and suppliers to learn of new graduates in the area, with the goal of letting the Penn Staters know that there are familiar faces in Michigan.
“It’s always a pleasure to interact with other alumni at any event, and we welcome the opportunity for them to come to the state of Michigan,” said Wade, whose chapter has raised more than $66,000 for its scholarship over the years.
“I enjoy listening to their stories. Even after all these years, the stories are quite similar. We all went to Penn State for a variety of reasons — usually for a good education. They talk about their college experience of living in State College, and the many attractions and the fun that they had there, as well as the long hours studying. Those are all the same experiences that I had.”