UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — What do a Tokyo 2020 Paralympian, U.S. Air Force first lieutenant, and endurance athlete with vision loss all have in common? For starters, they're all Penn Staters ... and second, they've all been guests on the Penn State Alumni Association's brand new podcast, "The People of Penn State!"
The Alumni Association launched this podcast to share the inspiring and impactful stories of Penn Staters around the world. Each episode will feature a Penn Stater discussing their Nittany Lion journey and what they are passionate about. With more than 740,000 alumni worldwide, there’s no shortage of unique Penn State stories to share.
The People of Penn State is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or your podcast app/platform of choice. A video version of every episode also is available on the Alumni Association’s YouTube page, and links to each episode can be accessed via the alumni experience section within the Penn State Go app.
The first three episodes showcased:
Jake Schrom, class of 2011 — Tokyo 2020 Paralympian and landscape designer
Schrom competed for Team USA in powerlifting at the Tokyo Paralympic Games earlier this summer. He became an amputee in 2008, as a result of a work-related vehicle accident while he was a student at Penn State. In the inaugural episode of the podcast, Schrom discussed how he became a Penn Stater, his path to getting involved with Ability Athletics, competing in the Paralympics, his experiences as an alumni volunteer leader, and much more.
Haley McClain Hill, class of 2018 — U.S. Air Force first lieutenant, San Francisco 49ers cheerleader, and founder of 'Torch' clothing line
The best way to describe McClain Hill is "multitalented." Serving our country through the Air Force? Check. Using her time as a Penn State cheerleader to propel her to becoming an NFL cheerleader? Check. Founding her own clothing brand, "Torch," for women serving in the military? Check. McClain Hill joined the second episode of the podcast to share her Penn State story, her experiences in the Air Force, life as an NFL cheerleader, and the inspiration for her clothing line.
Dan Berlin, class of 1992 — entrepreneur, inventor, philanthropist and endurance athlete
Berlin has never let his vision loss affect the life he wanted to live. Berlin is co-founder and former CEO of Rodelle, a world-leading vanilla extract company, and the co-founder and president of Team See Possibilities, a nonprofit organization that empowers young people with vision loss to thrive. Berlin has traveled the world as an endurance athlete and advocate for the blind. He discussed coming to terms at a young age with his vision loss, the founding of Rodelle, the impact of Team See Possibilities, and his experiences as an endurance athlete.
Be sure to listen, subscribe and give the show a rating on whatever platform you use. Ratings and reviews help other Penn Staters find these great stories.
Episodes will be published just about every week; be sure to subscribe on your platform of choice to be notified when new episodes are added.