UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing’s Alumni Society Board recently hosted an event at the Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Philadelphia Phillies game at PNC Park. The event offered an engaging and entertaining way for many alumni who hail from the Pittsburgh and Philadelphia areas and beyond to connect with their peers and show their team spirit.
Nursing alumni were invited to the Voodoo Brewery just a block away from the stadium on the Southside of the city to network and catch up with those who share their alma mater.
Transitioning away from college can be tough, but having an interwoven network of like-minded individuals makes it much easier to transition from Happy Valley, said Kelsey Meuser, Alumni Society Board Member at Large.
“Whether it was at the brewery or at the Pirates game, it was the fellowship among everybody,” Meuser said. “It is a lot of fun when we are all together and you already have that common ground of being a Penn State student, and it is even more special when we are all nurses.”
The group was able to connect with faces old and new, whether they cheered on the Pirates or the Phillies.
The event received a ton of positive feedback, and the intention is to continue this event for years to come.
For those alumni who are not located near the Pittsburgh area and couldn’t attend the event, the board is hoping to expand its outreach and continue planning events and outings across the commonwealth.
The easiest way to get connected with alumni is the Penn State Nursing Alumni Society Facebook page. With more than 800 members on the social media page, the discussion board holds events, lectures, updates from campus and more, to be sure that every member, near and far, past and present, has the opportunity to be connected to the University.
Meuser recently was appointed social media chair, and the Facebook page is consistently up-to-date with news and notes regarding the college and its plans for the board.
The Alumni Society Board also participated in Penn State’s annual Homecoming Parade, and Meuser was appointed to the Alumni Homecoming Court. The Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing also hosted an ice cream social open house and hosted a Beaver Stadium tour as celebrations for the college’s 10th anniversary began on Nov. 4.
Thousands of nurses have graduated from the Nese college and a connected post-graduate network only makes Penn State pride run deeper, Meuser said.
“I think our board is made up of some really special and dedicated people," said Meuser. "No matter what we do we always put alumni and our students at the forefront of all of our planning.”