UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State Smeal College of Business students interested in pursuing a career in branding have the opportunity to learn from a panel of industry experts at the eighth annual “Forging a Career in Branding” panel.
The virtual event, sponsored by Penn State Prime, is scheduled for 6 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 19, on Zoom.
Penn State Prime is a student-run marketing organization at Smeal. Members work directly with industry leaders and companies to develop both hard and soft skills through hands-on workshops, real-world projects and case competitions. Throughout the fall semester, students build their competencies in branding, advertising and consumer insights. In the spring, members have the opportunity to explore the relationships between brand clients and advertising agencies through curriculum integration.
“Prime has created and chosen an incredible lineup of panelists,” said Lily Martin, the public relations and alumni chair for Prime. “Our panelists are from various industries and bring a unique set of experiences and perspectives. We are very excited to hear their insights and believe that together they will contribute to an interesting and engaging discussion.”
This year’s panelists include:
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Wendy Dill Whitecavage (class of 1999), head of advisor and field marketing at JP Morgan Advisors
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Lindsay Gatto (Diamond) (class of 2018, marketing), senior associate brand manager of SNICKERS at Mars-Wrigley
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Caroline Fitzgerald (class of 2012, marketing), CEO and founder of GOALS
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Peter Kissinger (class of 2019, marketing), last mile delivery innovator-ecommerce at Kenvue
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Rachel Saslaw (class of 2014, marketing), product marketing leader at SuperAwesome, an Epic Games Company
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Ryan Warrender (class of 2012, management information systems), product manager at Google Chat
“Choosing this year’s panelists was a tough process, as there were so many amazing options,” Martin said. “However, we chose our panelists based on their expertise in branding and their accomplishments within their industries. It was also important for us to ensure diversity among the panelists in order to capture a wide range of perspectives.”
Smeal accounting alumnus Timmy Garde, class of 1978, will return as the moderator of the discussion. Garde is the chief growth officer at Ardelis Health and a former member of Smeal’s Alumni Society Board. John and Karen Arnold Dean of Smeal Charles Whiteman and Department of Marketing Chair Meg Meloy will deliver remarks.
“Prime really wants to encourage students to engage and interact with the brand panelists,” Martin said. “After the branding panel, students have the opportunity to speak with the panelists in breakout rooms. Overall, this year’s branding panel will provide students with a ton of valuable insights, and we truly encourage students to mark their calendars for this event.”
A registration form for the event can be found online.