George and Alice Strickler's gift names Smeal’s Office of International Programs

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — International assignments in São Paulo, Brazil, and Lima, Peru, early in his career with Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. helped solidify Penn State Smeal College of Business alumnus and Board of Visitors member George Strickler’s belief in the importance of international experiences as part of a well-rounded college education.

“Every company I worked with had a huge international presence. Our family spent three and a half years overseas before moving back to Ohio, but I continued to travel extensively for work over the remainder of my career,” Strickler said. “The world is only getting smaller, and it is important for business students to have that international perspective.”

To bolster Smeal’s efforts to give students an international perspective, Strickler and his wife, Alice, have made a $2.5 million estate commitment to support international experiences, which will be honored by naming the Strickler Office of International Programs. The Stricklers have also made a gift commitment to provide immediate discretionary support for international programs and study abroad experiences.

The college will host a reception at 3 p.m. Friday, Oct. 13, to celebrate the Strickler’s gift.

Terrence Guay, Smeal’s associate dean for international programs and director of the Center for Global Business Studies, echoed the Stricklers’ belief in the value of international perspectives.

“Business is inherently influenced by economic events in other countries, global supply chains, political events abroad and socio-cultural contexts,” Guay said. “Developing a fundamental knowledge of these global influences will help prepare students for a career in an increasingly dynamic and interconnected global environment.”

Charles H. Whiteman, John and Karen Arnold Dean of Smeal, said international experiences are among Smeal’s highest strategic priorities.

“It is remarkable to have alumni and friends like George and Alice who share our commitment to cultivating a global skill set for our students and who choose to share their resources with us to make that commitment a reality,” Whiteman said. “Their gift will be crucial to our success in preparing our students for the increasing complexity of a global economy, and I am grateful for their support.”

Under Guay’s leadership, Smeal’s Office of International Programs oversees all global opportunities for Smeal undergraduate students. This includes managing the international business minor, study abroad programs and international internships.

According to Guay, the Stricklers’ gift will position Smeal to expand international business course offerings, foster an international component in courses across the business disciplines and encourage global experiences and cocurricular programming.

“In essence, the Stricklers’ gift will support all Smeal students in their quest to gain a more international perspective, utilizing not just study abroad opportunities, but also curriculum development, participation in student clubs, organizations and case competition teams and attendance at conferences and lectureships,” Guay said.

George Strickler earned a degree in accounting from Penn State in 1969 and an MBA from the University of Akron in 1974. He also earned the CPA (certified public accountant) certification in Ohio in 1974.

He began his career at Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. in 1969 and worked in a variety of finance and treasury positions, culminating as vice president of finance and chief accounting officer. He joined automotive supplier BorgWarner as its executive vice president and CFO in 2001 and later served as executive vice president and chief financial officer with steel producer Republic Engineered Products.

In 2006, he joined Stoneridge Inc., a designer and manufacturer of highly engineered electrical and electronic systems, as executive vice president and chief financial officer, and he retired in 2018 as executive vice president of strategic growth. Today, he chairs the board of directors of Summa Health, a $2.1 billion nonprofit health organization in his hometown of Akron, Ohio. He is also an active member of the Smeal Board of Visitors.

Alice Strickler earned a degree in elementary education from the University of Akron in 1970. She was teaching third grade in the Akron, Ohio, area when she and George first met. Within a year, they married.

The Stricklers have four children, including Smeal graduates George and Stephen, who earned degrees in accounting in 1999 and 2003, respectively. Stephen also earned a master's in computer science from DePaul University.

Their son, Todd, graduated from UCLA and went on to earn an MBA from IMD in Lausanne, Switzerland, while their daughter, Lauren, has an undergraduate degree from Dartmouth College and an MBA from Georgetown University. The Stricklers also have seven grandchildren.

They recalled that their years abroad were exceptional and the experiences were endless.

“Living abroad gave us such a different perspective from our life in Ohio, and it was wonderful to see our children embrace the experience as much as we did,” Alice said.

Although she left her teaching career when they moved overseas, Alice said she has always been a teacher, helping her young children while living abroad while also tutoring Italian and Argentine children who were learning English as a second language. After their return to Akron, Ohio, she was a Sunday School teacher for more than 20 years.

Like her husband, Alice is actively involved at Summa Health, where she has served as a member of the Women’s Board for more than 35 years. While their children were young, she said she relished the opportunity to volunteer in the school system, serving as PTA President, PTA Treasurer and room mother at various times. She is also a member of the University of Akron Women’s Committee since 2005.

The Stricklers are no strangers to philanthropy. At Penn State, they previously endowed the Strickler Family Trustee Scholarship and the Strickler Family Open Doors Scholarship at Smeal. Both scholarships are intended to help make a college education more affordable for students with limited financial means.

Reflecting on their most recent gift to Penn State, George said it was a natural fit for them.

“My international assignments were the greatest learning experiences in my career. They helped me develop skills like critical thinking and reasoning that benefited me throughout my career. Without those experiences, I don’t believe I would have risen to a level professionally that matched my aspirations,” he said.

“Alice and I believe that the more opportunities you have to gain that perspective, and to do so at a young age, the better prepared you’ll be for success. We want that for as many people as possible.”

Donors like the Stricklers advance the University’s historic land-grant mission to serve and lead. Through philanthropy, alumni and friends are helping students to join the Penn State family and prepare for lifelong success; driving research, outreach and economic development that grow our shared strength and readiness for the future; and increasing the University’s impact for families, patients, and communities across the Commonwealth and around the world. Learn more by visiting raise.psu.edu.