UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — When senior Maria Howe found out she was chosen as the Penn State Smeal College of Business’s spring 2022 student marshal, it was affirmation that all of her hard work over the past four years had paid off. Out of her impressive list of accomplishments, she said, this recognition is the one she is most proud of.
“By exploring and taking advantage of Smeal’s diverse array of experiences, I have learned and developed so much,” Howe said. “I am overjoyed to be recognized as student marshal and feel a lot of validation because of the effort I have put into this college.”
Howe, a Schreyer Scholar, will be graduating Saturday with a 4.0 GPA, a bachelor’s degree in finance and a minor in economics. The Lancaster native has held multiple positions at the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program, including president, site coordinator and tax preparer, as well as vice president for operations for the Nittany Lion Fund. She also served as vice president for operations, lead fund manager of financials and director of Women on Wall Street.
After graduation, Howe will be returning to Perella Weinberg Partners where she previously interned to work as an investment banking analyst at its New York City headquarters.
“Through every experience, from classes to organizations, Smeal really emphasizes the importance of networking and making the most out of every connection,” Howe said. “It’s something that I’ve really taken to heart, and it has translated into my own success here.”
Howe described her path to finance as being “atypical.” Originally an actuarial science major at Smeal, she experimented with different areas of business through course work and internships before landing on finance. When she learned about the Nittany Lion Fund, she “fell in love” with what it was offering and decided to get involved.
“The fund is an example of the extra pushes Smeal gives its students and the kind of values and culture it endorses,” Howe said. “I think the college really challenges you to really push yourself, make the most of every opportunity and continue to move forward toward your goals.”
Her favorite class was Finance 301H, where she and her team prepared a comprehensive strategic business plan for North American Training Solutions LLC as her class capstone project, leading the preparation of the company’s five-year proforma financial statements for the plan, she said.
“The business plan is a huge undertaking, and it was an amazing opportunity for me to manage a group and get experience leading a real-life business plan,” Howe said. “Doing the plan and learning about a company in depth cemented my interest in finance.”
The course is taught by Greg Pierce, associate teaching professor of finance, who Howe described as being a mentor to her throughout her time in the college. As a teaching assistant (TA) for his BA 301 and Finance 301H classes, Howe helped Pierce with grading, proctoring exams and training new TAs each academic year.
In 2020, when Pierce was hospitalized from COVID-19, Howe and a second TA helped him tremendously by completing his three fall 2020 semester courses in collaboration with other professors, leading final exam reviews, conducting exams and compiling final grades for all three courses, “a function that they had never done before," he said.
In reflection of the support Howe offered to him through the harrowing experience, he said he was “blessed” to have her as a TA.
“Ms. Maria Howe is an incredible student, volunteer and mentor who richly deserves the honor of Smeal College marshal at the upcoming May 2022 commencement,” Pierce said.
Beyond her diverse array of experiences, Howe’s academic prowess is exemplified in the extensive list of scholarships and awards she has received:
- The President’s Freshman Award
- The President Sparks Award
- Evan Pugh Scholar Award
- Koch Family Scholarship
- Schreyer Academic Excellence Scholarship
- Dean’s List
In addition to Howe, the Smeal College of Business also recognizes student marshals within each department based on outstanding academic achievement and contributions to the college.
Being recognized as the accounting student marshal is Ashley Reed, who will be graduating with a bachelor’s degree in accounting and a minor in French and francophone studies. Reed, a Port Matilda native, is a recipient of the Evan Pugh scholar award and the President Sparks Award and is a member of the Beta Gamma Sigma International Business Honor Society. Following graduation, she will be working at Strawser Construction Inc. in Columbus, Ohio.
Pittsburgh native Taylor Geppert is the actuarial science student marshal and is a recipient of the Evan Pugh scholar award and the President’s Freshman award. A mathematics minor, Geppert interned with the Society of Actuaries’ Actuary of the Future Section Council and was the Director of Corporate Outreach for Smeal’s Actuarial Science club. After passing four actuarial exams, she will be joining Cigna Health & Life Insurance Company in Connecticut after graduation.
The corporate entrepreneurship & innovation student marshal is Maria Cesare, of Pen Argl, who received the Anthony “Tony” Warren scholarship and the University Provost award. Cesare was a teaching assistant at Smeal and is a member of the Beta Gamma Sigma International Business Honor Society. She will be attending graduate school at the University of Southern California pursuing a master’s degree in landscape architecture.
Finance student marshal Grant Hopkins is a Schreyer Scholar graduating with three bachelor of science degrees: finance, statistics, and mathematics, as well as a master’s degree in applied statistics. He held leadership positions in the Sapphire Leadership Academic Program and was a member of the Presidential Leadership Academy, and Alpha Kappa Psi business fraternity. Hopkins was a research assistant in Dr. Le Bao’s statistics lab and will be pursuing a doctorate in biostatistics after graduation.
Bennett Yousaitis, a Reading native, has been chosen as the management student marshal. Yousaitis will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in management and is a member of Phi Eta Sigma National Honor Society and THON Eclipse organization. He was also the assistant manager for the Antietam Valley Recreation & Community Center. Bennett plans on future employment in human resources.
The management information systems student marshal is Sarah Sheils, of Palmyra, who will be graduating with a bachelor’s degree in management information systems. She received the Evan Pugh scholar award, the President Sparks award and the Boeing charitable trust scholarship. Sheils was the vice president for the Management Information Systems student organization and interned at Ross Stores. She will be joining Clark Associates in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, as a procurement analyst.
The marketing student marshal is Vincent Alois, from Lewes, Delaware, who majored in marketing and minored in Chinese and sports studies. Alois was president of the Penn State Sports Business Club, a 2022 THON dancer, and recipient of the Chinese Language Program Certificate for Outstanding Achievement. He interned for the Penn State Center for the Study of Sports Intercollegiate Athletics Conference and plans on working in the marketing or partnerships space for a sports agency post-graduation.
From the Guangdong province in China, risk management student marshal Yushi Hou majored in the enterprise risk management option within enterprise risk management. She has concurrent majors in Japanese and statistics and a minor in international business. Hou was the president of the Enterprise Risk Management Association, a Smeal Student Mentor and the vice president for Penn State’s ERO Billiards Club in 2018. She has accepted a position with Kenja K.K. in Japan, a global entrepreneurial company that specializes in blockchain technology.
Katherine Groves, of Port Matilda, is the supply chain and information systems student marshal and will be graduating with a bachelor's degree in supply chain and information systems and a minor in French and francophone studies. She was the captain of Smeal’s Business Ethics Team, a Smeal Integrity Advocate, a member of Sigma Chi Mu Tau the Supply Chain Honor Society, and a recipient of Evan Pugh Scholar awards. She has accepted a position as a supply chain analyst at the Hershey Company.
Lastly, the ROTC student marshal is Daniel Hinton, of Dickson City, Pennsylvania, who majored in finance and has minors in information systems management and military studies. He was the president of Penn State’s Club Lacrosse team and the 2021 fall semester Nittany Lion Battalion’s Operation Officer. Daniel is a member of multiple honor societies. Following graduation, he will work as a military intelligence officer within the active-duty component of the United States Army.