Alumni and friends are an integral part of the College of Arts and Architecture family. Thanks to your involvement, we are able to support students and faculty in their studies and in their creative and research pursuits. Graduating does not take you out of the equation – it just means there are new ways for you to stay involved and connected.
WE ARE…award-winning actors, architects, graphic designers, artists, musicians, lighting designers, set designers, stage managers, photographers, landscape architects, art historians, art, music and museum educators, and more. Nearly 20,000 Penn State alumni call the College of Arts and Architecture home!
If you are a College of Arts and Architecture graduate and you join the Penn State Alumni Association, you automatically become a member of the Arts and Architecture Alumni Society. We benefit from annual funding from the Penn State Alumni Association based on membership. Some of this funding is used to support alumni events, and a portion of it is made available to departmental alumni groups (APGs) for activities specific to the department’s alumni base. The Arts and Architecture Alumni Society is governed by a board of directors that meets quarterly. There are occasional openings for new members. For more information about a position on the Alumni Society Board, please get in touch!
Kelsey Knight, director of alumni relations & stewardship
Email: kms468@psu.edu
Phone: 814-863-2143
Ashley Hardison, assistant director of alumni relations
Email: amb1045@psu.edu
Phone: 814-863-0622
The Arts and Architecture Alumni Society and departmental alumni groups serve as vital resources for students and fellow alumni. Networking, mentoring, connecting across disciplines – these are just a few ways you can be involved.
As the governing body of the Arts and Architecture Alumni Society, the members of the board serve as a resource for the College of Arts and Architecture by promoting ongoing communication and relationships among alumni, students, faculty, administration, and affiliated groups.
Frank Dittenhafer – ’78 Architecture
President
President, Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects; York, PA | fed@murphdittarch.com
Mike Fisher – ’79 Landscape Architecture
Principal, Site Resources, Inc.; Phoenix, MD | mfisher@siteresourcesinc.com
Michael Fratangelo – ’01 Visual Arts
Visual Arts Alumni Group Representative
Artist and Art Educator; Pittsburgh, PA | michael@fratangelo.com | http://fratangelo.com
Mark Hackenburg – ’88 B.S. Landscape Architecture
Vice President/President-Elect
Principal, RGS Associates, Inc.; Lancaster, PA | mhackenburg@rgsassociates.com
Brian Kappel – ’98 B.A. Visual Arts
Artist/Owner, Spacemonkey Designs; Beaverton, OR | bk@spacemonkeydesigns.com
Michael C. Karns – ’11 BFA Theatre (Stage Management)
CEO, Marathon Digital; New York, NY | mike@marathondgtl.com
Allison Keilman – ’09 Bachelor of Arts
Exhibition Program Specialist, National Portrait Gallery; Washington, DC | alli.keilman@gmail.com
John Kovalchik – ’71 Music Education
Alumni Bands Alumni Group Representative
Retired Music Educator; State College, PA | jkt6tuba@aol.com
Peter Margittai – ’93 Architecture
Immediate Past President
Architect; Pittsburgh, PA | peter@margittai.com
Jared Edgar McKnight – ’11 B.Arch.
Associate, WRT Design | mckjared@gmail.com
Brendan Michels – ’18 B.A. Music Education
Music Alumni Group Representative
Music Teacher, Pocono Mountain School District; Swiftwater, PA | bfmichels@gmail.com
Dr. Richard Nasto, Ed.D. – ’96 B.S. Music Education, ’99 M.Mus.
Music Educator at Merrick Union Free School District; New York | jazzersaxman@gmail.com
Katherine O’Hara – ’92 B.A. Graphic Design
Doug Patt – ’91 B.Arch.
Architect, Creator, Author, Teacher; Allentown, PA | dpatt@mac.com
Sarah Pettit – ’09 B.A. Architecture
Architecture Alumni Group Representative
Associate, MGA Partners Architects; Philadelphia, PA | stpettit@gmail.com
Morgan Pierce – ’89 B.S. Landscape Architecture
Principal, 3 North; San Francisco, CA | mpierce@3north.com
Michael Smanko – ’77 MFA Theatre
Theatre Alumni Group Representative
(Retired) Production Props Supervisor; New Jersey | michaelsmanko@gmail.com
Lisa Thomas – ’81 Landscape Architecture
Principal, Glackin Thomas Panzak, Inc.; Paoli, PA | lthomas@glackinplan.com
APGs are groups of alumni who share a common interest in a particular academic unit or department. There are no dues to join the department-based groups – by being a graduate, all alumni are automatically members. The APGs in the College of Arts and Architecture are focused on issues that are uniquely valued by their own departments, and each is governed by its own board of directors. The College of Arts and Architecture is also home to the Alumni Blue Band Association APG, because of its unique relationship with the School of Music.
To become actively involved in an APG, contact Kelsey Knight (kms468@psu.edu) or Ashley Hardison (amb1045@psu.edu) in the Arts and Architecture Alumni Office or get in touch directly with the group’s current contact person listed below.
Membership in the Architecture Alumni (AAG) is automatic for all graduates of Penn State Architecture with no dues. The group exists to help provide a connection with alumni, and the board of directors acts as an informal advisory group to the department. By expanding the participation of alumni relationships, the group hopes to promote interaction between alumni, students, faculty, staff and friends for the benefit and ongoing improvement of the department.
| Members | Position |
|---|---|
| Matthew Graham (2012) | President |
| Alex Donahue (2013) | Vice President |
| Carla Bonacci (1982) | Secretary-Treasurer |
| Sara Pettit (2009) | Immediate Past President and A&A Rep |
| Andrew Phillips (1988) | Member |
| Xavier King (2020) | DEI Committee Chair |
| Bob Krieger (1980) | Member |
| Edwina Jean-Louis (2007) | Member |
| Andrew Barnett (2018) | Mentoring Committee Co-Chair |
| Paige Geldrich (2018) | Communications Committee Chair |
| Shewtanc Bothra (2021) | Recent Graduate |
| Kelsey Knight (2006) | Director of Alumni Relations & Stewardship |
| Ashley Hardison (2015) | Assistant Director of Alumni Relations |
The Art History Alumni Circle was established to help foster the alumni community and promote interaction between alumni and the department by communicating alumni achievements, departmental news and events; and supporting mentoring and networking opportunities for alumni, students, and faculty.
This group is seeking some leadership! Meeting in person is not required; arrangements for occasional Zoom or Teams meetings can be arranged. A mix of art history undergrad and graduate alumni would be desirable; relatively recent (past 10-15 years) alumni are particularly encouraged to consider how you might support the department through your service. If interested in the Art History Alumni Circle, please contact contact Kelsey Knight (kms468@psu.edu) or Ashley Hardison (amb1045@psu.edu) in the A&A Alumni Office.
The Graphic Design Alumni Group connects alumni to each other, the program, and current students. The group encourages and supports education and career opportunities through a variety of programs including professional mentorship, virtual portfolio reviews, and more. Membership in the alumni group is open to all graduates of the program.
Join the Graphic Design Alumni Listserv by contacting the Arts and Architecture Alumni Office.
| Members | Position |
|---|---|
| Karin Satrom (2001) | President |
| Lisa Hopey (2005) | Vice President |
| Katherine O’Hara (1992) | Secretary/A&A Alumni Liaison |
| Eric Yeamans (2010) | Mentoring Coordinator |
| Gabe Kean (1995) | Member |
| Adam Cohn (1993) | Member |
| Jason Giles (2009) | Member |
| Madison Urich (2020) | Member |
| Aniekan Udo (2006) | Member |
| Lucas Sterrett (2022) | Member |
| Kelsey Knight (2006) | Director of Alumni Relations & Stewardship |
| Ashley Hardison (2015) | Assistant Director of Alumni Relations |
Membership in the Landscape Architecture Alumni Group (L.Arch. APG) is automatic for all graduates of the program with no dues. The group exists to provide a connection with alumni, and the board of directors acts as an informal advisory group to the department. The L.Arch. APG was the first academic department-based alumni group in the College of Arts and Architecture, and the group provides strong support to current students in numerous ways, including a mentorship program. The group has also established a program endowment that will provide funds in perpetuity to be used to benefit students.
| Members | Position |
|---|---|
| Terrie Brightman (2004) | President |
| Stacy Fisher (1979) | Vice President |
| Lisa Thomas (1981) | Immediate Past President/ A&A Liaison |
| Katie Kovalchik (2015) | Secretary |
| Christopher Maurer (2014) | Treasurer |
| Roxi Thoren | Department Head |
| Eliza Pennypacker | Faculty Representative |
| Mallika Bose | Interim Director of Stuckeman School |
| Julie Cantola Kirsch (2009) | Member |
| Kelly Gutshall (1984) | Member |
| Ashley Feitel (2014) | Member |
| Jim DeTuerk (1960) | Member |
| Evan Stone (1986) | Member |
| Kelsey Knight | Director of Alumni Relations & Stewardship |
| Ashley Hardison | Assistant Director of Alumni Relations |
The Penn State School of Music Affiliate Program Group was founded with the purpose of providing a forum by which all School of Music alumni can grow professionally and personally and stay connected with each other and to the School. The group works with the Director of the School of Music in remaining informed about the affairs of the School, encourages and supports educational and career opportunities for students in the field of music, and helps foster a sense of pride in the School of Music while enhancing its reputation and prestige.
| Members | Position |
|---|---|
| Brendan Michels (2018) | President |
| Russell Bloom | Faculty Representative |
| RJ David Frego | Director of the School of Music |
| Julia Grossman (2017) | Member |
| Olivia Dowd (2018) | Member |
| Carol Poblete (2008) | Member |
| Theresa Hoover (2002) | Member |
| Kelsey Knight | Director of Alumni Relations & Stewardship |
| Ashley Hardison | Assistant Director of Alumni Relations |
Membership in the Theatre Alumni Group is automatic for all graduates of the Penn State School of Theatre with no dues. The group exists to help provide connections between alumni, and between alumni and current students. The board of directors meets by Zoom regularly, to discuss the group’s initiatives. In its relatively short time of existence, the Theatre Alumni Group has already been recognized by the Penn State Alumni Association for its exceptional alumni/student interaction programming. The group is currently governed by the board of directors listed below.
| Members | Position |
|---|---|
| Allison Lee (1995) | President |
| Rick Lombardo | Director, SoT |
| Steve Snyder | SoT Faculty Representative |
| Jonah Schwartz | Student Representative |
| Georgia Wood | Student Representative |
| Benjamin Nissen (2018) | Member |
| Carolyn Quinn (2016) | Member/IPP |
| Christina Talley (2008) | Member |
| Dan Walker (1994) | Member |
| Heather Augustine (2012) | Member |
| Laura Matey (2011) | Member |
| Leslie A. Jones (1985) | Member |
| Paul-Jordan Jansen (2012) | Member |
| Kelsey Knight | Director of Alumni Relations & Stewardship |
| Ashley Hardison | Assistant Director of Alumni Relations |
The School of Visual Alumni Group was founded with the purpose of providing a forum in which alumni of the Penn State School of Visual Arts (SoVA) can stay connected to each other and to the School, remain informed about the affairs of the School and the College. The group hopes to assist the School, as appropriate, in the recruitment of students, and to support and encourage educational and career opportunties for students in the fields of visual arts and art education.
| Members | Position |
|---|---|
| Vincente Ortiz Cortez (2014) | President |
| Nicole Packard (2014) | Vice President |
| Emilee Taylor (1974) | Secretary |
| Rebecca Poarch (2020) | Social Media Coordinator |
| Greta Miller | Incoming Student Representative |
| Michael Frantangelo (2001) | SoVA APG Representative to A&A Society Board |
| Vagner Mendonça- Whitehead | SoVA Director |
| Kaylie Maines (2018) | Faculty Representative |
| Yang Deng | Student Representative |
| Jeremy Dennis (2016) | Member |
| Heather Bhandari (1999) | Member |
| Jason Lahr (1999) | Member |
| Kelsey Knight | Director of Alumni Relations & Stewardship |
| Ashley Hardison | Assistant Director of Alumni Relations |
As an alum of Penn State University and the Blue Band, you have three opportunities to join the Alumni Blue Band Association and support the alumni and current members of the Penn State Marching Blue Band! Complete details about the Alumni Blue Band Association (ABBA) can be found at the ABBA website.
Scholarships help give students financial security so they can focus on their studies. Program endowments support faculty endeavors that raise the profile of their creative work, their research, and their interdisciplinary initiatives. Your gift could allow an undergraduate to take an unpaid internship, or a faculty member to conduct on-site research for her next book.
The mission of the Alumni Association is to connect alumni to the University and to each other, to provide valued services to members, and to support the University’s mission of teaching, research, and service.
Learn more about alumni events, groups, travel, career opportunities, giving, leadership, and so much more. The opportunities are endless.
We want to keep in touch with you! As you move through life – taking on new roles and marking new achievements – we hope that you will reach out and let us know so that we can celebrate your successes. Feel free to provide updates via the Alumni Association update form. If you have professional news that might be of interest to the larger community of Arts and Architecture alumni and students, please reach out to us.
Similarly, we love to share student, faculty, alumni, and school news, events, and happenings. Units across the college send out e-news publications that help to keep you abreast of the latest from your alma mater. Please complete the form below to indicate the information you’d like to receive.
