The Penn State World Campus Alumni Society received three awards during the Penn State Alumni Association’s annual Volunteer Awards ceremony.
This is the first time the World Campus chapter has received these awards.
The Penn State World Campus Alumni Society is a global network of alumni that fosters engagement among graduates, the University, students, and future students. Members of the Society are members of the Penn State Alumni Association.
The virtual ceremony, hosted by the Alumni Association on July 27, showcased the commitment and passion of alumni who help create memorable and engaging experiences for their fellow Penn Staters. Categories highlighted individual and collaborative achievements that further the Penn State community.
An alumna and officer of the World Campus Alumni Society received an award for her volunteerism and mentorship, while the Alumni Society received two group awards for activities held in 2024.
The awards are the Mark and Carol Poblete Award for Alumni Leadership Development, the Group Award: Joint Activities, and the Ned Brokloff Award for Alumni Association Affiliate Group Innovation.
Mark and Carol Poblete Award for Alumni Leadership Development
Michelle Buzzelli ’19g received the 2024 Mark and Carol Poblete Award for Alumni Leadership Development, which recognizes an individual volunteer for their role in mentoring, supporting, and motivating emerging alumni volunteer leaders.
Buzzelli is a Penn State World Campus alumna, earning a graduate degree in homeland security. Since earning her Penn State degree, Buzzelli has served her community and fellow alumni in many ways. She served on the Penn State Alumni Council from 2020 to 2023 and immediately began a term with the World Campus Alumni Society. Buzzelli spearheaded the “Roar Where You Are” Scavenger Hunt, an activity that engages alumni near and far during the Penn State Alumni Association’s annual “We Are Weekend,” an annual celebration for alumni.
She is active in her local alumni chapter in Baltimore, Maryland, and is an avid supporter of World Campus Alumni Society activities. Buzzelli also serves as a FastStart mentor for the Alumni Association and volunteers in her community.
Her nominator described Buzzelli as a devoted member of the Penn State community who is committed to volunteerism and mentorship.
“Michelle has served the University in more ways than most do in a lifetime,” her nominator wrote.
Group Award: Joint Activities
The Penn State Alumni Association presents the Joint Activities Award to honor two or more groups that have collaborated on a program or event in an effort to reach a broader audience.
Three alumni societies teamed up in 2024 to host an event in which Penn Staters engaged with one another and heard updates from leadership. The Penn State World Campus Alumni Society, the Great Valley Alumni Society, and the J. Jeffrey and Ann Marie Fox Graduate School Alumni Society joined together to host alumni at the Great Valley campus in Malvern, Pennsylvania.
“Meet the Leaders and Learn about Innovation in Online, Graduate, and Professional Education” was the first joint activity between the three societies, with several months of collaboration between the alumni volunteers and advancement teams.
More than 75 guests attended from the three alumni societies. They heard from Renata Engel, who was then the vice provost for Online Education and is now serving as the interim vice president for Commonwealth Campuses and executive chancellor. Attendees also heard from Colin Neill, chancellor of Great Valley, and Levon Esters, dean of the Fox Graduate School and vice provost for Graduate Education.
Alumni also had the opportunity to ask questions of leaders, voice concerns, and speak with faculty and staff members. They ended the evening with Penn State Berkey Creamery ice cream and shared their Penn State stories with one another.
The nominator shared positive remarks from attendees, who felt a sense of connection through the event. Its success provided a blueprint for additional campuses and units to create similar opportunities for their alumni and include other subgroups of the Penn State community.
Ned Brokloff Award for Alumni Association Affiliate Group Innovation
The Ned Brokloff Award for Alumni Association Affiliate Group Innovation honors groups that have created new offerings or programs for alumni members.
The Penn State World Campus Alumni Society received recognition for its “Roar Where You Are” Scavenger Hunt. The hunt coincided with the annual Penn State Alumni Association’s “We Are Weekend,” festivities.
The inaugural event included 44 alumni, along with their families, friends, and pets, who shared their Penn State pride from their homes across the nation. This Penn State-themed scavenger hunt included 54 specifically designed challenges that could be completed regardless of campus proximity.
Tasks included taking a photo wearing Penn State gear, finding a lion or something Penn State blue around their neighborhood, and donating a Blue and White Society membership for a current student.
The four-day event included virtual kick-off and closing events, during which attendees exchanged stories from their adventures and engaged with their fellow Penn Staters. A few winners were crowned based on a points system for the competition and received swag packs including one-inch-tall Nittany Lion statues made especially for this event by the Penn State students at The Learning Factory.
“We received comments that this event gave those who could not travel to campus a way to feel connected during the celebratory weekend,” the nominator wrote. “Participants felt closer to their fellow alumni and Dear Old State through the experience.”
The Penn State World Campus Alumni Society hosted the second “Roar Where You Are” Scavenger Hunt in June 2025; it welcomed participants who graduated in five of the last six decades, as well as international alumni. There are plans for another rendition in 2026.
World Campus Blue and White Society chapter recognized
Penn State World Campus also celebrated two awards for its Blue and White Society chapter. The Blue and White Society is the student branch of the Penn State Alumni Association.
The group received the New Beginnings Organization Award, which goes to a newly recognized or re-instated group that has established a strong foundation for success. The World Campus chapter previously went idle without a staff adviser, but since the role was refilled, student leaders joined the organization and were proactive in reinvigorating the club. It hosted a virtual professional development event and a networking event to bring together students and alumni.
The World Campus chapter of the Blue and White Society also received the Membership Engagement Award, which recognizes an organization that has prioritized the retention and active involvement of its membership. With 800 student members, the club is one of the largest student-led groups at the University. Its members supported the World Campus THON dancers and participated in two engagement fairs.