New Alumni Director Aims To Grow Alumni Involvement In Smeal

UNIVERSITY PARK, PA (March 29, 2006)—Anne Johnson has joined Penn State's Smeal College of Business as director of alumni relations, bringing with her some new and creative ways to engage alumni in the activities of the college.

Johnson's main goal in her new position is to leverage the varied strengths of the college's alumni and match them to the current needs of Smeal. First, she is focusing on the recruitment process.

"Prospective students and their parents are very interested in outcomes," she said. "Showing them that Smeal's high-caliber education leads to superior experiences and job placement is a very strong recruiting message. And there is no better way to get that message across than by showcasing the successes of our alumni."

One of Johnson's first recruiting initiatives is a tailgate prior to the Penn State Blue-White football scrimmage on April 22. High-achieving prospective students and their parents have been invited to attend and meet with current students, faculty, and alumni.

"Anne has a great vision for the role of alumni and the future of the college," said Smeal Interim Dean Kenneth Lusht. "The programs she is developing will enrich the educational experience of Smeal students while creating new networking and professional growth opportunities for our alumni."

Johnson has been with Penn State for more than 10 years, working in admissions, marketing, public relations, and multimedia. She became interested in alumni relations after directing a series of alumni videos aimed at illustrating the quality of a Penn State education.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from Oglethorpe University in Atlanta and a M.A. in student affairs in higher education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Johnson is currently pursuing a doctorate in higher education at Penn State.

For more information on how you can become more involved in Smeal, please contact Johnson at annej@psu.edu.