Following the Gong, a Podcast of the Schreyer Honors College at Penn State Schreyer Honors College

Overview:
Caroline Fitzgerald ’12 Bus, Lib is the CEO & Founder of GOALS - the first sports marketing & sponsorship agency that is fully dedicated to women's sports. Caroline joins Following the Gong to discuss her story and inspire both entrepreneurs and interest in women’s sports. She leveraged the opportunities of the Honors College to combine majors that fit her interests, earning a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from the Smeal College of Business and a Bachelor of Arts in Women and Gender Studies with Honors from the College of the Liberal Arts after participating in Club Basketball and serving on the THON Executive Committee as the 2011 Merch Director. Caroline walks us through her career from retail to non-profits to ultimately turning her side-hustle into her own business. Caroline’s full bio and a detailed list of topics are available below.
Guest Bio:
Caroline Fitzgerald ’12 Business, Liberal Arts is the CEO & Founder of GOALS - the first women's sports marketing & sponsorship agency that is fully dedicated to women's sports. GOALS works to grow women's sports by helping professional women’s sports teams & organizations gain more revenue through the formation of brand sponsorships. Before starting GOALS, Caroline worked for 10+ years as a marketing and sales professional across a variety of industries and was most recently the SVP of Partnerships at the DICK’S Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon where she was responsible for selling and activating partnerships with brands that include DICK’S Sporting Goods, FedEx, Brooks Running, Dunkin’, PNC Bank, Barefoot, Panera, Nuun Hydration, Bank of America, and more. Caroline earned her Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Penn State’s Smeal College of Business and her Bachelor of Arts with Honors in Women and Gender Studies from Penn State’s College of the Liberal Arts, both in 2012. She also earned a Masters in Global Sport from the Tisch Institute for Global Sport at New York University. Caroline served as the Merchandise Director for THON 2011, Together Without Limits, and currently resides in her hometown of Pittsburgh, PA.
 
Episode Topics:
 

Following siblings to Penn State and the Honors College as a current Penn State student
Integrating interests like sports and feminism  into your college, major, and career
Integrating dual majors through the thesis with the example of analyzing breast cancer awareness marketing
Being heavily involved on campus and still succeeding academically including serving as a THON Director (Merch) and how this translates to life after college
Continuing high school athletics at the D1 Club level as a student and Scholar
Making the most of on-campus recruitment opportunities and internships to begin your career
A pitstop discussing the Heinz History Center
Working in retail, and the differences between the store and the corporate offices and between retail and non-profit entities
Taking action to fill a space in the market, such as a for-profit, purpose driven sports marketing agency aimed at women’s sports
Taking a side hustle to a full-time job and balancing growth vs. market niches
Using a talent like sports to be an extra in film & TV
Celebrating success and learning from failures
Thoughts on mentorship

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Overview:
Dr. Eric Gibney '94 Sci joins Following the Gong to discuss careers in medicine and organ transplant science and care. Dr. Gibney graduated from the Eberly College of Science in 1994 with a BS in Biology and with Honors in Nutrition and then earned his Doctor of Medicine from the Emory University School of Medicine in 1998. He now serves as the Director of the Piedmont Transplant Institute in Atlanta, where specializes in internal medicine with a focus on nephrology and transplant care with a special emphasis on kidney transplants. Eric shares his experiences at Penn State including Lion Ambassadors, life guarding, and the Disney College Program before turning his attention to giving insights on med school and mentorship. He also shares an overview of the transplant process – making this episode of interest to any Scholar and not just those interested in healthcare. Eric’s full bio and a detailed list of topics are available below.
 
Guest Bio:
Dr. Eric M. Gibney ’94 Science is a Program Director for the Piedmont Transplant Institute in Atlanta GA. He is a transplant nephrologist who specializes in kidney diseases and transplantation. Dr. Gibney's special interests include living kidney donation, transplant outreach, kidney disease in patients with liver disease, transplantation in HIV and clinical immunosuppression. He has also served as President of the Piedmont Atlanta Medical Staff with interests in patient safety and physician engagement. Prior to joining Piedmont Transplant Institute, Dr. Gibney was a transplant nephrologist with the Division of Nephrology at the Hume-Lee Transplant Center at Virginia Commonwealth University. Dr. Gibney earned a BS in Biology with Honors in Nutrition from Penn State in 1994 and received his medical degree from Emory University School of Medicine in 1998. He completed his residency at New York University School of Medicine where he was also chief medical resident. He then completed a fellowship in nephrology and transplant nephrology at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver. Dr. Gibney is board certified in internal medicine and nephrology and has been published in numerous medical journals.
 
Episode Topics:

Inspiration to attend Penn State for the big school advantages and the Honors College for the small school community
Choosing a career in medicine from high school experiences
Being involved on campus from Lion Ambassadors to lifeguarding & IM sports and even the Disney College Program
Completing a thesis outside your major
Perspectives on med school applications, finding fit, and “enjoying where you are” in med school
Thoughts on the final year at Penn State and final year of med school
Picking a specific discipline within medicine
Healthcare leadership and management
A very general overview of kidney diseases, nephrology, and the transplant process (not a formal medical opinion – please consult your physician if needed)
The impact of the pandemic on transplant programs and patients
Finding wellness as a medical professional
Mentorship as a medical student and professional

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Alumni

Overview:
Reggie Hedgebeth ’89 Liberal Arts joins the show to discuss his career in corporate legal leadership. Reggie graduated from the College of the Liberal Arts with Honors in Economics in 1989 and went on to earn his JD at Harvard Law. He shares his career journey where he has served in senior, c-suite level roles for large organizations in a variety of industries from retail to energy to finance with vast responsibilities beyond the legal departments including HR and supply chain management. Reggie, a 2020 Penn State Alumni Fellow, provides his insight as not only a legal officer but as a corporate leader who has experienced the highs and lows of serving in these roles across the country. This episode will be helpful for any Scholar, and especially those seeking careers in law or business. You can read a more robust bio of Reggie and a more detailed breakdown of the topics we cover further down in the show notes. This episode was recorded prior to Reggie’s departure from Capital Group.
 
Guest Bio:
Reggie Hedgebeth ’89 Liberal Arts most recently served as the Chief Legal Officer of Capital Group, a financial services firm with over $2.6 trillion in equity and fixed income assets for millions of individual and institutional investors globally. Reggie also formerly served as executive vice president, general counsel and chief administrator for Marathon Oil Corporation; general counsel, corporate secretary and chief ethics and compliance officer for Spectra Energy Corp; general counsel for Spectra Energy Partners; senior vice president, general counsel and secretary for Circuit City Stores, Inc.; and vice president of legal for The Home Depot, Inc. Reggie began his legal career as an associate at King and Spalding, LLP, and prior to law school held various finance and commercial real estate positions at GE Capital. Reggie earned his Bachelor of Arts in Economics with Honors from Penn State’s College of the Liberal Arts in 1989 and his Juris Doctorate from Harvard Law School.  Reggie currently serves on the board of directors and as chair of the audit committee for BWC Terminals LLC, and the advisory board of The Artemis Fund, a venture capital fund with an exclusive focus on investments in companies led by female founders. He is also a member of the external advisory board of the Schreyer Honors College at Penn State, where he was named a 2020 Penn State Alumni Fellow and a 2011-2012 Outstanding Scholar Alumnus.
 
Episode Topics:

Coming to University Park from out of state and sight unseen and choosing a major deeper into your academic career
Using student experiences like serving as a TA and working in student radio in your career
Comparing the Honors experience at Penn State to law school
Working in a law firm and then as in-house counsel
Insights on working as an attorney in different industries including retail, energy, and finance & asset management
Learning management and subject matter specifics as a chief legal officer
Networking and the power of building relationships
The role of the chief legal officer and working in the “C-Suite” with other senior executives and what that means
Sitting on corporate boards of directors
Navigating the corporate ladder and relocating across the country
Getting involved with local non-profits and staying involved with the Honors College as an alum
Reflective advice from over thirty years in corporate & legal settings for any Scholar

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Overview:
Scholar Alumni couple Erin (’99 Com) & Tony (’99 Eng) Talbert join Following the Gong to share their joint story and advice after meeting early in their Penn State journey. After serving as Lion Ambassadors and ringing the gong, Erin pursued a career in consulting and Tony went into financial services roles. They shared their advice on these fields, including commercial real estate, family transitions, and career transitions including moving into roles in community organizations and small businesses. Erin and Tony offer advice that is helpful for any Scholar, not just those in similar fields, as they both took directions away from their major and have navigated their journey together, including as donors to and volunteers with the College. For each of their bios and a more detailed breakdown, continue reading these show notes!
Guest Bio:
Erin Talbert ’99 Communications is currently an active community volunteer, elected School Board member and small business owner. Before that she spent nearly 20 years working in the pharmaceuticals industry. In her 11 years at AstraZeneca, Erin worked in several commercial roles including Marketing, Managed Markets, and Sales. In her 7 years with Accenture, Erin focused on change management, organizational design, and communications. She now owns Brandywine Outdoor Living and works with landscape architects and their clients to add the outdoor "finishings" to large scale landscape projects including furniture, lighting, shade, and planters. Erin graduated from Penn State’s Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications with Bachelor of Arts in Advertising/Public Relations with Honors and a minor in Labor & Industrial Relations from Penn State in 1999.
Tony Talbert ’99 Engineering is a Partner of The Shidler Group, where he is responsible for real estate investments, acquisitions, capital markets and developing new investment strategies, including The Shidler Group’s most recent multifamily, hotel, and net-lease investment platforms. Since joining The Shidler Group in 2013, Tony  has been instrumental in the acquisition of over $3.24 billion of office, hospitality, and multifamily assets throughout the U.S. Tony was previously with Chatham Financial Group where he co-founded the firm’s real estate investment banking practice where he specialized in capital raising and complex debt advisory assignments, including a $1.3 billion securitization of One Bryant Park in New York after beginning his career on Chatham’s derivative desk. Tony graduated from Penn State’s College of Engineering with a Bachelor of Science with Honors in Industrial Engineering in 1999.  He earned his Master of Business Administration from Columbia Business School in 2004.
Episode Topics:
· Coming to University Park and choosing Schreyer from Maryland and Hawaii and as a first-generation student – and meeting your future spouse on day 1!
· Selecting a major based on skills rather than topics and as a first-gen student, or as a student in DUS
· Making a career pivot as you are nearing graduation based on pre-professional experiences and succeeding regardless of alignment with your major
· Leading while walking backwards with the Lion Ambassadors
· Working your way through school with on- and off-campus jobs and managing time
· Learning from pragmatic thesis topics like marketing plans and product component dissection
· Going to business school after starting your career and switching from consulting to corporate roles
· Stepping away from traditional careers to focus on family and finding new opportunities locally
· A crash course on working in commercial real estate and forming business partnerships
&midd

Overview:
Don Aguillo ’07 A&A is a freelance illustrator and comic creator based in San Francisco, California. He has over fifteen years of experience in comics, tabletop games, and working fulltime in his area of passion as both an artist and entrepreneur. Don shares his experiences as a first-generation American at Penn State, life as a Resident Assistant on campus and also studying (and drawing) abroad. Don explains the ins and outs of being a fulltime artist and how he self-promotes, enhances his skills, and evolves his style, and manages the business side of this career path in addition to promoting education of his Filipino heritage. You can read a full breakdown of topics below.
Guest Bio:
Don Aguillo ’07 Arts & Architecture is a freelance illustrator and comic creator in San Francisco, California where he illustrates covers for McFarlane Productions' Spawn series published by Image Comics, produces their own ongoing comic series, Rise, with Scout Comics, and work on other projects such as Adi Shankar's Netflix series Guardians of Justice and a host of commissions and freelance projects across the entertainment industry and independent publishing communities. Before this, he has worked for Stan Lee's company in concept work for one of his later projects, tabletop gaming projects, card games, book covers and art asset design work in all these fields. He earned a BFA with Honors from Penn State’s College of Arts & Architecture in 2007. Please feel free to connect with them or follow them @artofdonaguillo across all social media platforms to explore commissions or have him speak about his work.
Episode Topics:
· Choosing Penn State after growing up as an immigrant within earshot of Beaver Stadium
· Finding a passion – like drawing – in an elective/general education course as a STEM student
· Informing parents & family about changing your major – especially away from a familial path
· Being a Schreyer Scholar in the creative arts including the thesis process for a fine arts major
· Finding family, leadership education, and lifelong interests on campus through clubs like the Penn State Filipino Association and martial arts groups
· Living and working as a Resident Assistant (RA) while also being a Scholar and as a “townie”
· Using study abroad as an opportunity to test yourself and develop a vision for your future career
· Jumping at opportunities when they are presented – like being hired to an animation studio
· Determining that freelance work is the right path for you in the arts or other professions, and using each job to enhance your skills, the benefits, and challenges of this career style
· Developing and defining your personal artwork aesthetic
· Working in comics, board games, film & television, and getting paid for your work and worth
· New school technology for drawing
· Other industries where an art degrees can are useful – and the hard and soft skills that go with them for successful professionals
· Navigating artist job interviews vs. traditional interviews
· Balancing primary and secondary skill sets or media x and thoughts on overcoming creative blocks
· Showcasing work at signature industry events like San Diego Comic Con and Seattle Comic Con 
· The importance of feedback for continued learning and development as well as relationship building
· The relationship between visual, performing, and martial arts and learning culture through all three
· The importance of knowing the foundations above all else in art
· Writing, illustrating, and self-pu

Overview:
Diana Adams ’13 Berks is the Executive Director of Brevard Heart Foundation, co-owner and Community Engagement Coordinator of Rock Paper Simple, and a Council Member for the City of West Melbourne in Brevard County, Florida which come on the heels of a seven year career in elementary education in Florida where she earned numerous awards, including Teacher of the Year for her school and the Dr. Theron Trimble Elementary Social Studies Teacher of the Year award for the state of Florida. She earned a BS in Elementary Education with Honors from Penn State Berks in 2013, followed by a Masters in Educational Leadership from the University of West Florida and is currently working on her Doctorate in Public Administration from Valdosta State University. Diana discusses many topics that can be helpful to Scholars of all stripes. After sharing her experience coming to Penn State at a non-traditional age, staying at a Commonwealth Campus, and moving out of state for her first teaching job, Diana discusses making a career change in her 20s, working in non-profits, small business, and public administration. She also shares thoughts on making the most the thesis and Scholar experience and overcoming personal adversity.
Guest Bio:
Diana Adams ’13 Berks is the Executive Director of Brevard Heart Foundation, co-owner and Community Engagement Coordinator of Rock Paper Simple, and a Council Member for the City of West Melbourne in Brevard County, Florida. In each of her roles, she seeks to address community needs by using data and relationships to make a positive difference in her community, in particularly the fields of business, healthcare, and local government. Prior to her current roles, Diana was a teacher in Florida for seven years, where she earned numerous awards, including Teacher of the Year for her school and the Dr. Theron Trimble Elementary Social Studies Teacher of the Year award for the state of Florida. She earned a BS in Elementary Education with Honors from Penn State Berks in 2013, followed by a Masters in Educational Leadership from the University of West Florida and is currently working on her Doctorate in Public Administration from Valdosta State University. With her life dedicated to public service, Diana knows the value of connecting with others for the betterment of our communities and is happy to speak further about education, business, grants, and municipal government. Please feel free to connect with her at LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/diana-adams-010853179) or Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/blondiebookworm/)
Episode Specifics:
In this episode, Diana shares her insights on:
· Choosing Penn State Berks for being close to home and the smaller campus feel and the Honors College for the intellectual community it provides
· Pursuing an education major and selecting the right level for you – and test driving as a first-year student
· Starting college earlier than is “traditional”
· Balancing student teaching with writing a thesis, and using that thesis in interviews and in the classroom
· Brining life experience and identity to influence your thesis topic and research
· Job searching outside of Pennsylvania and ideas for job search research generally
· The ups and downs of being an elementary school teacher
· Making the decision to leave teaching and pursue new opportunities
· Handling your inclination to say “yes” to every opportunity
· Getting involved in municipal government – both as a citizen and as a leader
· Keeping a grounded approach to success through serving others
· Lessons from getting SCUBA certified despite a physical disability
· Thoughts on mentorship