Lion Legacy

1986 Penn State graduate Larry Jaffee loves this quote from Albert Einstein: "I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious." Larry's curiosity has led to a career in journalism, teaching and his latest endeavor, authoring the book "Record Store Day" that dives into vinyls' comeback. In this episode, we cover a wide range of topics that keep Larry curious. (7:33) - Pursuing a career in journalism (8:45) - Writing style (12:28) - Concerns about ChatGPT (13:11) - Advice to aspiring journalists (14:15) - Going into teaching (16:05) - Sports reporting (19:57) - Bringing the vinyl industry together (29:08) - Writing "Record Store Day" (31:15) - MTV's impact on the music industry (37:15) - Top record collection (39:57) - Lions Den presented by http://Lions-Pride.com: Penn State Experience Learn more at http://LarryJaffee.com. Special thanks to Penn State student intern Dan Bransfeld. Show off your Penn State pride with the latest apparel and gear by visiting http://Lions-Pride.com. Keep up with all the Penn State news at http://Collegian.PSU.edu. Join Penn State's network connecting students and alumni at http://Alumni.PSU.edu/LionLink. Lion Legacy is a Baroudeur Production and is not affiliated with Penn State University. Visit us at http://LionLegacyPodcast.com and http://Instagram.com/LionLegacyPodcast.

1982 Penn State graduate Jeff Coppola is all about journeys. From his current company, WorldStrides, that focuses on experiential trips for students, to his own professional journey through numerous industries, to his family's personal journey with autism, this episode has great nuggets on leadership and career insights. (5:25) - Getting to know Worldstrides (13:38) - Role at Worldstrides (18:58) - Putting the focus on the customer (22:45) - Early career lessons (27:33) - Transferable skills across industries (31:08) - Experiencing challenges (34:22) - Board Member for the Virginia Institute for Autism (39:08) - Lions Den presented by http://Lions-Pride.com: Penn State Experience Learn more at http://WorldStrides.com. Special thanks to Penn State student intern Dan Bransfeld. Show off your Penn State pride with the latest apparel and gear by visiting http://Lions-Pride.com. Keep up with all the Penn State news at http://Collegian.PSU.edu. Join Penn State's network connecting students and alumni at http://Alumni.PSU.edu/LionLink. Lion Legacy is a Baroudeur Production and is not affiliated with Penn State University. Visit us at http://LionLegacyPodcast.com and http://Instagram.com/LionLegacyPodcast.

2013 Penn State graduate Jill O'Brien is flying high as Chief of Staff at FlyNYON, which specializes in creating enduring memories through helicopter experiences. On this episode, Jill shares with us how FlyNYON helps film movies (The Wolf of Wall Street), celebrate wedding proposals and more! Jump right in: (7:01) - Flying in a helicopter (9:46) - Career journey (13:33) - Role as Chief of Staff (17:50) - Commercial side of the business (21:45) - Drones vs. helicopters (25:52) - Passion for photography (28:43) - Photography style (30:17) - Appreciation of photography in the age of smartphones (31:31) - Lions Den presented by http://Lions-Pride.com: Penn State Experience Learn more at http://FlyNYON.com. Special thanks to Penn State student intern Dan Bransfeld. Show off your Penn State pride with the latest apparel and gear by visiting http://Lions-Pride.com. Keep up with all the Penn State news at http://Collegian.PSU.edu. Join Penn State's network connecting students and alumni at http://Alumni.PSU.edu/LionLink. Lion Legacy is a Baroudeur Production and is not affiliated with Penn State University. Visit us at http://LionLegacyPodcast.com and http://Instagram.com/LionLegacyPodcast.

1985 Penn State graduate Larry Seamans is leading the fight against family homelessness. As President of FamilyAid, Larry discusses how his organization is providing holistic support to families in need, the policy changes he'd like to see and more! Jump right in: (7:55) - The impact of homelessness (10:12) - Role of FamilyAid (12:18) - Impactful stories (16:04) - Mental and emotional aspect (17:30) - Talking to donors about FamilyAid (22:05) - Recognition by Charity Navigator (23:02) - Policy changes (27:42) - Career trajectory (30:16) - Most challenging aspect of role (32:28) - Advice for students considering a career in not-for-profit (33:41) - Lions Den presented by http://Lions-Pride.com: Penn State Experience Learn more at http://FamilyAidBoston.org. Special thanks to Katie O'Toole's podcasting class and student Kristin Hoberman. Show off your Penn State pride with the latest apparel and gear by visiting http://Lions-Pride.com. Keep up with all the Penn State news at http://Collegian.PSU.edu. Join Penn State's network connecting students and alumni at http://Alumni.PSU.edu/LionLink. Lion Legacy is a Baroudeur Production and is not affiliated with Penn State University. Visit us at http://LionLegacyPodcast.com

2021 Penn State graduate Kate Chan knows how to connect with and create a community around Gen Z. In this episode, we learn about Kate's social media agency Ichiyuzu Media, creating an influential instagram account on food (@KatieEatsPhilly) and more! Jump right in: (4:32)- The meaning behind the agency name and type of agency (10:15) - Social media platforms (14:05) - Favorite brand campaigns (17:02) - Impact of social media on the business (20:45) - The creation of Katie Eats Philly on Instagram (25:43) - Creating a personal brand (27:08) - Favorite Philadelphia and State College restaurants (28:41) - Lions Den presented by http://Lions-Pride.com: Penn State Experience Learn more and follow Kate: http://IchiyuzuMedia.com and http://Instagram.com/KatieEatsPhilly Special thanks to Katie O'Toole's podcasting class and student Xi Chen. Show off your Penn State pride with the latest apparel and gear by visiting http://Lions-Pride.com. Keep up with all the Penn State news at http://Collegian.PSU.edu. Join Penn State's network connecting students and alumni at http://Alumni.PSU.edu/LionLink. Lion Legacy is a Baroudeur Production and is not affiliated with Penn State University. Visit us at http://LionLegacyPodcast.com

2016 Penn State graduate Ryan Hager has made a profession of helping people improve their golf game. As Director of Instruction at Plainfield Country Club and a social media influencer (78k followers on Instagram), Ryan shares his experiences with the PGA Golf Management program at Penn State, his dream golf foursome and more! Jump right in: (6:36)- The early years of developing a passion for golf (13:06) - Certification process to become a PGA instructor (17:54) - Teaching style (22:24) - The mental aspect of the game (25:26) - Virtual coaching (28:28) - Coaching highlights (30:02) - Creating a personal brand on social media (32:58) - Advice on how to improve the game (38:14) - State of the industry (45:48) - Lions Den presented by http://Lions-Pride.com: Penn State Experience Learn more and follow Ryan: http://RyanHagerPGA.com and http://Instagram.com/RyanHager_PGA Show off your Penn State pride with the latest apparel and gear by visiting http://Lions-Pride.com. Keep up with all the Penn State news at http://Collegian.PSU.edu. Join Penn State's network connecting students and alumni at http://Alumni.PSU.edu/LionLink. Lion Legacy is a Baroudeur Production and is not affiliated with Penn State University. Visit us at http://LionLegacyPodcast.com

1992 Penn State graduate Geoff Martha is Chairman and CEO of Medtronic, the global leader in healthcare technology. In this episode, Geoff gives us a special look into the role of a CEO, the importance of leadership, and his experiences taking the helm of a healthcare company during the start of the pandemic. Jump right in: (2:50)- Medtronic’s business (5:50) - Major trends in the healthcare industry (10:33) - Becoming CEO during the pandemic (18:24) - Experiences that led to becoming CEO (21:09) - Leadership characteristics (23:38) - Short term expectations vs. long term vision (27:54) - Time management (30:41) - Lions Den presented by http://Lions-Pride.com: Penn State Experience Show off your Penn State pride with the latest apparel and gear by visiting http://Lions-Pride.com. Keep up with all the Penn State news at http://Collegian.PSU.edu. Join Penn State's network connecting students and alumni at http://Alumni.PSU.edu/LionLink. Lion Legacy is a Baroudeur Production and is not affiliated with Penn State University. Visit us at http://LionLegacyPodcast.com Special thanks to http://StudioPodSF.com for their support.

2004 Penn State graduate Ian Katz is helping people buy and sell homes in one of the most popular and competitive markets - New York City. As a Licensed Real Estate Broker at Compass, Ian provides great perspective on successful brokers, the current mortgage rate environment and the vacant office building situation. Regardless if you live in NYC or not, you'll be sure to learn a lot and come away with a new appreciation for the industry. Jump right in: (3:59) - Starting his career on Wall Street (5:51) - Transitioning to real estate (17:05) - Joining Compass (19:42) - Day in the life (22:12) - Setting prices (26:56) - Securing new clients (28:43) - Advice for being a successful real estate agent (32:27) - Prideful moments (36:50) - Dealing with the current mortgage rate environment (42:37) - Converting office space to apartments (46:22) - Advice to sellers and buyers (48:59) - Lions Den presented by http://Lions-Pride.com: Penn State Experience Show off your Penn State pride with the latest apparel and gear by visiting http://Lions-Pride.com. Keep up with all the Penn State news at http://Collegian.PSU.edu. Join Penn State's network connecting students and alumni at http://Alumni.PSU.edu/LionLink. Lion Legacy is a Baroudeur Production and is not affiliated with Penn State University. Visit us at http://LionLegacyPodcast.com Special thanks to http://StudioPodSF.com for their support.

2020 Penn State graduate Matt Roda wasn't your typical college student. While at Penn State, Matt co-founded and launched a company, Reflexion, specializing in neuro fitness and training. In this episode, Matt explains what neuro fitness entails and how Reflexion is helping people recover from injury and professional athletes unlock new levels of performance (like the NBA Champions Denver Nuggets), as well as his entrepreneurial journey. (6:54) - Understanding neuro fitness (9:14) - The origin of Reflexion (14:23) - From concept to launch (16:12) - The early days (20:52) - Biggest sense of pride (22:54) - Neuro fitness becoming part of general fitness (30:32) - Use by older individuals (32:31) - Advice as an entrepreneur (37:08) - Lions Den presented by http://Lions-Pride.com: Penn State Experience Learn more at Reflexion.co Special thanks to student Tobey Prime of Professor O'Toole's podcasting class for helping to produce this episode. Show off your Penn State pride with the latest apparel and gear by visiting http://Lions-Pride.com. Keep up with all the Penn State news at http://Collegian.PSU.edu. Join Penn State's network connecting students and alumni at http://Alumni.PSU.edu/LionLink. Lion Legacy is a Baroudeur Production and is not affiliated with Penn State University. Visit us at http://LionLegacyPodcast.com Special thanks to http://StudioPodSF.com for their support.

1973 Penn State graduate Bob Holland is a 27 year veteran of the Walt Disney Company, serving as an Imagineer on key projects including EPCOT, Disneyland Paris, and Disney Cruises. In this episode, Bob takes us on a journey and shares stories on the magic behind Disney. Jump right in: (4:52) - Starting his career working for the government (8:28) - Most challenging project (10:43) - Relationship between engineers and architects (15:06) - Developing Disney Cruise ships (22:30) - Designing international parks (26:21) - The magic of Disney (32:13) - A surprise about Disney (33:20) - Meeting his wife at Disney (35:10) - Advice to improve Disney (57:57) - Lions Den presented by http://Lions-Pride.com: Penn State Experience Special thanks to student Matthew Rudisell of Professor O'Toole's podcasting class for helping to produce this episode. Show off your Penn State pride with the latest apparel and gear by visiting http://Lions-Pride.com. Keep up with all the Penn State news at http://Collegian.PSU.edu. Join Penn State's network connecting students and alumni at http://Alumni.PSU.edu/LionLink. Lion Legacy is a Baroudeur Production and is not affiliated with Penn State University. Visit us at http://LionLegacyPodcast.com Special thanks to http://StudioPodSF.com for their support.

1992 and 1996 Penn State graduate Pete Carmichael is a Civil War professor and historian at Gettysburg College, but this podcast is anything but just a history lesson on America's most famous war. In this episode, Pete brings passion, a new perspective to the past and present, and how learning about history is important for everyone. Trust us, you'll have a new found appreciation after listening. Jump right in: (9:54) - First thoughts on Civil War words and names (16:05) - A surprise about the Civil War (19:33) - Developing a passion for the Civil War (21:25) - The importance of people knowing about the Civil War (27:08) - Piecing together stories of the past (34:33) - Favorite class and student story (40:23) - Latest book "The War for the Common Soldier" (47:27) - POV on Civil War statues and monuments in today's society (53:43) - POV on the potential for a second Civil War (57:57) - Lions Den presented by Lions-Pride.com: Penn State Experience Special thanks to student Adam Babetski of Professor O'Toole's podcasting class for helping to produce this episode. Show off your Penn State pride with the latest apparel and gear by visiting Lions-Pride.com. Keep up with all the Penn State news at Collegian.PSU.edu. Join Penn State's network connecting students and alumni at Alumni.PSU.edu/LionLink. Lion Legacy is a Baroudeur Production and is not affiliated with Penn State University. Visit us at LionLegacyPodcast.com. Special thanks to StudioPodSF.com for their support.

2013 Penn State graduate Rachele DeSantis is the woman behind some of your favorite theme park attractions. From WaterWorld to Jurassic World, Rachele has been a key engineering lead that brings these experiences to life (and keeps them safe) at Universal Studios Hollywood. In this episode, Rachele details the various roles throughout her career journey, some of the future trends for attractions and more! Jump right in: (6:45) - Developing a passion (9:22) - The role of a theme park engineer (13:54) - Interning at Disney (16:36) - Working at ThinkWell (21:19) - Role at Universal (26:43) - Favorite attraction (28:17) - Bringing more women into engineering (30:01) - Future trends in theme park engineering (33:50) - Lions Den presented by Lions-Pride.com: Penn State Experience Special thanks to student Courtney McGinley of Professor O'Toole's podcasting class for helping to produce this episode. Show off your Penn State pride with the latest apparel and gear by visiting Lions-Pride.com. Keep up with all the Penn State news at Collegian.PSU.edu. Join Penn State's network connecting students and alumni at Alumni.PSU.edu/LionLink. Lion Legacy is a Baroudeur Production and is not affiliated with Penn State University. Visit us at LionLegacyPodcast.com. Special thanks to StudioPodSF.com for their support.

2017 Penn State graduate Norah Candito believes nourishment goes beyond the foods we ingest. Taking a holistic approach to health, Norah started her own company - Nutrition with Norah - to help people on their wellness journey. In this episode, Norah shares her own journey working in different clinical settings, her viewpoints on certain foods and intermittent fasting, how she met her husband at Penn State and more! Jump right in: (6:34) - The scope of the profession (11:05) - The impact of stress (13:16) - Working in different clinical settings (19:55) - Nutrition with Norah programs (25:08) - Impactful moments with clients (27:52) - The Flow State Podcast (30:47) - Viewpoints on certain foods and intermittent fasting (35:51) - Meeting her husband at Penn State (38:53) - Lions Den presented by Lions-Pride.com: Penn State Experience Learn more about Norah at NutritionWithNorah.com Show off your Penn State pride with the latest apparel and gear by visiting Lions-Pride.com. Keep up with all the Penn State news at Collegian.PSU.edu. Join Penn State's network connecting students and alumni at Alumni.PSU.edu/LionLink. Lion Legacy is a Baroudeur Production and is not affiliated with Penn State University. Visit us at LionLegacyPodcast.com. Special thanks to StudioPodSF.com for their support.

2009 Penn State graduate Emily Sher is a mother to a one year old, so it's only fitting that she recently was promoted to Senior Editor of Parents at TODAY.com. Emily shares her career journey from being an intern at Harper's Bazaar to covering some of the most interesting stories and trends for TODAY's flagship digital website. Jump right in: (5:20) - New role at TODAY.com (7:26) - Role as an editor and working with journalists (11:31) - Internship at Harper's Bazaar (15:34) - The importance of trust in the profession (18:21) - Top highlights (21:41) - Upcoming projects and stories (27:19) - Teaching ESL in Korea (33:48) - Lions Den presented by Lions-Pride.com: Penn State Experience Show off your Penn State pride with the latest apparel and gear by visiting Lions-Pride.com. Keep up with all the Penn State news at Collegian.PSU.edu. Join Penn State's network connecting students and alumni at Alumni.PSU.edu/LionLink. Lion Legacy is a Baroudeur Production and is not affiliated with Penn State University. Visit us at LionLegacyPodcast.com. Special thanks to StudioPodSF.com for their support.

1986 Penn State graduate Chip Kidd is best known for designing the cover of Michael Crichton's Jurassic Park. The uber-talented graphic designer shares many perspectives and stories in this podcast, including his "no-style" style, a book he wrote based on experiences at Penn State and why he values printed books over digital versions. Jump right in: (7:09) - Style of work (9:03) - Importance of a book's cover (10:35) - Influence of comic books (13:03) - The process of designing a book's cover (19:10) - Proudest artwork (22:05) - Books that he values the most (23:55) - Branching out into writing and music (25:46) - Student Question of the Episode presented by The Daily Collegian: Advice to an art student who wants to make it a career (30:20) - Lions Den presented by Lions-Pride.com: Penn State Experience Special thanks to Professor Katie O'Toole's Podcast Class and student Makenna Mink for helping to produce this podcast. Show off your Penn State pride with the latest apparel and gear by visiting Lions-Pride.com. Keep up with all the Penn State news at Collegian.PSU.edu. Join Penn State's network connecting students and alumni at Alumni.PSU.edu/LionLink. Lion Legacy is a Baroudeur Production and is not affiliated with Penn State University. Visit us at LionLegacyPodcast.com. Special thanks to StudioPodSF.com for their support.

2019 Penn State graduate Jon Gross has dreams of being a broadcaster for ABC's College Football Game of the Week. Though only a few years out of college, you'll quickly see that Jon has the talent and work ethic to rise to the top. Jon takes us behind-the-scenes and shares the amount of preparation and focus that goes into the job. He also shares some great stories, including his interview with Penn State Football Coach James Franklin. Jump right in: (7:35) - Career journey post-graduation (12:46) - The preparation of broadcasting a game (17:11) - Navigating the pandemic (19:31) - Influential moments as a child (21:09) - The art and science of a good broadcasting crew (22:12) - Non-traditional broadcasts (24:33) - Student Question of the Episode presented by The Daily Collegian: Favorite color commentator (29:04) - Dream interview (29:45) - Interviewing Coach James Franklin (31:07) - Rising to the top in the profession (33:12) - Lions Den presented by Lions-Pride.com: Penn State Experience Show off your Penn State pride with the latest apparel and gear by visiting Lions-Pride.com. Keep up with all the Penn State news at Collegian.PSU.edu. Join Penn State's network connecting students and alumni at Alumni.PSU.edu/LionLink. Lion Legacy is a Baroudeur Production and is not affiliated with Penn State University. Visit us at LionLegacyPodcast.com. Special thanks to StudioPodSF.com for their support.

1989 Penn State graduate Jeff Barth has a job that impacts every individual in New York State. As the Director of Design Mapping and Automation Bureau for the New York State Department of Transportation, Jeff has influenced countless roads, rails, bike lanes and more. Jeff does a great job in making this highly technical field easy to understand. Jump right in: (6:09) - Career at the NYS Department of Transportation (13:40) - Surveying work (15:46) - Making resource decisions (17:37) - Delivering projects (20:13) - Career highlight (23:13) - Google Maps (24:33) - Dream project (25:48) - Student Question of the Episode presented by The Daily Collegian: Technology changes (33:13) - Lions Den presented by Lions-Pride.com: Penn State Experience Special thanks to Professor Katie O'Toole's Podcast Class and student Gabe Angieri for helping to produce this podcast. Show off your Penn State pride with the latest apparel and gear by visiting Lions-Pride.com. Keep up with all the Penn State news at Collegian.PSU.edu. Join Penn State's network connecting students and alumni at Alumni.PSU.edu/LionLink. Lion Legacy is a Baroudeur Production and is not affiliated with Penn State University. Visit us at LionLegacyPodcast.com. Special thanks to StudioPodSF.com for their support.

1982 Penn State graduate Mike Poorman might as well be called Mr. Penn State. Beyond teaching courses in the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications, Mike is a true champion of students and alumni - advising, interacting and connecting. After this episode, you will surely wish you knew Mike during your days as a student. Jump right in: (6:52) - Cool careers of alumni (8:37) - Teaching a class about Coach Joe Paterno (11:12) - Working on his Masters Degree (16:46) - Advice to the new President of Penn State (19:02) - Faculty mentor of Penn State Field Hockey (22:38) - Faculty advisor of Nittanyville (24:57) - Writing for StateCollege.com (29:23) - Changes in teaching courses (32:26) - Recognizing a Penn Stater (34:10) - Lions Den presented by Lions-Pride.com: Penn State Experience (38:53) - Student Question of the Episode presented by The Daily Collegian: Advice for Penn State students getting internship Special thanks to Professor Katie O'Toole's Podcast Class and student Gabe Angieri for helping to produce this podcast. Show off your Penn State pride with the latest apparel and gear by visiting Lions-Pride.com. Keep up with all the Penn State news at Collegian.PSU.edu. Join Penn State's network connecting students and alumni at Alumni.PSU.edu/LionLink. Lion Legacy is a Baroudeur Production and is not affiliated with Penn State University. Visit us at LionLegacyPodcast.com. Special thanks to StudioPodSF.com for their support.

2018 Penn State graduate Noah Pilato grew up going to Penn State football games so when he received a scholarship to play soccer at Penn State, it was a no-brainer. Noah's success on the pitch at Penn State has led him to become a professional soccer player. Recorded during the 2022 World Cup, there's no better time to catch-up with Noah and talk soccer (or as they say, football). Jump right in: (7:57) - Playing in the United Soccer League (12:55) - Winning a USL Championship (15:06) - Being part of the MLS Academy system (17:08) - Soccer's growth in the US (20:50) - Being a brand ambassador (24:41) - Lion's Den presented by Lions-Pride.com: Penn State experience (32:35) - Student Question of the Episode presented by The Daily Collegian: Social media advice Show off your Penn State pride with the latest apparel and gear by visiting Lions-Pride.com. Keep up with all the Penn State news at Collegian.PSU.edu. Join Penn State's network connecting students and alumni at Alumni.PSU.edu/LionLink. Lion Legacy is a Baroudeur Production and is not affiliated with Penn State University. Visit us at LionLegacyPodcast.com. Special thanks to StudioPodSF.com for their support.

2004 Penn State graduate David Hua is blazing the trail in the cannabis industry. As Co-Founder and CEO of Meadow, David takes us into the world of cannabis and how he's on a mission to provide support to companies and help the industry evolve as a whole. Jump right in: (8:27) - The cannabis industry and Meadow (19:51) - The future of the industry (21:48) - Changing perceptions (27:00) - Working in the start-up world (31:53) - Starting his career in the corporate world (34:33) - Lessons from his family's restaurant business (38:28) - Lion's Den presented by Lions-Pride.com: Penn State experience (41:39) - Student Question of the Episode presented by The Daily Collegian: Study abroad experience Show off your Penn State pride with the latest apparel and gear by visiting Lions-Pride.com. Keep up with all the Penn State news at Collegian.PSU.edu. Join Penn State's network connecting students and alumni at Alumni.PSU.Edu/LionLink. Lion Legacy is a Baroudeur Production and is not affiliated with Penn State University. Visit us at LionLegacyPodcast.com Special thanks to StudioPodSF.com for their support.