On Topic

Corey Phelps knows that in college communities with major universities, there can sometimes be a divide between town and gown. But Phelps wants to shatter any perception of a divide as it relates to Penn State’s Smeal College of Business. “I think business schools have an obligation to be really good citizens in our community,”…

Gary Brandeis, founder and chief executive officer of the Scholar Hotel Group, is a seasoned veteran of the hospitality business. But as a Penn State alumnus, renovating and reopening the Nittany Lion Inn hit differently for him. “I could have done this project at another university but I wouldn’t have put as much heart and…

Pat Leary is a forthright champion of the rural lifestyle, encouraging people to “leave a gentle footprint as they walk the earth.” Leary practices what he preaches. At home in his beloved Georges Valley, Leary and his wife, Julie Mason, grow much of their own food, sharing with neighbors who share alike with them. Leary…

Lee Anne Jeffries says she loves downtown State College because it’s a walkable small town with the vibrancy of a big city. “I personally love it in the summer when it’s quiet, and I love it when the students come back because of the energy it provides,” says Jeffries, executive director of the Downtown State…

Dr. Erica Smithwick is a leading climate scientist, but she acknowledges that changing how society views global warming is more about conversations with friends and neighbors than warnings from experts. A big part of the challenge ahead, she says, is “changing hearts and minds about how we’re thinking about the problem and the solutions.” We…

Chiluvya Zulu loves her job, but she dreams of the day it’s obsolete. “I’m hopeful that one day you won’t need my job,” says Zulu, director of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging for the Borough of State College. “One day, we will just be such an inclusive community that it won’t even be a second…

It’s no secret that Penn State football is a key driver of the region’s economy, generating a $12 million boost on big weekends. But there are many weeks each year when there is no major event like a home football game, graduation, or parents weekend to fill the region’s hotels and restaurants.  That’s where Eric…

Beth Lechman knows there will be lots of eyeballs scrutinizing her work in this high-stakes presidential election year, and that’s OK with her. Lechman, Centre County’s elections director since September 2021, is busy with her staff preparing for the April 23 party primaries and the November 5 general election. Previously doing their jobs largely in…

Hector Cruz developed his appreciation for great food through his success as sales manager for an Audi dealership in Miami. “The owner of the dealership, every time that we got No. 1 in the region, he used to take us to dinner to the places he liked in Miami—these wonderful restaurants where the food was…

Paula Williams, executive director of the Centre County United Way, embraces the approach that challenges present opportunities. With a year of challenging firsts behind her—including rappelling 110 feet down the side of Beaver Stadium as part of the Over the Edge fundraiser and helping bring together more than 2,000 volunteers for the Day of Caring—Williams…