State of the Chapter 2025

As we close out another incredible year and welcome a newly elected board, I’m honored to share the State of the Chapter for the Greater Boston Chapter of the Penn State Alumni Association.
This year has been one of growth, reconnection, and meaningful impact.
We brought our alumni community together through a wide range of events—starting, of course, with our game watches, which continue to be a cornerstone of our chapter’s spirit and energy. From regular Saturdays at The Greatest Bar to the electric atmosphere during the playoff run, we saw record-breaking turnouts and a renewed sense of pride in our Nittany Lions.  We are getting ready for an exciting season this Fall!
But our Chapter is about more than just cheering on our teams (football, hockey, volleyball, lacrosse . . .the list goes on and on). This year we deepened our commitment to service and connection by:

• Assembling Jared Boxes to support children in local hospitals;
  
• ​Volunteering at the Greater Boston Food Bank to fight food insecurity;
• Co-hosting a networking event with Schreyer Honors College, helping build bridges between students, alumni, and future leaders;
  
• ​Gathering for a brewery meetup at Roundhead Brewing Company, fostering casual connections in a vibrant local space;
• Speaking with prospective students at Undergraduate Admissions Events, including Prospective Student Receptions, Admitted Student Receptions, our annual Student Send Off, and local high school college fairs;
• ​And fundraising for Boston’s Night of Hope, through a successful 3rd Annual gala, our annual Trivia Night, and our brand new Bingo Night FTK!  We are looking forward to hosting our 4th Annual Night of Hope on October 25th and are hoping this move to the fall increases our ticket sales and also our impact!

These events reflect the strength and heart of our chapter. 
We are. . .rooted in service.  
We are. . .united by pride. 
We are. . .committed to building a community of Penn Staters here in the greater Boston area.
This hard work and spirit didn’t go unnoticed.
We were proud to be recognized by the Penn State Alumni Association as a Group of Distinction at the Elm Level.  This achievement places our Chapter among the highest-performing affiliate groups and reflects the dedication and commitment of our members. We were also recognized by DMAIG as the 2024 DMAIG Fundraiser of the Year for our annual gala, Boston’s Night of Hope.  These awards belong to all of you; our dedicated board, volunteers, and members, who make our work possible and meaningful.
We’ve also seen steady growth in member engagement, with new faces attending events and more alumni stepping up to get involved, especially for our community service events and Night of Hope committees. Our communications are reaching more Penn Staters in Greater Boston than ever before, and we’re working hard to make everyone feel welcome, whether they’ve been here for 10 days or 10 years.
Of course, this year wasn’t without its challenges.
Like many chapters, we’ve wrestled with volunteer burnout, changing event attendance trends, and fundraising hurdles, including seemingly never-ending inflation. But I’m proud to say our board met those head-on with flexibility, creativity, and a shared commitment to our mission.
We leaned into what works, like our partnership with The Greatest Bar, and we experimented with new formats to engage alumni with diverse interests. We also laid the groundwork for better communication and collaboration moving forward.
Looking ahead, we’re excited to build on this momentum.
In the coming year, our goals are clear:

• Strengthen alumni connections through more diverse programming, including professional networking, family-friendly events, and opportunities to give back.  
• Grow our impact by increasing our scholarship fundraising and support for local students headed to Penn State.
  
• Invest in leadership by mentoring new volunteers, ensuring our board reflects the energy and diversity of our alumni community, and creating sustainable systems for chapter operations. We have a few board positions open (Secretary, DEI/Community Service Chair, Fundraising Chair, and Social Media/Web Chair) and are looking for enthusiastic alumni to help fill those roles.  We are also planning a “Welcome to Boston” event in August to help new graduates and Boston area alumni meet and network.

Above all, we want every Penn Stater in Greater Boston to know: you have a place here. Whether you’ve just moved to the city or have been here for decades, whether you come to every game watch or just follow along online, we are your chapter.
To our outgoing board members: thank you for your dedication and service.
To our newly elected board: congratulations! We’re excited to see where your leadership will take us.

To our members: thank you for showing up, for giving back, and for making this chapter a true community.
For the Glory,
DeeDee DeVore
President, Greater Boston Chapter