CHAPTER NEWS News for members of the Metro Washington Chapter of the Penn State Alumni Association May/June 2010

MONTHLY CHAPTER PRESIDENT’S LETTER MEETINGS My Fellow ‘Staters’, Summer in the City! Well, maybe it’s still Spring, but the weather is certainly making me think of Annual Chapter Meeting summer, my favorite time of the year.

Tuesday, May 11, 7-9 PM Before we look forward, let’s look backward a couple weeks and recap a very successful inaugural Key Bridge Marriott Thon Gala for the Chapter in the KNIGHT OF DIAMONDS. Over 100 people came out from all Rosslyn Metro (Orange/Blue Lines) over the East Coast to partake in the festivities. We had a wonderful meal, some rocking tunes, and some amazing speakers remind us of many of the reasons why it’s so great to be Penn State alumni. Congratulations to all of the organizers and to Knights of Diamonds on a successful event! All chapter members are welcome All proceeds raised will go to THON 2011! to attend. More information: In addition to raising money for THON, the Chapter has made a pledge to further help our soon- [email protected] to-be college students. We made a pledge to the Alumni Association to contribute $40,000 to the University Scholarship Endowment Fund over the next 4 years, which would put our total Monthly Chapter Meeting contribution over the $100,000 plateau – thus making us one of the first (if not THE first) Chapters to accomplish this level. These funds will return scholarships to thousands of students Tuesday, June 8 each year entering Penn State, and will help the Chapter increase annual donations to local Location: TBD students in financial need and scholastic merit. Donations from all of our very generous Chapter members have helped to make this goal a reality.

• Social Committee—6:30—7:30 PM The Chapter will be hosting the national Alumni Association twice in 2010. In June, they are • Board Meeting—7:30-9:00 PM returning to the area with their City Lights event at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, Udvar Hazy Center at Dulles. The day will be full of speakers and events with fun for all ages. For more information on the meetings Secondly, in case you haven’t heard, our Football team will be playing against Indiana at FedEx or getting involved, email Lindsay at Field on November 20. The Chapter is working hard with the Alumni Association and other local [email protected]. chapters and interest groups to put together the best Tailgate that FedEx has ever seen. Keep an eye on the chapter website for more information towards the end of summer. And YES, chapter members will have access to game tickets. That information will be posted SOON, so make sure Want to stay up-to-date? your membership is updated for 2010 if you are looking for tickets! Now there are multiple ways to get the most current information from the If you’re new to town and looking to meet some other Local Lions, why not swing down to the Chapter! Mall and hang out with other alums in rooting on our Softball Team against other schools’ teams. Many members come out for the summer festivities that aren’t on the team, and it’s a great way to make some new acquaintances. The schedule and field PennStateDC locations are listed under the “events” page of our website.

Whew, that’s a lot and it’s only the first half of the summer! Metro Washington Thank you, Board Members for all of your efforts in making Chapter of the Penn these events happen! State Alumni Association For the Glory, Join our Yahoo listserv for weekly emails every Wednesday! http:// groups.yahoo.com/group/psu_listserv/join Mike Carroll, ‘04 WWW.PSUWASHDC.ORG Take advantage of all of the member benefits! Please see our website for more information—www.psuwashdc.org • Information about and discounts to chapter events • Bi-monthly newsletters Don’t Forget! • Access to discussion and job boards • Discounts to local businesses The Golf Tournament is on • Access to football ticket exchange May 15th! • Ability to join alumni sports teams See Page 4 for more info! • Networking with alumni in the DC Metro area • Discounts at local businesses http://www.psuwashdc.org/ admin_article.html?op=edit&aid=621 WHAT’S INSIDE • Upcoming Events & Sports Updates, page 2 • Chapter Spotlight—Christie Welsh, Player, page 3 • 2010 Scholarship Golf Tournament on May 15th, page 4 UPCOMING EVENTS Penn State Football vs. SOCIAL EVENTS Indiana Meet the Chapter FedEx Field Early June—Location and Date TBD November 20, 2010 Did you ever wonder what the Chapter can do for you, and what you can do through the Chapter? We all get busy, and coming to tons of different events can be tough on your schedule. So, we decided to get all our PSU Football is coming to great minds together for one event tailored just for you! DC! We’ve purchased a This meeting will showcase community service, social events, member benefits, professional development, block of tickets and will be and all the other opportunities the chapter can bring. Think of it like a career fair for the Chapter, complete raffling them off throughout with tables for possible organizations such as ATLAS Corps, DC Cares, DC United, the Freedom, Knight of the year. Diamonds, the Nationals, and more! We’ll also have board members and coaches of our alumni sports teams to tell you more about what we have to offer. Keep your eyes and ears open for chances to win! The location and date are coming soon; stay posted on the website and Facebook. For more information about this event or if you have an organization that would like to be involved, please contact Julie at [email protected] or Dave at [email protected].

COMMUNITY SERVICE Membership Magnet Food and Friends – May 12 and June 9 (219 Riggs Road, NE DC) Design Contest! Help out in the kitchen to prepare meals for the terminally ill. We need between 4-8 This summer we’ll be running volunteers from 6-7:30 pm. You’ll need a hat or bandana (and no open-toed shoes). a contest to see which member There is free parking at the facility and a free shuttle from Fort Totten metro. Please can find the best image to use RSVP on the Facebook page or email us at [email protected]. on our 2011 magnet! Stay tuned on the website!

SPORTS UPDATE SAVE THE DATE! Basketball Both basketball teams had great seasons! The PSU White squad, led by Jeremy Pearson and Steve Pavlock, finished their inaugural year strong. Dewey Beach Happy Unfortunately, they lost to Wake Forest in the tournament. Hour! July 31, 2010 The PSU Blue squad, led by , showed in the playoffs how dangerous they could truly be. PSU-Blue made it all the way to the CAN Check out the website tournament finals, taking on 2009 champion UVA at Comcast Center on the University of Maryland campus! PSU Blue started strong, but UVA was able for more! to pull out the win in the end. Congratulations to both teams on great www.psuwashdc.org/ seasons, and a special thanks to the coaches for all they do! article.html?aid=674

Volleyball From Coach Dan Fredericks: The 2010 CAN Volleyball season has ended with both teams doing well. The Recreational team made the first round of the playoffs, where they fought hard but lost to Ohio State. The Competitive team, missing a few key players, were able to claw their way to the semifinals, and very nearly upset the number 1 seed (who eventually won the championship). Both teams played well, and got better as the season progressed. We hope people that played this year play again next year, and we also get some new people that want to come out and play because it is still fun. Congrats for another great season.

Softball Coed softball is back! We'd like to thank coaches Lyle Yablonsky and Matt Roy for leading the squad yet again, and we’d like to welcome all the Join the rookies that joined this season! Our season schedule is out, and we’ll be playing most of our games on Thursdays or Fridays down in West Potomac JoePalooza IV Park (near Ohio Dr SW and Independence Ave SW). The team will also Planning have two Saturday doubleheaders and a postseason tournament in August. Committee! Email the coaches at [email protected] for more information. Our next huge chapter event, Soccer JoePalooza IV, is tentatively Soccer is back too! We’ll be playing our games out on Haines Point on Saturdays, and could especially use slated for Sept/Oct 2010. Right some more women on this year’s squad. The chapter would like to recognize and thank this year’s coaches, now, we can try pretty much Anthony “Chip” Chipriano and Ryan Levins! For more information about the team, please check out the anything! website or email Chip at [email protected] and Ryan at [email protected]. The key will be good planning. Other Sports Got any great ideas? Any The chapter still has a kickball team in NAKID (No, Adult Kickball isn’t Dumb), and is looking to do more. connections? Contact Pat at Have any ideas? Please contact Dave at [email protected]. [email protected] or Dave at [email protected]!

May/June 2010 • WWW.PSUWASHDC.ORG • 2 CHAPTER SPOTLIGHT Meet Christie Welsh! Former PSU Star who Plays for the Washington Freedom! One of our DC-area professional teams now boasts two great Penn State alumni on its roster! The Washington Freedom, a team in Women's Professional Soccer (WPS), is now home to two of the most highly-decorated players in PSU history.

Christie Welsh, a forward, was a 4-time All-American who also won the (the equivalent of the Heisman Trophy for women's soccer). Christie ended her PSU career with 82 goals and 52 assists plus 27 game-winning goals.

Erin McLeod, a goalie, transferred to Penn State after the 2003 World Cup and finished her career as only the 2nd goalkeeper and 7th player in PSU women's soccer history to earn All-America honors.

Christie and Erin are now teammates, and we are planning an event to watch them at RFK on May 1st. We also encourage Forward Christie Welsh alums to watch the Freedom up at Germantown SoccerPlex in Boyds, MD. (Germantown exit 15 off of 270). For more information on the team, check out http://www.womensprosoccer.com/dc. We also got a chance to talk to Christie about the Freedom and about her time at Penn State. Please check out the interview below for some of her favorite memories and State College spots.

PSUWASHDC: Where are you from originally? How does that compare to DC? Christie Welsh: I am originally from Long Island, New York. I love Long Island but I love DC as well. I like the fact that DC is a major city yet I don't get that BIG city feel.

So what was it like being a scholarship athlete at Penn State? An awesome experience. The instant you arrive on campus as a freshman you are part of such a huge family.

What kinds of perks did you get being an athlete? The best perk had to be the Nike gear. We had early access to scheduling our classes, great academic ad- visors, and private study halls.

You and Erin overlapped a few years in college too, didn't you? Where did you guys go out to have fun up there? Please don't say Players, haha. Erin and I actually never played together. She transferred to Penn State from SMU and her first season was right after I had finished my eligibility. But yes, we overlapped because I stayed as an undergrad assistant and a volunteer assistant while I finished up my degree and was training for the National Team. And I think its funny you mentioned players because Erin and I did have a fun night that somehow ended up at Players! Not kidding, haha.

But honestly, I feel like I would go everywhere in State College. The places I remember were more towards the end of my time Goalie Erin McLeod there. Ottos and Champs out on Atherton were two of my faves. I love wings!

Have you gotten to go back to campus recently? Do you still get to keep in touch with any of your PSU teammates? Yes, I keep in touch with a good number of them. I usually go back at least once every fall. I made it back this past fall for a football weekend, of course.

So how did you get to the Freedom? What has your career been like so far? Last year I played for the Saint Louis Athletica in the WPS and became a free agent at the end of the season. I have always wanted to stay here in DC so it was an easy decision to work with the Freedom in the off season in order to get on their roster. My career has been great. I played in the first women's pro league (Women's United Soccer Association) straight out of college (2003) and then spent time in Sweden, France, and with the US Women's National Team over the past 7 years.

How long have you played for the Freedom? Can you tell us a little bit about WPS? Come see the This is my first year with the Freedom as part of the WPS. I played for the Washington Freedom in 2007 and 2008 Washington Freedom when it was a semi-pro team before the league was started. The WPS is the highest level of women's soccer in this in Action! country and the world. We have players from 19 countries as well as the best American players. The Freedom plays a How well does the team get along? Did it take a while to get acclimated to the team when you doubleheader with DC joined? One of the main reasons I wanted to play for the Washington Freedom is the fantastic dynamic this team has. United at RFK on May 1st! There is a good core of players that have been together for awhile both before and after the pro league was started. Tickets are only $24 for It didn't take me any time at all to get acclimated. It feels like family. both games!

You have some international experience too, right? What's it like representing your country? www.psuwashdc.org/ Where's the greatest place you've played? article.html?aid=647 It's one of the greatest feelings ever as an athlete. The pride you feel is so immense. I have had so many wonderful experiences traveling through soccer. Like I said, I got to play and live in both Sweden and France and the traveling I did in those places was priceless. The south of France is amazing. I've been to , Germany, Australia, Spain, , Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Japan, , Mexico, and Canada. And I'm sure I'm forgetting some. There are always places that you may not like as much as another but every trip has given me amazing memories.

A special thanks to Christie, and best of luck to her, Erin, and all of the Freedom for a great season! We're hoping to get Christie and Erin to come out to a happy hour or event soon to meet Penn State alumni. For more information, stay posted on the website and Facebook.

May/June 2010 • WWW.PSUWASHDC.ORG • 3

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MAY/JUNE 2010 2010 SCHOLARSHIP GOLF TOURNAMENT $500 for 4 Saturday, May 15, 2010, 1:15pm Shotgun Start $125 per person Chapter News is produced six times a Cross Creek Golf Club year by The Metro Washington http://www.psuwashdc.org/admin_article.html?op=edit&aid=621 Chapter of the Penn State Alumni Association. All proceeds benefit the Scholarship Fund! The format is a scramble (best ball) with prizes for all skill OFFICERS levels. Grand prizes include: 2 nights stay and 2 days of unlimited golf at Olde Mill in Mike Carroll, ‘04, President Virginia (www.oldemill.net) and one night and one day of golf at Shenandoah Valley Golf Club Sara Yoder, ’96, Vice President and (www.svgcgolf.com)! All that, plus special guest LaVar Arrington! Student Affairs Chair John “J.P.” Wolf, ‘07 , Secretary And a special thanks to our sponsors: 106.7 THE FAN, Argyle CC, Billy Casper Golf, Carpool, Dandy Steve Sacco, ‘01, Treasurer Restaurant Cruises, DC United, Express Night Out, Great American Restaurants, Miller Lite, The Os- prey's Golf Club at Belmont Bay, Timberline, Top Golf, and Yuengling. BOARD MEMBERS Julie Barsic, ‘04, Social Co-Chair KNIGHT OF DIAMONDS IS A SUCCESS! Patrick Dunne, ‘04 Judy Engle, ‘86 We want to thank all those who attended the first annual Knight of Diamonds...In the District Gala on David Fites, ‘02, Sports Chair, Saturday, April 10th! Over 130 proud Penn State alums and friends attended the event held at the Social Co-Chair, and National Press Club which raised over $4,000 benefiting the Four Diamonds Fund and THON 2011. Communications Co-Chair Lindsay Hohler, ‘05, Nominating Chair and Communications Co-Chair Special thanks to: Ms. PJ Maierhofer, Dr. Brian Rood, and all of our silent auction sponsors and Jamie S. Meikle, ‘03, Community bidders! Other special guests included the parents of Four Diamonds child Max Kirby, who shared Service Chair the family's story of their fight with cancer, and PSU grads and current NFL players Lydell Sargeant Casey Miller, ‘09, Professional and Jordan Norwood. Development Chair Christine Schelble, ‘01, For more information on how you can help with next year's gala, email [email protected]. Membership Chair For those who missed out, make sure to mark your calendars for next year!

NEWSLETTER DESIGN AND EDITING ANNUAL CHAPTER MEETING—MAY 11TH Lindsay Hohler, ‘05 David Fites, ‘02 Tuesday, May 11, 7:00—9:00 PM Interested in getting more involved Key Bridge Marriott with the chapter? Thinking about 1401 Lee Highway, Arlington, Virginia joining a committee or even joining the board? Email Nominating Chair At the annual chapter meeting, you can learn more about the Chapter through the State of the Chapter Lindsay Hohler at address by our President, Mike Carroll, including an overview of the activities held and volunteer [email protected]. opportunities throughout the year. We will also be electing new chapter officers and board members.

For more information about the meeting, becoming a board member or joining a We’ll be raffling WWW.PSUWASHDC.ORG off 2 PSU/ committee, please email Lindsay at [email protected]. Indiana tickets at the May ALL CHAPTER MEMBERS ARE WELCOME TO ATTEND! meeting!