UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology (IST) honored three graduates at the college’s third annual Alumni Symposium and Awards Ceremony, held Oct. 17 at the Graduate by Hilton State College.
Andrea Tapia, dean of the College of IST, presented the alumni awards.
IST Dean’s Alumni Excellence Award
Created in 2024, the Dean’s Alumni Excellence Award highlights and celebrates the extraordinary work and accomplishments of College of IST alumni. The award was presented to Julio Ortiz, senior manager of the Dealer Development Group at Mercedes-Benz USA.
Ortiz — Tapia’s first doctoral advisee — earned his doctorate in information sciences and technology from Penn State in 2008 and completed postdoctoral assignments at Rutgers University and Harvard Law School. Before entering the automotive industry, he spent several years in the financial services and information technology (IT) sectors, where he managed IT programs for Deutsche Bank, Barclays and Citibank. Earlier in his career, he served as head of the Dominican Republic’s first high-tech research center startup.
“I’m really grateful for this award,” Ortiz said. “It’s a reminder of how much the IST and Penn State communities have shaped me to become who I am today.”
Ortiz graduated as salutatorian from a vocational technical high school and was discouraged by his guidance counselor from applying to college. He went to work instead but met a Penn Stater at that job who pushed him to enroll. He began at Penn State in January 1997 and graduated with bachelor’s degrees in management information systems, international studies and French in 2002.
An engaged alumnus, Ortiz has mentored IST students, spoken in classrooms and served as a role model for Latino students across the University.
“My advice to current and future students is to pay attention to the people that the universe puts in your way,” Ortiz said. “And never underestimate your potential — you don’t know where life is going to take you.”
IST Emerging Professional Award
The Emerging Professional Award recognizes a recent College of IST graduate who is using their degree to make a positive impact on the world. The award was presented to Michael Whang, senior intelligence analyst at CrowdStrike.
Whang earned a bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity analytics and operations in 2021. At CrowdStrike, he stands at the forefront of digital defense, actively safeguarding organizations against sophisticated cybercriminals and threats.
“My parents immigrated from different countries, and they always encouraged me to work hard, evolve and constantly try to learn,” Whang said. “That’s something I’ve taken with me into the workforce — cybersecurity threats are continuously evolving. Having the mindset of always wanting to learn and be on top of things has helped me build trust with customers.”
Whang actively connects with fellow IST alumni and frequents the IST Career Fair to counsel current students who are interested in cybersecurity careers. He encourages the next generation of cybersecurity leaders to take advantage of the resources that are available to them.
“Get involved with clubs, connect with advising and career services and get to know the faculty,” he said. “Make the most of these connections as they help you get to where you want to go.”
IST Outstanding Alumni Award
The Outstanding Alumni Award recognizes an IST graduate who has demonstrated a record of exceptional accomplishments and made significant contributions that leverage the expertise and knowledge gained through their degree. The recipient of the award — Steve Sharer — was not present at the ceremony.
Sharer, who earned a bachelor's degree in security and risk analysis in 2011, is the co-founder and chief executive officer of RipRap Security. The college will present the award to him later this year.
The Alumni Symposium also featured a full day of events, including a state of the college address, an introduction to the Nittany AI Alliance, a keynote presentation about the pursuit of algorithmic fairness, a panel about evolving cybersecurity threats, a panel about artificial intelligence for social impact and an announcement of alumni endowment student organization winners.