UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology (IST) brought together donors, alumni and scholars at the IST Shared Impact Gala. The celebration of generosity and achievement, held Oct. 16 at the Nittany Lion Inn, recognized the people and partnerships shaping the college’s future.
The evening highlighted the lasting impact of giving back, from alumni inspired by their own student experiences to donors investing in the next generation of IST scholars. Through stories of professional achievement, service and philanthropy, the gala underscored the connections that make the IST community strong.
The event kicked off with a visit from the Nittany Lion and a performance by the Hi-Lo’s, Penn State Glee Club’s signature a cappella ensemble. Sean Stanton, a 2009 graduate of the College of IST and a member of the IST Alumni Society Board, served as master of ceremonies.
Andrea Tapia, dean of the College of IST, gave the opening remarks. She thanked donors for their generous support, alumni for their continued engagement and students for all they do to represent the college. She was followed by Mary Ward, class of 2016, who talked about how receiving scholarships as a student has inspired her to pay it forward with her own gift.
The presentation of the college’s annual alumni awards, including new two honors, was the highlight of the evening.
IST Dean’s Alumni Excellence Award: Colin Murphy
This award celebrates the extraordinary work and accomplishments of IST alumni. It was presented by the 2025 recipient, Julio Ortiz (class of 2008, doctorate).
Colin Murphy earned his bachelor’s degree in 2003 as a member of the college’s first graduating class and now serves as chief customer officer at Zendesk. He has built a distinguished career spanning management consulting, mergers and acquisitions, general management, operations and customer success. Murphy has demonstrated an enduring commitment to Penn State through mentoring students and alumni, providing career guidance and fostering professional connections. As a longtime member and past president of the IST Alumni Society Board, he helped establish the IST Alumni Symposium to create meaningful opportunities for alumni engagement. From his early service as a Lion Ambassador to his ongoing contributions as an IST scholarship donor and founding supporter of the Alumni Society Endowment, he continues to strengthen the college’s community and invest in its future.
Dean’s Friend of IST Excellence Award: Kim Brannon
This new award recognizes extraordinary dedication to the College of IST through volunteer service and support for students, faculty and staff by individuals who are not alumni of the college. It was presented by Tom Maatta, director of development and alumni relations for the College of IST.
Kim Brannon, a recently appointed member of IST’s Dean’s Advisory Board, is a valued IST partner who generously shares her time, expertise and philanthropic support. A 1991 graduate of Penn State’s Eberly College of Science, she has more than 30 years of experience in information systems and business services and recently retired as chief information officer for SAP National Security Services. She is the inaugural head of IST's Department of Human-Centered Computing and Social Informatics Industrial and Professional Advisory Council, helping to provide insight, industry connections and guidance on curriculum development for the young department. She and her husband, Dave, support the college’s future through several endowments.
IST Outstanding Alumni Award: Noel Claudio
This 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. It was presented by Alison Flanigan (class of 2005), who received the award in 2024.
Noel Claudio graduated in 2014 and has built a career defined by professional excellence, leadership and meaningful societal impact. A first-generation college graduate, he began his career in consulting and went on to lead high-impact initiatives at Twitter, X and TikTok. He now serves as senior program manager at phData, helping enterprises scale their data and artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities. Impact through communities and creating pathways for underrepresented groups are a cornerstone of Claudio’s continued contributions. He is dedicated to fostering inclusion through his leadership of employee resource groups supporting the Latinx community and his mentorship of IST students. Claudio is a 2022 recipient of the Penn State Alumni Association’s Alumni Achievement Award.
Outstanding Graduate Alumni Award: Tao Lin
This award, also new in 2026, recognizes alumni who have achieved a master’s or doctoral degree from IST, demonstrated a record of outstanding accomplishments and made significant contributions leveraging expertise and knowledge gained through their degrees. It was presented by IST Alumni Society Board President Melanie Treff (class of 2019).
Tao Lin earned his doctoral degree in information sciences and technology in 2018 and now leads agent orchestration initiatives as principal software engineer at Microsoft Azure AI. He began his artificial intelligence career as senior software engineer at Amazon, where he led the Alexa AI Smart Home team and launched the Alexa Energy Dashboard. He then advanced to staff software engineer and tech lead at Google and contributed to Google Gemini, BeyondCorp and Cloud Identity and Access Management. He is a former member of the IST Alumni Society Board and a current mentor to IST students.
IST Emerging Professional Award: John Esteves
This award recognizes a recent College of IST graduate who is using their degree to make a positive impact on the world. It was also presented by Treff.
John Esteves, a 2019 graduate, has built a career focused on leadership, innovation and community impact. As co-founder of ME2 Consulting LLC, he helps organizations modernize operations, refine strategy and better serve their communities. His commitment to Penn State and IST extends beyond his career through student mentorship, internship opportunities and leadership on the IST Alumni Society Board, where he serves as president-elect. He also provides strategic oversight for North Central District Allied Connections, supporting its mission to deliver critical HIV/AIDS services across 12 Pennsylvania counties.
Penn State World Campus Outstanding Alumni Award — undergraduate recipient: Corey Wheeler
This award celebrates alumni who earned their Penn State degree online, through World Campus, and have excelled in their careers and positively impacted their communities and workplaces. It was presented by Karen Pollack, interim vice provost for online education at Penn State.
Corey Wheeler earned his IST degree in 2020, launching a journey of continued learning and professional growth. Since graduating, he has completed two master’s degrees, earned two certificates from the Smeal College of Business and is pursuing a doctor of business administration degree. Wheeler applied his IST knowledge as a solutions architect at NVIDIA and founded two firms focused on real estate investment and management consulting. He is dedicated to strengthening the Penn State community through alumni volunteer service in Orange County, California, supporting student send-offs, networking events and college and career fairs. Through his lifelong commitment to learning, entrepreneurship and service, he continues to expand his impact across the University and beyond.
Following the award presentations, one student shared what it means to be a scholarship recipient in the College of IST. Mea Thompson, an undergraduate student pursuing a degree in data sciences, described the positive impact the Nick and Melinda Berardi Educational Equity Scholarship has had on her educational journey. Nick Berardi (class of 2003) attended the event, offering a meaningful connection between the student and supporter.
Stanton returned to the podium to reflect on the people and experiences that inspired his commitment to giving back. He established a scholarship in honor of his mother and grandmother, whose hard work, service and belief in the value of education shaped his outlook. With his mother in attendance, Stanton shared how his own struggles as a student deepened his understanding of the difference financial support can make.
“I genuinely believe education is a strategic enabler, and it’s important to help students persevere and reach graduation,” Stanton said. “Like my mom and grandma, I want to do the right thing. Giving back is about more than financial assistance; it’s about reminding students that they are not alone and that their community believes in their potential.”
Donors and volunteers advance the University’s historic land-grant mission to serve and lead. Through philanthropy, alumni and friends are helping students to join the Penn State family and prepare for lifelong success; driving research, outreach and economic development that grow our shared strength and readiness for the future; and increasing the University’s impact for families, patients and communities across the commonwealth and around the world. Learn more by visiting raise.psu.edu.