Smeal Graduate Career Advisory Board connects students with industry leaders

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Before a graduate student ever walks into an interview, the Penn State Smeal College of Business Graduate Career Advisory Board wants them to walk in with confidence — not just because they understand today’s hiring landscape, but because they’ve had genuine dialogue with the people who have already navigated it.

Smeal launched its Graduate Career Advisory Board in January with an ambitious goal to help graduate students leave campus better prepared for today's rapidly evolving workplace.

Consisting of Penn State alums and industry professionals representing a range of business sectors, the board works alongside Smeal's Graduate Career Services team to provide an employer's perspective on everything from career programming to networking opportunities and emerging workplace trends.

"Our focus is always on improving student employment outcomes," said Joseph Ianiero, director of Graduate Career Services and facilitator of the advisory board. "How do we move the needle in helping students prepare for successful careers?"

Rather than waiting until students begin searching for jobs, Ianiero said the board emphasizes preparing students throughout their graduate experience by helping them understand employer expectations, build professional networks and develop the skills needed in today's business environment.

The board collaborates with Smeal's Graduate Career Services team, offering outside perspectives from professionals who understand the realities of hiring and workforce development. Members represent a variety of industries and specialties, including human resources, technology, marketing, entrepreneurship and health care, allowing the group to provide well-rounded feedback as new initiatives are developed.

"Each member is bringing such a unique perspective," Ianiero said. "They're seeing different challenges and opportunities within their own industries, and that helps us better prepare our students."

Since its launch, the board has already begun shaping future programming. Members visited campus this spring not simply to offer advice, but to listen. Through focus groups with students, they learned firsthand about career aspirations, concerns and experiences. The board has a common goal of getting to the heart of the issues that students face and using those perspectives to create not just a learning experience, but a career experience that lasts.

Those conversations helped guide several initiatives planned for the 2026-27 academic year, including expanded mentoring opportunities, mock interview programming, leadership development experiences and additional experiential learning opportunities designed to better connect graduate students with employers.

Beyond offering strategic guidance, board members are investing their time to build relationships with graduate students through professional coaching, resume and application feedback, networking opportunities and one-on-one mentoring.

For board member Ken Graham, those relationships are the most meaningful when there “is no status in the room.” He said the board intentionally approaches students as people first, creating space for honest conversations that meet the students where they are rather than simply reciting advice. Graham said he hopes those conversations leave Smeal students with more than career guidance — he hopes they inspire the next generation of professionals to mentor others in the same way.

As a Smeal graduate and professional who now helps entrepreneurs through Happy Valley LaunchBox, board member Elizabeth Hay is doing just that. She said she joined the board because she wanted to help students “learn how to package their talents, tell their story and build authentic relationships that lead to internships, jobs and long-term, fulfilling careers.”

“By encouraging students to take ownership of their careers, we can ask them to talk to people, listen for problems and make sure their skills align with the opportunities and challenges they’re most excited to work on,” Hay said.

For Ianiero, the board's greatest strength lies in its shared commitment to student success. While members bring decades of professional experience and diverse perspectives, they are driven by a common goal of helping graduate students navigate an increasingly competitive job market.

"This group doesn't just want to have conversations," Ianiero said. "They want to create an impact for students."

As the Graduate Career Advisory Board continues to grow, it plans to expand opportunities for students to connect with alums and industry leaders. Ultimately, the board defines success not just by stronger resumes or larger professional networks, but by relationships – helping graduate students grow into confident professionals who will one day mentor the next generation themselves.

Graduate Career Advisory Board members

Joseph Ianiero serves as director of graduate career services for Smeal’s Professional Graduate Programs, where he leads career strategy, employer engagement and student career coaching, helping connect graduate students with industry opportunities.

Jeff DeLucia is vice president of talent strategy and leadership at the Judge Group. An HR (human resources) executive, he specializes in talent acquisition, leadership development and building workforce pipelines that align with long-term business goals.

Ken Graham is a leadership consultant and former director of Smeal Executive Programs. A three-time Smeal graduate, he served on the Smeal faculty and led the college’s Executive Programs before moving into leadership roles with three Fortune 50 companies. He brings decades of experience in organizational strategy, executive education and business leadership.

Elizabeth Hay is the Jack White Family Director of Happy Valley LaunchBox powered by PNC Bank. A Smeal MBA graduate, she leads entrepreneurship programs that help early-stage ventures grow, with a particular emphasis on supporting women entrepreneurs and fostering regional economic development.

Alice Liu is a senior consultant at Deloitte, specializing in healthcare supply chain optimization and technology implementation. She earned her integrated bachelor’s and MBA degrees from Penn State in 2021.

Andrew Marshall is associate director of marketing for U.S. Oncology at Merck. A Penn State MBA graduate, he remains actively involved in mentoring students and advising them on graduate education and career preparation.

William "Bill" McShane II is director of connected building technologies at Honeywell. He has extensive experience in systems integration, product strategy and building automation, helping organizations develop innovative technology solutions.

Chad Burkholder is a business operations and leadership consultant with executive experience spanning across healthcare, insurance and behavioral health. A Smeal MBA graduate, he also serves as vice chair of Junior Achievement of Southeastern Pennsylvania.

Smeal's Graduate Career Services team supports the Graduate Career Advisory Board in partnership with Erin Long, managing director of Smeal Residential Master's Programs, and Ianiero. Along with assistant directors Jana Jaffa, who leads leadership development programming; Lesley Jackson, who oversees professional development programming; and Mindy Fisher, who leads employer relations, the team works with board members to turn employer insights into career coaching, leadership development, networking opportunities and employer engagement programs for graduate students.

The Graduate Career Advisory Board is set to welcome three new members in early August: Vanessa Naddaf, finance manager in Amazon's Finance Leadership Development Program; Barbara Bridendolph, CEO of Crenshaw Associates; and Paras Fatnani, co-founder of Seed Global Education.