Event Calendar
March 7
Alumni Society Board Meeting
Location: Remote
Spring 2021 meeting of the Bellisario College Alumni Society Board.

March 8
“A Conversation with Larry Starks”
Larry Starks
Time: 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Location: Zoom (TBA)
Larry Starks is a senior editor at USA Today sports, covering NBA news and breaking news. Prior to joining USA Today, Starks served for 13 years as the NBA news editor at ESPN, overseeing editorial content for NBA productions on the ESPN family of networks, ensuring material was fairly, accurately and consistently presented during game broadcasts. Earlier in his career, Starks was the assistant managing editor for sports at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. He earned a bachelor’s degree in English at Judson University in Elgin, Illinois. The session is part of the ongoing Conversation Series conducted by the John Curley Center for Sports Journalism, housed in the Bellisario College. The event is co-sponsored by the Office of Diversity and Inclusion.
March 9
“The Future of Creating Content ft. Bellisario College Alumni”
Time: 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Location: Registration Link: https://psu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_IXjr1Id4S26DEsb9033DHg
A series of special events on different content-creation topics featuring alumni, coordinated by the Alumni Society Board and the Office of Internships and Career Services.
Digital Media and Marketing
Moderator: Dan Solomon, Alumni Society Board
Panelists: Julie Gorbey, Sr. Business Lead, Google; Stephanie Layser, VP, Advertising Technology & Operations, News Corp.; Mala Persaud, Director, Communications, Milken Institute's Center for Strategic Philanthropy; and Brittany Wolf, VP, Custome Success & Campaign Operations, PebblePost
Registration Link: https://psu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_IXjr1Id4S26DEsb9033DHg
Website: https://www.bellisario.psu.edu/alumni/creating-content-in-2021

March 9
“In Search of the Elusive”
Lynn Johnson
Time: 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Location: Zoom (https://psu.zoom.us/j/97819425179)
Session of the ongoing Journalism Speakers Forum featuring photojournalist Lynn Johnson.
Website: https://www.bellisario.psu.edu/journalism-speakers-forum

March 11
Wellness Day — No Classes
March 15
Pivoting Your Career in a Pandemic
Time: 7:00 pm – 8:15 pm
Location: Event Link: https://psu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_v8MkubAoSEK6abezRCrRZA
Sponsored by the Bellisario College and Penn State World Campus, featuring alumni Ron Wagner ('89) and Maram Cadwell ('16g). Strategies for success if you stay in your job ... and if you decide to leave. Free event.
Registration Link: https://psu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_v8MkubAoSEK6abezRCrRZA

March 15
“A Conversation with Claire Smith”
Claire Smith
Time: 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Location: Zoom (https://psu.zoom.us/j/97819425179)
Claire Smith was among the pioneering group of women to break into sports writing, and is the first woman, and fourth African-American, to win the J.G. Taylor Spink Award, which is the highest honor given by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. Smith attended Penn State and graduated from Temple University. The session is a Women’s History Month event, co-sponsored by the John Curley Center for Sports Journalism, the Office of Diversity & Inclusion, and the Penn State chapter of the Association for Women in Sports Media.
March 16
Hollywood Program Info Session
Time: 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Location: 111 Forum Building
Want to spend Spring 2022 in Hollywood learning firsthand about the entertainment industry? The Penn State Hollywood Program offers internships and communications classes on the entertainment industry each spring semester in the entertainment capital of the world. In-person infornation session open to all majors in the Bellisario College. Virtual connection available via Zoom (https://psu.zoom.us/j/91997628692).

March 16
“Telling Stories with Comics”
John Derf Backderf
Time: 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Location: Zoom (https://psu.zoom.us/j/97819425179)
Session of the ongoing Journalism Speakers Forum featuring John Derf Backderf.
Website: https://www.bellisario.psu.edu/journalism-speakers-forum
March 17
Hollywood Program Info Session
Time: 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Location: 111 Forum Building
Want to spend Spring 2022 in Hollywood learning firsthand about the entertainment industry? The Penn State Hollywood Program offers internships and communications classes on the entertainment industry each spring semester in the entertainment capital of the world. In-person infornation session open to all majors in the Bellisario College. Virtual connection available via Zoom (https://psu.zoom.us/j/99471044005).
March 19
Films and Friends 2020
Location: Virtual, TBA
Alumni and student film screening and networking event.

March 23
“Lies My Profession Taught Me”
Ken Armstrong
Time: 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Location: Zoom (https://psu.zoom.us/j/97819425179)
Session of the ongoing Journalism Speakers Forum featuring Pulitzer Prize-winner Ken Armstrong.
Website: https://www.bellisario.psu.edu/journalism-speakers-forum
March 24
Ad/PR Career Tips from Alumni Pros, Part 1: Public Relations
Time: 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm
Location: Registration Link: https://psu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_umagFsosRZ-fJ2Sr-HJiSA
A virtual panel of experienced alumni in public relations, from agencies, big brands and the media world. Sponsored by the Bellisario College Ad/PR Alumni Network Board.
Registration Link: https://psu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_umagFsosRZ-fJ2Sr-HJiSA
March 25
Pockrass Memorial Lecture
Vivian Chen
Lecture Series: Pockrass Memorial Lecture
Time: 9:00 am – 10:00 am
Location: Zoom (TBA)
Vivian Chen of Nanyang Technical University will present the Pockrass Memorial Lecture.
March 25
Ad/PR Career Tips from Alumni Pros, Part 2: Advertising
Time: 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm
Location: Registration Link: https://psu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_1Eyt5WkkRaOaTv1j2v-Rcg
A virtual panel of experienced alumni in advertising, from agencies, big brands and the media world. Sponsored by the Bellisario College Ad/PR Alumni Network Board.
Registration Link: https://psu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_1Eyt5WkkRaOaTv1j2v-Rcg
March 30
Journalism Speakers Forum
Time: 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Location: Zoom (https://psu.zoom.us/j/97819425179)
Website: https://www.bellisario.psu.edu/journalism-speakers-forum
April 6
Journalism Speakers Forum
Time: 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Location: Zoom (https://psu.zoom.us/j/97819425179)
Website: https://www.bellisario.psu.edu/journalism-speakers-forum

April 7
Wellness Day — No Classes
April 13
Journalism Speakers Forum
Time: 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Location: Zoom (https://psu.zoom.us/j/97819425179)
Website: https://www.bellisario.psu.edu/journalism-speakers-forum
April 20
Journalism Speakers Forum
Time: 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Location: Zoom (https://psu.zoom.us/j/97819425179)
Website: https://www.bellisario.psu.edu/journalism-speakers-forum

April 26
“Spectacularized and Branded Digital (Re)presentations of Black People and Blackness”
Francesca Sobande
Lecture Series: Pockrass Memorial Lecture
Time: 11:00 am – 12:30 pm
Location: Zoom (https://psu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_KEzLWQZfRKeEIR91LUkJow)
Dr. Francesca Sobande, a lecturer in digital media studies and director of the BA Media, Journalism and Culture program at Cardiff University, will discuss digital racism and racial capitalizem related to online (re)presentations of Balack people and associated marketplace logics, digital practices and (re)mediations of Blackness in the service of brands. A free public event with preregistration required. Click here for details.
April 30
Spring Semester Classes End
May 3
Signing Day Celebration – Class of 2025
Time: 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
May 8
Spring 2020 Undergraduate Commencement
Time: 1:00 pm – 3:30 pm
Location: Bryce Jordan Center
Website: https://www.commencement.psu.edu/2021-commencement-schedule/
May 10
Presentation of the Bart Richards Award for Media Criticism
Time: 5:30 pm – 8:00 pm
Location: National Press Club (Washington, D.C.)