UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Members of the Penn State community are invited to join the College of Information Sciences and Technology (IST) for “IST Identity Talks – Strength in Diversity,” to be held virtually from 6 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 5.

In the talk series, IST alumni from underrepresented backgrounds share the diverse experiences they’ve gained, and the challenges and opportunities they’ve faced, through their educational and professional journeys.

Alumni panelists for the talk on April 5 include:

• Megan Costello, an assistant teaching professor at IST who earned a bachelor’s degree from the college in 2008 and a juris doctorate from the University of New Hampshire School of Law (formerly the Franklin Pierce Law Center). Bringing her legal background to the IST classroom, Costello teaches classes in technology law, privacy, cybersecurity and entrepreneurship. She also speaks and regularly publishes on cyberlaw, intellectual property, entrepreneurship and “geek-culture” related topics.
• Nikita Page, an information technology audit manager for Microsoft and music production entrepreneur who earned a bachelor’s degree in 2017. Currently based out of the greater New York metropolitan area, Page credits his Penn State education for preparing him to work across a variety of industries and geographic regions, both domestically and internationally. Originally from Ukraine, Page is passionate about implementing a global and inclusive perspective for all the projects in his portfolio. 
• Joel Sakyi, a systems administrator at ValidaTeck Inc., who earned his bachelor’s degree in 2020. In his role he manages information systems as a contractor for the Department of Defense. Prior to his graduation from Penn State, Sakyi launched Vybrnt, a startup company that aids underrepresented students in connecting with organizations, finding resources and forming mentoring relationships at the University. He advanced Vybrnt through the Invent Penn State Summer Founders Program and released Vybrnt’s mobile app in October 2020.
• Sara Weston, founder and executive director of 911der Women Inc., a nonprofit corporation with a mission to empower and provide tools for women in public safety. She has been a consultant for 911 technology systems for 17 years, working on federal projects and with states on planning, procuring and implementing Next Generation 911 systems. Weston is a certified project management professional and holds the emergency number professional certification through the National Emergency Number Association. Weston earned her bachelor’s degree in IST in 2005.

“It can be easy to blend into the background, accept your daily jaded experiences as the norm, or step out of character when fighting for your ambitions,” said Page. “I hope my story will motivate others to continue to pursue their aspirations while maintaining a positive attitude and moral compass.”

The IST Identity Talks series aims to inspire an open dialogue for students and alumni, and provide unique viewpoints to help all attendees be better prepared to thrive in diverse professional and personal communities.

To date, more than 40 IST alumni have shared their stories and unique vantagepoints as panelists in the talk series. Members of the IST and Penn State community are invited and encouraged find details of upcoming talks, and view recordings of past panels, at the Identity Talks website.