Since graduating from Penn State’s College of Information Sciences and Technology (IST) in 2007, Mark Poblete has successfully followed two paths: a professional career focused on information systems management and a personal passion for supporting his alma mater. In honor of his achievements, he was recently recognized by the college as this year’s recipient of the Penn State Outstanding IST Alumni Award during the board’s annual meeting on Sept. 30 on the University Park campus.
“It’s a little overwhelming and incredibly humbling,” said Poblete. “We have so many incredible alumni doing so many great things, and it’s really an honor to consider them peers of mine.”
The college established the Outstanding IST Alumni Award in 2013 to recognize graduates who have reached exceptional levels of professional achievement. The award is one of the highest honors bestowed by the college, recognizing its outstanding alumni for their continued success and impact as leaders in their professional field.
“Mark’s engagement with the College and the University, along with his successful professional career, is the paradigm of what it means to be an IST grad,” said Kelsey Bailey, president of the IST Alumni Society. “The IST Alumni Society is lucky to be able to work with someone with his experience and passion, and we are thankful for his service on the Board.”
Upon receiving his bachelor of science in IST, Poblete began his career in the Washington, DC, metro area by joining the federal advisory risk consulting practice at KPMG. After seven years with the company, he transitioned to his current role as manager with Capital One's corporate audit services department, where he delivers internal audits of information system processes across the bank’s lines of business to support regulatory compliance and operational effectiveness.
In addition to his numerous professional accomplishments, Poblete has remained active within the IST and Penn State communities. As past president of the IST Alumni Society, he serves as an appointed representative to the Penn State Alumni Association’s Alumni Council. In addition, Poblete co-chairs the Homecoming committee for the Penn State Alumni Blue Band Association Affiliate Program Group and is an active volunteer with the University’s Undergraduate Admissions Office.
“My four years as an undergraduate at Penn State are the reason I’ve been able to succeed professionally,” said Poblete. “Everything from the faculty to the interactive classroom environment to the extracurricular activities, they’ve really set me up for success. Giving back in whichever ways I can is just one thing I can do to make sure that the next generation of Penn Staters and IST students are even more successful.”
As an undergraduate student, Poblete was a four-year member of the Penn State Blue Band, a three-year member of the University-wide Homecoming overall committee — where he served as overall chairperson in 2006 — and a student director of IST’s Student e-Portfolio Initiative. He is currently continuing his Penn State education as a graduate student in the College of IST's nationally recognized master of professional studies in information sciences program offered through Penn State World Campus.
“Mark has built a career on professional excellence and personal service,” said Andrew Sears, dean of the College of IST. “He is a great example of the type of student IST attracts and the quality of alumni we produce. We are grateful to have him as an alumnus and look forward to the continued impact he will have on our College and students.”
Whenever Poblete connects with future and current Penn State students — and given his involvement, he does so often — he gives them the same piece of advice: “Take full advantage of every opportunity that you’ve got here. Challenge yourself, stretch yourself. It’s going to pay dividends, not just while you’re here but wherever you end up, whether it’s the boardroom or the classroom or the community.”