UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Military-connected and veteran students, faculty, staff and alumni have long made important contributions to the Penn State Smeal College of Business. Each of their stories uniquely connects their service to the military to their contributions to Smeal.
What follows is a snapshot of a sampling of those individuals.
Mark Vighetti, third-year marketing major
A member of the Sapphire Leadership Academic Program, which consists of the top 5% of leaders in each Smeal academic class, Vighetti embodies the spirit of service and leadership at the Smeal College of Business. A dedicated cadet in the Nittany Lion Battalion Army ROTC Program, he was awarded an Army ROTC National Scholarship.
From his early days in the Boy Scouts of America to his involvement in Pennsylvania DECA in high school, which prepares emerging leaders for future careers in business, Vighetti said that he has always had an inclination toward business and leadership.
"Smeal fosters a culture of honor and integrity, which are both among the Army's values," Vighetti said. "Smeal rewards students for doing the right things, and my advisers and professors have always been extremely accommodating towards my involvement in the Army ROTC program. I have also interacted with many faculty members, including retired Air Force Lt. Col. Chris Solo and First Lt. Tom Mulherin, both commissioned officers through the Air Force ROTC at Penn State."
Although his military service is yet to begin, Vighetti said that he is incredibly grateful for the magnitude of important life lessons that he has already learned from his experience at Smeal and in the Nittany Lion Battalion Army ROTC Program.
“My experience so far has taught me to lead with a people-first approach, supported by integrity, resilience, creativity, and accountability,” he said.
Michael Blackwood, master's of management student
With a career spanning 21 years in the United States Navy, Blackwood served as a chief, and then a lieutenant nuclear limited duty officer, leading technical teams aboard aircraft carriers. Blackwood is currently pursuing a multifaceted academic journey at Penn State. Graduating with an engineering leadership and innovation management graduate certificate in 2021, Blackwood earned a master of management degree in strategic management and executive leadership in spring 2023 and is pursuing a master’s in systems engineering by 2026.
As a veteran, Blackwood said he finds solace in representing and supporting his fellow veterans, all while envisioning a future where his acquired skills and leadership will echo in the business world.
“My time in the Navy taught me to provide sound technical leadership through personal and professional adversity. This fact empowers me to take these skills into any circumstance and reach anyone with authenticity and wisdom,” Blackwood said. “The business world needs more veteran leadership that can easily stare down adversity in any and all circumstances and have the resilience to guide cross-functional teams to the successful accomplishment of the mission.”
As a lifelong learner, he said he hopes that this educational experience at Smeal will expand his professional skills in leadership and improve his intercultural and emotional competence to ignite innovations in the engineering realm.
Lisa Bolton, Jonas H. Anchel Professor in Business Administration
A former member of the Canadian Forces (Air Force), Bolton has been a professor of marketing at the Smeal College of Business since 2008. With a background as an aeronautical engineer whose rank progressed from officer cadet to second lieutenant during her four years of service, Bolton emphasized the values of self-discipline, accountability and teamwork in her classroom.
"I believe those qualities serve people well in the classroom and research," she said.
In addition, at the Royal Military College of Canada, the motto is “Truth, Duty, Valor,” and those values continue to guide her commitment to doing the right thing in teaching, research and community service. Whenever appropriate, Bolton said she engages her students by incorporating military examples in her teaching, offering real-world insights into marketing and recruitment strategies.
“I use the story about how I joined up as a segue to examples of how the military targets not just young adults but their parents when recruiting,” Bolton said.
Her journey as a female officer cadet in a predominantly male military environment at the Royal Military College of Canada provided her with a unique perspective on diversity and inclusivity, and an understanding of the challenges of being a minority.
Michael McMahon, IT support specialist
After a six-year tenure in the United States Army as an automated logistical specialist, McMahon now supports faculty and staff as an IT support specialist at the Smeal College of Business. In his current role, McMahon said he draws from principles instilled during his military service, such as promptness, efficiency, resilience, teamwork, adaptability and discipline in addressing the technical needs of the Smeal community.
“Many military veterans like myself are exposed to diverse cultures, backgrounds and perspectives, which created an awareness, understanding and empathy for me toward individuals of different cultures,” McMahon said.
Dana (Billotte) Frierson, director of finance for Nissan North America
Frierson, a 1997 Smeal finance and international business graduate, embodies a unique blend of military dedication and business acumen. Frierson served 14 years in the U.S. Army Reserves as a light-wheeled vehicle mechanic and petroleum fuel specialist. Now a director of finance for Nissan North America, Frierson credits professor of finance Chris Muscarella for arranging the interview with Ford Motor Company that shaped the course of her professional career in the automotive industry.
“My senior year, I was enrolled in Professor Muscarella’s FIN 408 class, and I would frequently use my military experience as a source of leadership examples,” Frierson said. “He made the connection between my military mechanic role and the Ford Motor Company, who was on campus conducting interviews. He saw me, told me to go home and put on my suit, and got me an interview with Ford that day. The rest is history. I have been in the automotive industry for more than 26 years.”
Frierson continues to draw on her educational experience at Smeal. She said that rather than being too narrowly focused, the major benefit of the curriculum at Smeal is that it is well-balanced, giving students a diverse business education in all related subjects. This background allows her to see the big picture of complex problems and consider all relevant angles in the solutions.
While the military gave her a head start in leading people at a young age, it was from her business classes at Smeal that she acquired the confidence to showcase her leadership skills and actively participate in her education.
"The fastest way to get promoted and move up in your career is to be seen as someone already performing at the next level. Show your leadership capacity, and you will be put in leadership positions," Frierson said.
Lieutenant Colonel Michael “Adam” Taylor and Major Sean O’Rourke, 2023-24 Marine Corps Fellows
Each year, two Marines undergo a competitive selective process to be chosen for the Marine Corps Logistics Fellowship Program at Penn State. This year’s Marine Corps Fellows are Taylor and O’Rourke.
“I am truly grateful to be selected for this opportunity to attend such a renowned program at the Smeal College of Business because the supply chain management program is highly sought after amongst military professionals, and I am excited to learn from supply chain professionals with industry experience,” Taylor said.
O’Rourke, too, said he was happy to be accepted.
“When I was informed about my selection, I was humbled and elated to study among a cohort of the world’s best and brightest faculty, staff and students. And who wouldn’t be excited for the opportunity to spend a year in State College, attend Nittany Lions football games, and be a student again? It really is a dream come true.”
A partnership between the Marine Corps and Penn State has made this fellowship program possible, which condenses the Master of Supply Chain Management program offered online through Penn State World Campus into a one-year hybrid program that combines online courses with classes MBA students take through Smeal. Its purpose is to further the education of the selected Marines in supply chain in their respective military roles, earning their master’s degree upon completion.
The curriculum is designed around team projects and class collaboration, which allows the Marine Fellows to share their expertise from a military perspective to educate classmates on similar supply chain challenges the military faces and the ways to overcome them.
“I am learning a considerable amount from my peers and professors within Smeal as well. The combination of active-duty military, veterans and civilian students provides a diverse learning experience where we can all exchange ideas and discuss lessons learned to better ourselves,” Taylor said.
O’Rourke reiterated that learning alongside diverse professionals allows for culturally distinct and unique perspectives on business issues.
“Learning among my cohorts in the MBA program, graduate students in the Master of Business Analytics program, and peers in World Campus, I definitely believe they have so much to offer me, and in return, I can offer a perspective from the 15 years of Marine Corps logistics service overseas, in combat, and expeditionary operations planning,” he said.
As adult learners, O’Rourke and Taylor said they have had to adapt to returning to academic life after almost two decades in the military. Nevertheless, both Marines have adjusted well to reestablishing new routines, study habits and time management strategies.
“It’s hard not to feel a little like Billy Madison or Thornton Melon (in the movie "Back to School") when I’m in class alongside so many brilliant students,” O’Rourke said.
Taylor echoed O’Rourke’s thoughts.
“The course load is significant, and the first couple of weeks were a culture shock to adapt to the academia lifestyle,” Taylor said. “Luckily, the only military responsibility I have is maintaining the physical fitness standards and passing the required annual tests, which means I need to spend more time in the IM Building and less time visiting the Creamery.”
Upon graduation from the fellowship program next year, both Taylor and O’Rourke envision leveraging their newfound knowledge, strategies and techniques to enhance the Marine Corps’ military capabilities. In addition, O’Rourke said he is passionate about passing on his expertise to his fellow service members.
“The Marine Corps will likely fight its next battle in a contested environment, so I hope to use my knowledge to assist with the implementation of emerging technologies, robots and automation, process improvements and to improve supply chain and distribution networks,” Taylor said.
Supporting veteran and military-connected students, faculty and staff
Penn State’s senior director for Veterans Affairs and Services, Eugene L. McFeely, provides overall leadership in the development, planning, execution and coordination of services and programs to optimize and meet the needs of Penn State’s community of veteran students. A 1989 Penn State electrical engineering alumnus, McFeely began serving in the position in January 2017. He served in the U.S. Air Force for 27 years, retiring as a colonel. Before being appointed senior director, he was a professor of aerospace studies at the University and was commander of Detachment 720 in the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps on campus.
“We want to make sure that our military-connected students get the most out of their Penn State experience, and they are set up to succeed in whatever path they choose once they leave here,” said McFeely. “There are so many great services and programs to support them while they’re here, and we want to make sure that our students know about everything — academic and otherwise — that is available to them.”
There are more than 4,500 students at University Park and throughout the University's Commonwealth Campuses, as well as Penn State World Campus, who have direct military ties as either active-duty service members, a reservist, veterans or military dependents.
In addition to the information provided on the Veterans Affairs and Services website, McFeely shared that there are a number of programs, including veteran first-year seminars, student veteran organizations, peer-to-peer programs, scholarships, Penn State World Campus military grant-in-aid and much more. The Student Veteran Center, which opened in November 2019 in the renovated Ritenour Building, is a 6,300-square-foot center that consolidated and expanded services, support and activities for student veterans in a central location on the University Park campus.
Most recently, a new Employee Resource Group was launched to support University-wide current/former military service, and veterans, one of the first of its kind at Penn State. The new Workday feature will allow employees to reflect on their military service more accurately. To learn more, all Penn State employees and students with military service backgrounds are invited to register for the Penn State Employee and Student Military Appreciation Breakfast at 9 a.m. Friday, Nov. 10, in Heritage Hall at the HUB-Robeson Center. There is no cost to attend, but registration is required.