
Sophia Pelillo
Sophia Pelillo graduated from Penn State University in 2022 with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. She started her role as the Assistant Director of Student Philanthropy this past May in Penn State’s Office of Annual Giving. In this role, she serves as the Advisor for the Student Philanthropy Network. The Student Philanthropy Network (SPN) is a student organization that engages and educates students and the Penn State community about the university’s philanthropic mission. SPN also provides Penn State students with professional development opportunities as well as a comprehensive understanding of Penn State’s Division Development and Alumni Relations. Also in her role, she serves as a liaison for her office on different appeals and helps engage the student population in different projects. During her time as a student, Sophia was involved in a number of activities including THON, Lion Ambassadors and the Thespian Society. Sophia is proud to be a part of the Penn State community and continues to be an advocate for her students and the importance of philanthropy in higher education. She is so excited to be a part of this year’s Alumni Court!
Amber Smith
Amber Smith is a 2007 graduate of Penn State with her Bachelor of Arts in Communications. Smith attended Penn State Altoona and as a student, she was a member of Lion Ambassadors for four years and served as President of the Altoona Circle of Omicron Delta Kappa: National Leadership Honor Society. Since her time at Penn State, Smith has served on the Penn State Altoona Alumni Society Board of Directors and earned her Master’s Degree in Education from Saint Francis University in 2013. Smith is also a lifetime member of the Penn State Alumni Association.
Currently, Smith has a career in higher education with her current position as a Student Services Specialist at Pennsylvania Highlands Community College and is the owner and National Executive Director of the National United States Scholarship Pageant LLC, a scholarship and community service based organization. In her free time, Smith enjoys volunteering, crafting, and cheering on the Nittany Lions.

Kelly Karpa
Dr. Kelly Karpa graduated in 2000 with a PhD in pharmacology from the College of Medicine and has written more than 1000 articles for pharmacy publications; authored or co-authored three books, two white-papers, several book chapters, and has had more than 60 peer-reviewed manuscripts published in science and medical journals. She has been an invited speaker at dozens of symposia and institutions around the globe. She was a tenured professor at Penn State College of Medicine where she also served as Assistant Dean of Interprofessional Education (IPE) until six months ago, when she was recruited to serve as Associate Dean of Institutional Effectiveness and Innovation at Quillen College of Medicine at East Tennessee State University. She has continued to serve on a number of national and international taskforces that promote interprofessional education and medical education. As seen by her number of positions and leadership roles, as well as numerous prestigious state and national awards and fellowships, Dr. Kelly Karpa’s commitment to education is evident. On a personal level, she enjoys hosting students at her home, tailgating at PSU games with family and friends, and spending time on the water boating with her family.Beau Bradley
Beau Bradley (they/he) is a nonbinary trans-masculine entrepreneur, emergency manager, and host of the Beau my God Podcast, who lives just outside of Seattle, Washington. A life-long public servant with experience as a Firefighter, Emergency Medical Technician, and Emergency Telecommunicator; Beau is also a two-time graduate of the Pennsylvania State University ( 2014 B.S. in Communication Sciences and Disorders, Minor in Human Development and Family Studies; 2019 MPS in Homeland Security, Public Health Preparedness), where he focused their studies on public health and safety, specifically the importance of mental healthcare. While at Penn State, Beau was elected to multiple positions within Alpha Phi Omega, Alpha Beta Chapter, including First Aid Meet Chair, and Membership Vice President, and also volunteered with LifeLink, in the local community, and played intramural soccer and softball. Beau continues to raise awareness around LGBTQIA+ history, culture, and current events through their podcast and by serving on the board of directors for CHEER Seattle. Today, Beau works at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as an Emergency Management Specialist serving the states of Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington, and as the FEMA Region 10 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee Chair.
About Alumni Court
As a Penn State Alum, you have the opportunity to come back and celebrate the Penn State Glory as a member of the 2022 Alumni Court. The Alumni Court celebrates and recognizes individuals that have strived for success in all of life’s endeavors, following their years at Penn State. Alumni Court provides an opportunity to renew the Penn State spirit and create new memories at the University. If you feel as though Penn State has made a large impact on who you are and where you ended up in life, then we want to hear your story.
Selection Process
Continue on the legacy of the Nittany Lion Family, as a member of the Penn State Homecoming Alumni Court. In order to have an opportunity to be on this specific court, Alumni Court Applications will go out During the summer months. An applicant need only be a Penn State Graduate. The only other requirement that we urge all applicants to have, is a sense of pride and commitment towards this University. After all applications have been submitted, Homecoming Alumni Relations Captains will be interviewing all applicants in the form of either a phone or skype interview. The final 4 members of the Alumni Court will then be selected in the coming weeks.