Michigan Chapter President Gary Wade welcomed alumni and friends to East Lansing in 2017. Photo credit: The Football Letter/Steve Manuel

Not much has changed for Gary Wade ’77 over the years. And that’s good.

Wade heads up the Penn State Alumni Association’s Michigan Chapter, serving as president since 2012.

“I’m involved for the same reasons I first got involved, it’s exciting,” Wade said. “I really enjoyed my years at Penn State. Studying was hard, there was a certain grind to get your degree, but there’s a certain joy to the Penn State community.

“You meet another person, and you’ve never met them before, and as soon as you have a common bond as Penn Staters, you enjoy sharing stories — even if they’re decades apart.”

Whether the stories revolve around studying at the library or attending a football game, “the thrills are the same over the years,” Wade said.

That consistency has served the chapter well, most notably through a core group of board members. The chapter successfully holds repeat events, like television watch parties, annual member socials, and student sendoff picnics, with Wade pointing out that things run more smoothly with minimal turnover.

One of the main contributors is Bob Veres ’74, the chapter’s treasurer, and as Wade describes, “sports guru.” Veres has been active with the chapter since the 1970s, securing football tickets for numerous games and overseeing various contests for the Michigan group.

Complementing these stalwarts, the chapter has expanded its efforts with the help of some personnel additions.

“We do have a couple of new people on board, and that’s made things a bit more exciting,” Wade said. “They’ve come in with ideas and made a few changes with what we do.”

For one example, Wade pointed to Brodie Schultz ’15, ’17g and his work toward organizing a THON golf outing each of the past few years. Schultz helped the chapter exceed its goal for each of the past two years with the golf event, raising more than $25,000 combined.

Additionally, the new members have increased the chapter’s presence on social media, and you can follow the Michigan Chapter on Facebook.

“They like Penn State, the networking, and the benefit of meeting up with Penn Staters in different fields and degrees,” Wade said. “They all have the common core value of wanting to help Penn State and wanting to help the chapter.”

Sometimes, these demographics merge: longstanding board members contributing to recent graduates getting involved.

The chapter has worked diligently with scholarship fundraising, awarding $13,000 last summer to nine students, and awarding more than $83,000 over the last decade. The scholarships benefit Penn State students hailing from Michigan, such as Alexandra Fahoome ’16, who received a scholarship in 2015. Fahoome returned to Michigan after graduating and now leads the Michigan Chapter’s communications efforts.

Families will enjoy time with the Penn State Cheerleaders and Nittany Lions at Friday night’s mixer (photo from 2017 event in East Lansing). Photo credit: The Football Letter/Steve Manuel

Wade and his group will be busy this weekend, when undefeated and No. 6 Penn State comes to East Lansing for a showdown against the Spartans.

Friday night, the chapter will host an alumni mixer at a local restaurant. Then, there’s a block of tickets available for members for the game. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. at Spartan Stadium.

The atmosphere Friday night is more manageable for alumni and friends to get photos and some face time with the cheer team and Nittany Lion, who typically headline each away game mixer that Alumni Association affiliate groups host. It’s a little less hectic, Wade said, and Penn Staters have the opportunity for some meaningful interaction.

Wade has a little more time for himself now, too. He retired last summer after 41 years at Chrysler, a job he landed out of college because of his Penn State degree. He was recruited by another Penn State grad, George Miller ’59. Miller is still involved with the Michigan Chapter, so Wade continues to see him on a regular basis

It’s those types of connections that have enriched Wade’s Penn State experience, one that transcends decades, geographic regions, and different perspectives from generation to generation.

“The Penn State community in Michigan and other places I’ve been, it’s a great community to be involved in,” Wade said.

There are nearly 300 Alumni Association affiliate groups, spanning geographic regions, academic colleges, and shared interests. You can view a full list and connect with Penn Staters anytime at alumni.psu.edu/groups.

Each week throughout the 2019 season, we’ll tell you what to expect, what to keep an eye on, and where and when you can catch the Nittany Lions on fall Saturdays. 

Game details: No. 10/9 Penn State @ No 17/18 Iowa, 7:30 p.m., broadcast on ABC

Venue: Kinnick Stadium 

Weather forecast (via AccuWeather): Kick-off temperature of 49 degrees, mostly clear skies. 

The line: Penn State – 3.5 

Last week: Penn State won its Homecoming matchup against Purdue, 35-7. Iowa lost a defensive struggle at Michigan, 10-3. 

All-time series: Penn State leads 16-12. Penn State has won five consecutive meetings. 

Last meeting (2018): Penn State held off Iowa in a cold, sloppy afternoon game in which Trace McSorley gutted out an injury he suffered in the second quarter. A timely interception at the goal line by Nick Scott, and a late fourth-quarter stand helped the Nittany Lions hold of the Hawkeyes, 30-24.

Throwback classic (2007): Having suffered five-straight losses in the series, Penn State won comfortably 27-7 on Oct. 6, 2007. The win marked just the second time in seven meetings that Joe Paterno had gotten the better of Kirk Ferentz. The Hawkeyes went on to win the next three meetings. 

Overview: Two of the best defenses in the Big Ten will go head to head at Kinnick. Penn State is the fourth-ranked total defense in the country, while Iowa is fifth-best. This game will probably come down to which offense can make the most big plays. The Hawkeyes were dreadful against Michigan, while Penn State has scored 94 points combined in its first two Big Ten games. That being said, Iowa’s defense will be a much more difficult test for Sean Clifford and the Nittany Lions’ offense than the Maryland and Purdue defenses were. 

Penn State wins if: The Nittany Lions defense can bottle up the Hawkeyes run game. Penn State’s front seven has feasted through five games, leading the nation in sacks and tackles-for-loss, albeit all against unranked teams. Iowa is going to want to win this game by running the football and controlling the clock. If the Nittany Lions bottle up the Hawkeyes rushing attack and get after Nate Stanley, who was flustered by a blitz-heavy scheme from the Wolverines a week ago, they can walk out of Kinnick victorious. 

Iowa wins if: It can limit Penn State’s big-play ability. The Nittany Lions offense thrives on chunk plays. Getting the ball down field and in space to the likes of KJ Hamler, Jahan Dotson, and others is what makes this offense tick. As good as the Hawkeyes defense has been, they’ve only registered seven team sacks this season. Led by defensive end AJ Epensa, Iowa is going to have to get after Clifford and limit the time he has to find his big weapons. 

Count On: A close game. The history of this matchup will tell you, these two teams usually play a close game, especially when they play at Kinnick Stadium. Penn State isn’t going to blowout Iowa the way it did Maryland and Purdue. It’s going to be another tight contest with a handful of key plays deciding the outcome of the game. 

Keep an eye on: Noah Cain. The freshman had a breakout performance against Purdue a week ago with 105 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries. Penn State is going to continue its running back committee approach, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they lean on the physical running style of Cain a little bit more this week. 

Trivia tidbit: As consistent of winners as Penn State and Iowa have been over the years, both programs only have one Heisman trophy winners to their names. John Cappelletti is Penn State’s lone winner, securing the award in 1973. Nile Kinnick, the namesake of Iowa’s stadium, won the Heisman in 1939. 

Predictions

John Patishnock: Penn State 31,  Iowa 21

Vincent Lungaro: Penn State 27, Iowa 17