It is with unimaginable sadness that we mourn the loss of a Penn State alumnus, a member of our Onward State family, and a great friend. Alex Federman, a 2013 Penn State graduate and Onward State staff member from 2010-2013, was killed tragically Sunday afternoon in a car accident near his home in Silver Spring, Maryland. His twin brother Mark was also involved in the accident and remains hospitalized as of Monday morning.

Alex loved movies and earned his degree in Film-Video from the College of Communications. After his graduation, Alex began to make his mark in the industry he was so passionate about, working as a casting assistant on Netflix’s House of Cards, and as a Production Assistant on projects ranging from Captain America: The Winter Soldier to History Channel’s Ancient Aliens.

Many of you read his work every day without even knowing it — Alex was “the man behind the Twitter,” running Onward State’s social media platforms during his senior year, and serving as our Community Manager before that.

Alex was, simply put, one of the most loyal staff members in Onward State’s six-and-a-half-year history, but far more importantly, he was a friend, a brother, and a son, and he has been taken from us far too soon. It was an honor to have worked with and to have known him, and none of us are quite sure who will take his place as the first person to show up to the party. Please keep his family and friends in your thoughts, as we cherish the memory of a kind and talented young man. Join us also in hoping that his brother Mark will have a quick and full recovery.