In a family full of Penn State graduates, Dale Quayle always embraced his role as a loyal supporter. While he never felt left out of the magic that Happy Valley holds, he wanted to hold the official Nittany Lion title himself.

“Penn Staters are so welcoming to everyone, so I was always treated like one of the gang,” Quayle said. “But being an official alumni was something I secretly wanted to do.”

In the midst of the pandemic with some extra time on his hands, Quayle set out to earn his master’s degree from the Smeal College of Business at Penn State. After some back and forth with his undergraduate university, Illinois State, to receive his transcript, he submitted his application and began the waiting game.

A little while later, he was accepted into the master’s program for corporate innovation and entrepreneurship. With some help from Michelle Rockower at Smeal, he was one step closer to becoming an official Nittany Lion.

Throughout the whole application process and while he was earning his degree, Quayle only told his wife, Peggy. Peggy graduated from Penn State in 1981 and was extremely supportive of Quayle as he embarked on his blue and white journey.

“I told her what I wanted to do, and that it was to be a total secret,” Quayle said. “She encouraged me every step of the way and kept track of my progress. It was a fun journey for both of us.”

With support from Peggy, Quayle decided to keep it a secret from his children, all of whom went to Penn State, too. His oldest daughter, Mary, was the first of Quayle’s children to make the cross-country trip from California to attend Penn State as a freshman.

“She loved the campus, the experiences, and everything it had to offer,” Quayle said. “We made several trips to see her there and fell in love with the place. It was beautiful… a true college experience. She flourished there and was involved in everything.”

Seeing how amazing of an experience their sister had as a Nittany Lion, Quayle’s sons, Peter and Thomas, also followed in her footsteps.

“While we missed them every day, their transition to adulthood was completed by their experience at Penn State.  They each have great careers and are doing so well in life,” Quayle said.

The impact Penn State had on his children and the experiences it provided them made this journey even more impactful for Quayle. While he visited frequently during their undergraduate careers, he could now officially share a part of their life with them.

Quayle completed his degree in August 2023, and the only thing left to do was tell his kids. Peggy knew how much this degree meant to Quayle, and without his knowledge, coordinated a reveal with over 175 of his closest family and friends.

The reveal was set to take place at the Quayle’s annual tailgate during the White Out. The group had been tailgating since Peter’s sophomore year at Penn State, and one of Peter’s friends coined the term, “Dalegate,” to encapsulate just how spirited and energetic the tailgate was.

The name and tradition stuck, and Peggy started making t-shirts for everyone in attendance. This year, against Iowa, they handed out 175 shirts to people in attendance. The flyer and shirts sported the common tagline of the event: “Two Rules… Wear White & Don’t Be An Idiot.”

Despite the bad weather this year, everyone still had a blast at the tailgate. But little did Quayle know, Peggy had an even bigger surprise in store for him. After coordinating with Rockower and others at Smeal, she arranged for a special announcement and ceremony.

After gathering everyone, the news broke, and so did the tears.

“When Michele made the announcement, I was looking at my daughter as my wife was putting my cap and gown on me,” Quayle said. “She was crying. It was so moving. My boys were stunned. They didn’t know what was going on.”

What was an extremely full circle moment for everyone has continued for Quayle. He hopes to stay involved with Smeal as much as he can in order to pay it forward for those in similar positions as himself.

“Last week, I spoke about my journey in business and shared some insights in a couple of areas where I’m well versed. I’d like to help students that are just starting their journey,” Quayle said.

Quayle currently works as the CEO at RFCode, a technology company based out of Austin, Texas. While he didn’t necessarily need the master’s degree to complete his knowledge, it was only an enhancement.

“I really see the degree at Smeal as a bit of a ‘cherry on top’ of a very exciting and fulfilling career,” Quayle said.

The whole undertaking was a truly memorable experience for Quayle and one he’ll remember forever.

“I must admit that I get a lot of enjoyment when I meet a Penn Stater for the first time and they ask me when I graduated. When I tell them 2023, I get great joy from the perplexed look I get in return,” he said.