The Penn State Alumni Association has selected 14 recent graduates as 2025–26 Young Alumni Ambassadors. The Young Alumni Ambassador program is a yearlong experience that enhances the connections between young alumni, the Penn State Alumni Association, and the University, and helps
participants develop skills to become the University’s future volunteer leaders. Participants
develop into confident and capable leaders while motivating fellow alumni to engage with the
University through volunteerism and membership in the Alumni Association.

The Young Alumni Ambassador program was developed in part through the generosity of Peter and
Ann Tombros, who provided seed funding for a pilot initiative, followed by additional support,
including a $25,000 gift that was matched by the Alumni Association to create a $50,000
endowment to help fund a portion of the Young Alumni Ambassador experience in perpetuity.

“It’s a great honor to continue our partnership with the Penn State Alumni Association and maintain
the impact of the Young Alumni Ambassador program,” Peter Tombros said. “This program
enhances the post-graduation experience for young alumni by connecting them to seasoned
mentors, resources, and group leaders throughout the country. This generation of alumni engages
with Penn State and the Alumni Association in different ways, and we want them to be involved in
shaping the future.”

The 2025-26 ambassadors were selected after an extensive interview process. December 2025 and
Spring 2026 graduates are encouraged to apply for the 2026-27 class of Ambassadors when applications become available in Spring 2026.

This year’s Young Alumni Ambassadors are:

Roman Bahadursingh ‘25
Finance & Economics
Roman is a J.D. candidate at the University of Pennsylvania.

Cheyenne Bastian-Brown ’25
Agriculture
Cheyenne serves as the 2025 American Honey Queen, traveling nationwide to promote pollinator
awareness and agricultural education through the American Beekeeping Foundation.

Olivia Crocco ’25
Biology
Olivia supports patient health and safety at UPMC Wellsboro through her work in environmental
services.

Maurielle Evans ‘25
Cybersecurity
Maurielle combines her technical background in cybersecurity with her passion for equestrian
instruction as a therapeutic riding instructor at Leg Up Farm.

Raj Gandhi ’25
Aerospace Engineering
Raj works as a quality engineer at Gentex Corporation, focusing on continuous improvement
initiatives.

Brooklynn Jones ’25
Criminology and Psychology
Brooklynn is a law student at UMass School of Law, with plans to become a wrongful conviction
attorney.

Emma Khoury ’25
Biology
Emma is a medical student at Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, with
a strong interest in surgery.

Lindsay Leber ’25
Geosciences
Lindsay is pursuing her M.S. in Space Systems through Embry-Riddle’s Worldwide program while
working as a tour guide at Lost Rivers Caverns.

Mary O’Connor ’25
Biology
Mary works as a patient care technician at Yale New Haven Hospital while preparing to apply to
medical school in 2026.

Alexandra Pepe ’25
Accounting
Alexandra is a transaction advisory analyst at Alvarez and Marsal in New York City.

Alexander Pretka ’24
Psychology
Alexander is pursuing a one-year MBA through the Smeal College of Business while serving as a
graduate assistant for residence life.

Zion Sykes ’25
Global and International Studies & Political Science
Zion serves as the assistant director of annual leadership gifts in the Division of Development and
Alumni Relations at Penn State.

Joe Thompson ’24
Energy Sustainability Policy
Joe is a commissioning coordinator at e-STORAGE, supporting utility-scale battery energy storage
projects across North America, South America, and the Asia-Pacific.

Elizabeth Wesdock ’24
Educational Theory and Policy
Elizabeth coordinates scholarship programming at the Carson Scholars Fund, supporting
exceptional students nationwide.