Episode Transcript
[00:00:04] Speaker A: Welcome to following the Gong, a podcast for Schreier Scholars, bringing you mentoring on demand from our scholar alumni. I'm your host, Shawn Goheen. And our guest today, joining us virtually from Philadelphia, is alumna from the class of 2015, Katie Florio. Katie, thank you so much for joining us here on the show.
[00:00:25] Speaker B: Hi, Sean. Thanks for having me.
[00:00:28] Speaker A: So our conversation today is going to be a bit of a marathon, not a sprint. And there's most of my running knowledge right there. So why don't we just start at the beginning, right at the.
Where you line up and the little gunfires and you start going off. So can you share how you came to Penn State? Was it primary athletics? Was it recruiting for being a student athlete? What's your. What's your origin story here?
[00:00:54] Speaker B: So I have family ties to Penn State. My mom graduated from Penn State, so grew up obviously a Penn Stater. When I was looking at colleges, I was recruited from several schools. I knew I wanted a big school with big athletics, which is Penn State. And as soon as I took my trip, I fell in love with it and committed.
[00:01:17] Speaker A: Excellent.
So as a student athlete, how did you find your way into the Schreyer Honors College? Like what, the chicken and egg here? What's the process for that?
[00:01:27] Speaker B: So I actually joined Schreier. I think it was my sophomore year.
I didn't apply into Schreyer because I wanted to see how I was going to manage, you know, Division 1 athletics and academics in general.
And then once I got more comfortable, I was like, okay, I can do this. Um, and then joined Shrier sophomore year.
[00:01:49] Speaker A: So I wanted to unpack that. That was one of the questions I wanted to ask is, so you're a two sport scholar athlete, so you're pretty much in season all year. How did you navigate the physical, mental and emotional demands of two things that on their own can be challenging, but layering that on top of each other.
[00:02:08] Speaker B: So what's unique about running? Actually, it's three sport because you also have indoor track, so it's all year round, which is kind of nice. You're always stuck in routine. Then you know, you always have. You practice every day.
I think time management was crucial there. You know, you go to class all morning, you start doing some homework, you go to practice, you do homework after, you just get into a routine.
[00:02:35] Speaker A: So for us laypeople, what are the general similarities and differences between those three sports?
[00:02:42] Speaker B: Sure. So cross country is in the fall. That's the one. You can see the runners on the golf course. It's outside, it's on grass.
Indoor track, it's in the winter, so that's. We have a nice indoor track at Penn State, and then outdoor track is in the spring.
[00:02:58] Speaker A: Which was your favorite to participate. Like, if you could have only done one, which one would you have stuck with?
[00:03:04] Speaker B: I love cross country.
It's just.
There's more of a team atmosphere for cross country versus track, so that would probably have been my favorite. I like track, though, because you can go longer distance. So for cross country, it's a 6k, so just about 4 miles.
I like the longer distance.
[00:03:23] Speaker A: You mentioned the teamwork.
What does that look like in cross country? Because you think of it probably as like an individual sport. So how does the team element and then how has that been something that's impacted your career?
[00:03:36] Speaker B: So for cross country, there's seven athletes that compete and the top five score.
So that's. That's the team aspect.
[00:03:46] Speaker A: So you.
[00:03:47] Speaker B: It's. It's both an individual and team sport. So each year, you know, everyone would try to make nationals as an individual too, but if we're all doing that, hopefully we make it as a team, too. So we're very team focused.
[00:04:01] Speaker A: When you're out running, like, is there, like a, hey, I don't think I'm gonna. I'm not having my best day or I know I'm having my best day ever. Does that, like, impact how you interact with each other as you're out running?
[00:04:11] Speaker B: It does. So I remember, you know, at Penn State, we would kind of try to pack up in the beginning of races and stick together and talk to each other a little bit to keep. To keep everyone you know together and moving forward.
[00:04:25] Speaker A: Has that experience translated at all to any of your professional endeavors, whether that's your day job or any community involvement that you've been a part of?
[00:04:35] Speaker B: Yep, exactly. So my job right now at Goldman, I have a team, and we're always working together and trying to make sure everyone gets the job done. But also, they don't have too large of a workload either.
So teamwork, you know, use it every day in the real world, too.
[00:04:58] Speaker A: Awesome. So all those group projects, when you're like, oh, man, another one of these, that's just about every job out there, so better get used to it.
[00:05:06] Speaker B: Yeah. The nice thing is you get paid once you're.
[00:05:11] Speaker A: Absolutely. Now you just mentioned Goldman, so that's very much like business. But you were a kinesiology major, so what was your original mindset in selecting that major?
[00:05:24] Speaker B: So my plan was to go to med school. So I was a kidneys major, but I took all the requirements for med school and my plan was to become an orthopedic surgeon.
So for summer internships, most people, like the business school had, you know, they would have an internship at a Goldman Sachs. I never did that and said I would shadow doctors over the summer.
And then senior year decided, you know what? I don't want to go to med school. And that really came about because I was shadowing a bunch of doctors and they were talking about how it's this really long road, the world's changing, you're spending less time with patients, it's more paperwork.
So I pivoted and I was like, okay, I guess I'll get into the business world.
Never took any finance classes, but was able to network. And I got my first job at a different investment bank called Stifel and was there for two and a half years and then moved to Goldman Sachs.
[00:06:22] Speaker A: So, Katie, talk me through.
Like, you wanted to be a doctor. You do all the shadowing, the volunteer hours. You did, yeah. You took the MCAT, like, and then at the, you know, 11th hour, you're like, nah, not for me. Not. I'm going to go a different path. So how did you take that? And you know, you're applying for internships, you're trying to figure out where to apply for internships or entry level roles.
Like, how did you find those? And then talk about the experiences that you did have, whether that was, you know, your track and cross country experiences, your, your kinese classes and all the science. How did you translate that to your business interviews? Because clearly you're doing well in the business side of things without being a smeal graduate.
[00:07:07] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah. What you study in college doesn't necessarily have to be, you know, what you do in the real world.
As long as you're a hard worker and, you know, bright, which the shire students are, they'll be fine.
But, you know, senior year it was a little panicky, like, what am I going to do? So it was a bunch of talking with, you know, even professors at Penn State to just figure out what else is out there, because you really don't know. I knew like, okay, maybe I could go into insurance or maybe, you know, finance is such a big term. What does that mean?
And I actually started out in what's called equity research. And the only reason I was like, okay, I'll go into that was the word, research.
And I worked in a research lab at Penn State. So I was like, okay, research, research. It's it'll work out.
And then I took a couple business classes over the summer just so I would have some kind of understanding before I started my job in the fall.
[00:08:03] Speaker A: So laying out the preparation and taking steps to turn to, you know, here's my skills, but I'm going to fill in the gaps. Right?
[00:08:10] Speaker B: Exactly.
[00:08:12] Speaker A: Awesome. So you mentioned research Schreier podcast. I asked every guest, let's talk your thesis. So what did you research and then how have you used those research skills, especially with that entry level job that you had.
What was the, the company name?
[00:08:27] Speaker B: Stifel.
[00:08:28] Speaker A: At Stifel, how did that influence even if you were researching something in Kinese, how did that influence researching markets and financial numbers?
[00:08:39] Speaker B: So at Penn State I worked at the Women's Health and Exercise lab.
So we did a lot of VO2 max looking at metabolic rates, DEXA scans, which was really interesting because you could incorporate that with running. My thesis was looking at energetic factors and how that impacts performance for female distance runners.
Totally relates to cross country. And we did a whole study and I recruited some of the women from the team to participate in the study.
We did a time trial at the beginning of the season and a time trial at the end. So that's how you measured the performance.
And then throughout that we were looking at essentially their metabolic rate. And what it came down to is just seeing are you fueling enough essentially are you eating enough to support all of this exercise? And those that were ended up performing better at the end of the season versus those that weren't. And it kind of sounds like really simple, but running is interesting because a lot of times people will under fuel because initially they'll be performing better because they're lighter.
So that was my thesis, was a lot of fun, a lot of work.
[00:10:00] Speaker A: Awesome. Has that ever come up in any of your conversations with clients, like either the process or the specific knowledge that you added to the field?
[00:10:13] Speaker B: So I have had clients ask me to speak to either their family members or friends of a friend who are training for marathons and you know, ask for advice on that and ask about fueling advice. So it has come up. It's also come up just in my like daily life. So like I said, I'm in a run club here and the women here will ask specific questions related to that and I can apply those to what I did my thesis to like their everyday life in running, which is cool.
[00:10:45] Speaker A: On the like general skill set side, what was the most valuable thing that you learned from more of the research and the statistics and Analysis side of things to your now day jobs.
[00:10:57] Speaker B: So one of the biggest things was like, how can you. So you've got all this information, how can you funnel it into this concise report?
And I do a lot of that now in my day job too. It's like, how do I, you know, things? The financial markets can be pretty complex. How do we explain it to a client more simply so they can understand? They're all very smart people, but this isn't their day job, so how do I explain that to them? So it's similar.
[00:11:25] Speaker A: Excellent. Know your audience, right?
[00:11:27] Speaker B: Yeah, exactly.
[00:11:29] Speaker A: So Katie, you mentioned that you were proactive in taking some business classes before you graduated. Maybe it didn't count towards a minor or anything, but you knew you wanted to set yourself up for success.
But post graduation, what sort of continuing education have you pursued to help you since again, you were a kinese, accented it. But what are the things that you've done since to keep up your skills in the ever evolving markets and technology?
[00:11:58] Speaker B: So one of the first things I did was get my cfa, so Chartered Financial Analyst.
And it's a really rigorous test, so there's three levels. Um, at the time it was only offered once a year, so if you failed you'd have to wait a whole year to take it again. Fortunately, I never failed, so I was able to get it in three consecutive years. But it took a lot of studying and I feel like that gave me the foundation. Kind of like the book knowledge that I didn't get from college was like the first level there. So I did that. That was, it's almost like they, if you're not going to get your mba, in my world, that's another route.
[00:12:37] Speaker A: So when you said three consecutive years, is that like, like a tier one, two, three sort of thing? And then it's like a permanent, like, how does that credential work?
[00:12:45] Speaker B: Yeah, so it's level one, level two, level three, and if you pass level three, then you get your CFA and then you have that for life.
[00:12:54] Speaker A: Awesome. And I know I've seen several of our scholar alumni, yourself included, have that right in your name on LinkedIn. Like, you know, that's a big bragging point because it sounds like it's on the same level of completing your thesis of difficult.
[00:13:06] Speaker B: It was really, it was really intense, especially because you're ma, you're managing a full time job and having to study after. So I can remember, you know, working till 7, 7:30 and then going into a conference room and just studying after.
So yeah, it was Intense.
[00:13:26] Speaker A: So speaking of intensity, you work for Goldman Sachs, which I can imagine from some other alumni who work there. Go back and check out our episode with Ryan Newman, another great scholar alum who works there.
It's gotta be pretty pressure packed. Like you're dealing with, you know, really prestigious clients, lots of money. How do you manage working in that environment? And especially when you also have this like second career as both a mom and then a third career as like a semi professional runner.
[00:14:00] Speaker B: So Goldman Sachs is definitely filled with a bunch of high achievers and I love it because you're surrounded by really smart people and that's the best way to get better. Even at Penn State. I was always joking, like I always like to throw myself into the frying pan, you know, like college is already hard, but let me compete, you know, at the D1 level with some of the best runners and that got me better. And that's the same with my job at Goldman. Like, you know, it's an intense environment, but that's where I seem to succeed the most. Just being surrounded by all these other people that are working really hard.
[00:14:38] Speaker A: So you see it as like, hey, they're going to push me to be the best version of myself when it could easily be something that you could take as a negative. But you're like, I'm going to put a positive spin on this. Is that a fair assessment?
[00:14:49] Speaker B: That is. And also even to bring it back, how you asked about teamwork and group projects. It's like the best people to be on your team because they're going to reply to your email. They're working just as hard as you are. So think like you have the best team members.
[00:15:05] Speaker A: Well, everybody in your group wants an A on this project and they're going to work, right?
[00:15:08] Speaker B: Yeah. So you don't have that one team member that you can't get in touch with. It's not like that.
[00:15:13] Speaker A: No. You all want the bonus or however, I don't know how your compensation. We don't need to get into that. I'm sure that's proprietary, but you know, you all want, you all want the good marks at the end, right?
[00:15:22] Speaker B: Exactly. Yes.
[00:15:24] Speaker A: So, so how, you know, our students, our scholars, they want to go into these high achieving roles.
Many of them enjoy a good challenge. That's why they're here in the Honors College. They like new knowledge, they like these kind of environments. So if you're speaking to a current scholar or maybe a fresh alum who's like right out of school and they're pursuing a Career and again, financial services as pretty broad and in wealth management sectors, how can they set themselves up for success?
[00:15:59] Speaker B: So I always tell them to network as much as possible because that's key. You're not going to know what the job is until you're actually on it. So as long as you talk to a ton of people, you can figure out even what you think you want to do and learn about the position.
And then it's about being persistent. It's following up, you know, you're communicating it, how you're communicating in the emails, how you're presenting yourself, that all makes a difference.
[00:16:25] Speaker A: And in that same vein, what skills, whether technical or people oriented, you know, talking about your presentation and emails as one of those, should scholars work on developing now while they're here at Penn State, if they're interested in careers similar to yours, or even if they're interested in, you know, medicine or other client and people facing roles like yours?
[00:16:49] Speaker B: The number one skill I've learned is attention to detail. And I feel like that's, that's a common one. But at Goldman, I learned a whole new level. When I first started as an analyst, you know, I looked at, I would put together a deck and I thought it was perfect. And then, you know, an advisor would look at it and he would, you know, circle things. And I didn't even catch it.
So if you're able to catch those things earlier, that's.
You're already ahead of the game. So attention to detail is one of the main things I always recommend to people.
[00:17:23] Speaker A: So as I mentioned at the opening, I don't run.
And so knowing that I've asked a very special guest to hop in here, I'm going to hand the baton that's about the extent of my knowledge of track and field to none other than Dean Patrick Mather to ask the next set of questions all about running. Dean Mather, I'm going to turn the mic over to you.
[00:17:44] Speaker C: All right, thanks so much, Sean and Katie, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm so excited. I remember when I heard who won the Philly marathon for the women's category.
I was so jealous and excited at the same time because that was a tough race for me.
So it's a pleasure to be here. And Sean, I've been looking for an opportunity to jump into your following the Gong podcast as a teamy. So let's dive in. I've got some questions for you. Ready, Katie?
[00:18:19] Speaker B: Great.
[00:18:20] Speaker C: So when you think back to running both cross country and track at Penn State, I'm curious, was that the natural progression for you from an earlier running career? I don't even when it might have started.
So how did that come about? I know like Penn State, Big Ten, D1. Running is kind of a big deal. So. So how did, how did your interest in running come about?
[00:18:49] Speaker B: Sure. So I've. I've been running for a really long time. I started, I would say competitively running in fourth grade, which kind of sounds crazy.
And I was a long distance runner, which back then was the mileage. And I always had like a talent for it. I think back in fourth grade I could run like a 6:30 mile, you know, which is pretty good for a fourth grader. And then I just continued ever since running. I ran in high school and competed at the state level and knew I wanted to run in college and took a few recruiting trips, one of which was Penn State, and immediately knew it was the place for me.
The team was so welcoming. I really wanted a big school atmosphere that was good academically and also sports were a big deal.
So it was the perfect fit.
[00:19:42] Speaker C: When you were running cross country here, did you. I'm assuming you ran over one of the golf courses. Is that where the home course was?
[00:19:50] Speaker B: That was our home course.
I think it's the blue and white course.
[00:19:55] Speaker C: Yeah. Is it. Is it known among Big ten is like a difficult course or run of the mill or. Yeah, it is.
[00:20:01] Speaker B: People think it's one of the most challenging courses and very hilly. But as a Penn Stater we're used to tons of hills around.
You know, we run Mount Nittany, so it wasn't that hard.
Home court advantage.
[00:20:16] Speaker C: That's awesome. Yeah. So compared to other sports, like as you graduate and you know, probably there's a feeling of bittersweet, you know, le your D1 running career behind. But interesting thing about running is I guess some of the best athletes in distance running peak far after college. So could you describe for the listeners a little bit about the arc of a running career for somebody post college, recognizing there's careers, families and so forth. But yeah, just tell us a little bit about how after Penn State running.
[00:20:56] Speaker B: Sure, yeah. I feel really lucky that my sport you can continue to do after because, you know, if you're a field hockey player or soccer, it's probably a lot more challenging when you get into, you know, real life to participate, but you can always run. And there was this whole, you know, road racing was completely new to me and I was really excited to get into that. I knew at Penn State I was eventually going to be a marathoner.
I always loved the long runs. People would joke that I would say, like, oh, I know this route, that's 12 miles. And we'd end up doing 15 somehow.
Because I always really liked the longer, the better for me.
[00:21:33] Speaker C: And so speaking of the marathon in particular, so I've got some questions for you there. And I'll also have a question about the Philly marathon that you did so well in by winning, having run it. I've got some specifics there. But in terms of preparing for a marathon, you probably by now you've got some favorite sort of approaches to the buildup and all of that. And I'm curious about what, what you do to prepare, but also like, do you self coach? Do you have some colleagues? Do you have an actual coach?
How does that go for you?
[00:22:10] Speaker B: So I do have an actual coach. His name's Jason Ayer and. And we've been working together for a number of years.
And he's also a marathoner and really good too. So he knows everything about the sport and he essentially just lays out what a week should look like for me, mileage wise and specific speed workouts. And then it's up to me just. Cause my life is busy to figure out, okay, today I'm gonna run 10 miles in the morning and five in the afternoon to make my own schedule there. And I say morning and afternoon because that is one thing. So I run.
[00:22:46] Speaker C: Oh boy.
[00:22:47] Speaker B: Yeah. So generally if I'm training for a marathon, I do like a four month build.
And my mileage, it's usually around 100 miles a week. I've hit, you know, 110.
I think I hit 115 one time. It's gotten a lot more challenging now that I have a baby. But I. That 100 mark is a pretty good number for me.
So for me, it's high mileage, doing a couple speed workouts a week. And Philly is really nice because there's a lot of fast women here. So I'm in a running club, it's called Liberty Track Club. And it's a bunch of former NCAA athletes that I get to run with every day and sometimes twice a day.
[00:23:32] Speaker C: Awesome. So I wonder if you've run with my daughter, Elaine Estes. I don't know.
[00:23:37] Speaker B: I have.
[00:23:38] Speaker C: That's amazing.
[00:23:41] Speaker B: I know her well.
[00:23:42] Speaker C: Oh, that's awesome. Yeah, she's a good runner. She was the one that was the third leg in our triathlon that I mentioned earlier.
[00:23:51] Speaker A: Trials.
[00:23:52] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:23:52] Speaker C: Yeah, yeah, yes.
[00:23:53] Speaker B: Okay.
[00:23:54] Speaker C: That's cool.
Fun family Connection now about the Philly marathon itself, which felt like there were for me, which I was much slower than you. There were seasons to it, kind of. And I remember distinctly the Maniunk portion of the race, which was kind of a wild party in Philly. What was it like being towards the front of the pack as you went through Manayunk? What were the people like? What was your. What were you feeling and experiencing emotionally at that point of the race where it's kind of peaking a hill before a turnaround?
[00:24:32] Speaker B: Yeah, it's one of the best parts of the course because there's so many people lining.
You're right around mile 19, 20. So the turnaround's at 20 and, you know, like, it's just six miles home and there's just a huge crowd of people and they're all partying. I know. Like, you know, I've had friends that aren't trying to win that, you know, get thrown a beer and will be here before they go back. I wasn't doing any of that. But it's a. It's a really good high energy spot and it gives you a nice boost before. Before you have 10k left.
[00:25:01] Speaker C: Oh, yeah. Yeah. Do you have a mantra of some sort that you say to yourself, encouraging words for yourself as you're running?
[00:25:09] Speaker B: So I do. It changes every race. And it usually comes to me during the race. And mine for this race was actually my city, my win.
And I just kept saying that over and over and over again because I was up there. It was me. Another, actually Penn Stater that took third and then another woman from Kenya, I believe.
So we were all together and I just kept thinking, like, this is my home course. You know, I know this. This is so.
[00:25:41] Speaker C: And when did you feel like, oh, I can win?
[00:25:44] Speaker B: I was feeling pretty good.
Even halfway through. I was up there and I felt relaxed.
But the woman that came in second had a PR personal record that was a lot faster than mine. So I, you know, you don't know what. What could happen.
[00:26:04] Speaker C: Awesome. All right, so. So that was so interesting to hear about your experience with that particular race, especially since I feel connected, having struck. I signed up already for next year, by the way. I want to hit a better time.
All right, so what advice would you have? You know, we have got a lot of runners right now. We have with the dean is something I do with students once a month.
There's a lot of runners that try to fit it in as just a hobby, principally for current scholars. We obviously have some runners on the team as well. But for after college, when you graduate, you're trying to make your mark in whatever industry you're in. What advice would you have for scholars that are talented and maybe considering upping their game in a way that, that, that you have to the, to the level you're at right now?
[00:26:58] Speaker B: I think when you graduate it's, it's key if you can join some kind of run club.
It's really nice to have. It's, it's like a social aspect and you know when you're working all day, you're generally sitting all day. So it's nice to have this like completely outside work thing to do. And running, you can do it every day.
So that, that was key for me. Even when I first graduated from Penn State, I took a job in Baltimore. I didn't know anyone there, but I joined a running club right away. And it's a great way to meet people.
[00:27:30] Speaker C: Do they tend to do like a weekend long run or something like that?
[00:27:33] Speaker B: Yep. So usually there's two. Like most clubs, it's two formal meetups a week. But then you meet people that everyone wants to run almost every day. So you'll have people to meet daily.
[00:27:45] Speaker C: Love it. So it's kind of a social and you're advancing, staying fit, all of those things. And you're making some friends.
[00:27:51] Speaker B: Exactly.
[00:27:52] Speaker C: Now you mentioned having a baby. So how has becoming a parent, you know, right now in the thick of it, how, how have you managed that complex world?
[00:28:02] Speaker B: It's been a lot, lot more demanding time wise, but also amazing. It's really shifted my mindset. Um, I used to be so like almost like crazy, you know, like before a race, so stressed and like during the race I wouldn't really sit. I was so focused. And after having my son Nico, it just totally flips your mindset. It's more I'm out here for fun and I smile, I take in the crowd, which I think has helped me, makes me more relaxed.
[00:28:32] Speaker C: Yeah, I imagine that's a real positive attribute to success as a competitive athlete. To be able to be a little more chill.
They call it flow. Right. To get into that flow.
So one more question.
Thinking about the intersection between your professional career and wealth management and your competitive running career, is there a Venn diagram of some sort of superpower stuff within both that sort of is distinctly you?
[00:29:03] Speaker B: I'd say runners, wealth management, Goldman Sachs. It attracts a lot of high achieving, really disciplined people.
So I think both areas of my jobs and my passion intersect all the time. And the skills I use, I use Them in both areas.
So my talents, I think can be used in my job and in running.
[00:29:28] Speaker C: I imagine with all the training you described, four month build up, the race itself is long. Is sort of taking the long view or sort of persistence and all that really important in your job as well?
[00:29:40] Speaker B: Definitely. So in my job, everything, it's usually like a long sales cycle, staying consistent and persistent. And that's the same with the marathon.
[00:29:49] Speaker C: Awesome. Life is a marathon.
All right, well, those are the questions I have. Thank you, Katie. This has been so interesting.
All right, so Sean, back to you.
[00:30:01] Speaker A: Awesome. Well, thank you, Dean Mather, for stepping in for that part of the conversation. Because you ran the Philly marathon, Katie, you won the Philly marathon. The most running I do is chasing a dog, a kid, or running to the fridge for a snack. So I really appreciate your insights and perspectives with that. And also the fact that there's that family Shrier Philly connection going on. That's really cool. That was not scripted. That was not planned. We literally found that out while we're recording.
[00:30:26] Speaker C: So, yeah, I'll be texting my daughter Elaine after this, so. But I do have to run.
But I'll see you later.
[00:30:36] Speaker A: We'll literally see you out, Pat. Thank you.
Speaking of the folks here back at Penn State who helped you along the way, are there any professors, friends, or in your case, also teammates and coaches from your scholar and intercollegiate athletics days that you would like to give a shout out to here on following the Gone.
[00:30:58] Speaker B: Sure. So one of the biggest professors, I was influential, Dr. Mary Jane de Souza.
She was one of my kidneys professors. I worked in her lab.
She actually. So at Shrier's, I was.
Got to stand and give out. Sorry, not Shrier's. In the Health and Human Development College, got to stand and give out the diplomas as a student marshal. And I got to have Dr. D' Souza on stage with me, which was pretty cool.
And then other Penn Staters I really keep in touch with is just my track and field coach and former teammates that are now coaching there too, the Fosters. So whenever I go back up to Penn State, I'm always seeing the track and field team.
[00:31:41] Speaker A: Awesome. What advice would you give to the current track and cross country athletes? You know, as a, as an alumna.
[00:31:50] Speaker B: Of those sports, I always tell them to focus on their gpa. I was one.
One of the awards they give out for student athletes is the teams that have the highest gpa. And there was a few years that our cross country team won highest GPA and I took a lot of pride in that. And I think that it's important because running seems like the most important thing when you're at Penn State and you are there also to run and get an education. But at some point it ends and you need to be in the real world. So it's important to take school seriously.
[00:32:23] Speaker A: Yeah, absolutely. It's. It. There's. You are a student athlete, right? And especially in this first. Yes, absolutely. And in your case, a scholar athlete. So you had two different GPA requirements.
So. JD as we're wrapping up our time, can you leave us with a final piece of advice? Perhaps something that we can put in an Instagram reel or YouTube short is like a real impact statement that you want to leave our scholars with at the, at the end of our conversation here today.
[00:32:56] Speaker B: Oh, that's a hard one. A real impact statement.
Go get the. Go get some ice cream at the creamery.
Enjoy that while it's right there. That's my advice.
No, but I think it's.
Continue to work hard.
[00:33:14] Speaker A: And.
[00:33:17] Speaker B: Like I said, it's okay to not know exactly what you want to do now.
[00:33:21] Speaker A: Excellent on both accounts, really. You know, you're still early, you got time to figure things out. And yes, make good use of our friends over at the Penn State Berkey Creamery. And we'll get to a question about that in just a second. But probably more important, Katie, if a scholar is like, I really liked this conversation and I want to learn more about running or about working in wealth management and finance. And for, you know, a lot of your work is private because you're working with private individuals. So we didn't really dive into too much the nitty gritty of your work. But a student wants to, you know, pick your brain on that more. How can they connect with you?
[00:33:59] Speaker B: I'd say LinkedIn is probably the best way to get in touch with me because I'm on social media. Sorta. But I'm one of those people that always like deleting it and rejoining. Deleting and rejoining. Because screen. I'm trying to avoid screen time.
So LinkedIn is consistent.
[00:34:17] Speaker A: Excellent. And obviously with having a kid, you know, model the behavior you want.
[00:34:21] Speaker B: Right, Exactly. Yeah. No screen time for him.
[00:34:26] Speaker A: Now. Hopefully you've enjoyed your screen time here with us today. So I have one final question for you, Katie. You've said, I've asked some good questions. Hopefully this is the toughest one you've faced. If you were a flavor of Berkeley Creamery, which would you be? And most importantly, as a scholar, athlete, alumna, why would you be that specific flavor?
[00:34:46] Speaker B: So I would be cookie dough ice cream.
It's just the best.
[00:34:54] Speaker A: I like that you seek excellence in everything in your career, in your day job, excellence as a mom, excellence as a runner, and excellence in your flavors.
That's one of my favorites as well. And you heard it here, she won the Philly Marathon and she still eats chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream. So just, just remember that the next time you, you feel like you, you need that. If Katie can eat it, you can too.
I want to give a shout out and thank you to Dean Patrick mather, class of 1989. You can go back and hear his story on episode. I think it's 31 when we were audio only. So go back and check that out when you're done with this and that won't count against your screen time.
For joining us and asking all of his expert questions about running that I know nothing about and don't even pretend to have some knowledge on.
And I want to thank you, Katie, for joining us and sharing your insights. And thank you for watching or listening here at home whenever you're checking this out. Before I let you have the last word for our scholars, if you're watching the video version here on YouTube, be sure to subscribe like the video and leave us a comment. You know all the drills here on this platform. And if you're engaging with the audio version, be sure to follow us on whichever podcast app you're using and leave a rating or comment if the app lets you. So, Katie, I'm going to let you have the last word here. The floor is yours.
[00:36:12] Speaker B: Thanks, Sean, so much for having me.
[00:36:14] Speaker A: We are Penn State.
