“Meet 220” is a series of posts featuring staff of the Smeal Professional Graduate Programs. “220” refers to the suite of offices within the Business Building where the team is housed.

Stacey Dorang Peeler, Penn State Online MBA Managing Director, Professional Graduate Programs

What’s your role with the Smeal PGP office?

My role is managing director of the Penn State Online MBA program. While the role has a heavy focus in admissions and recruiting, I also oversee and coordinate anything on the co-curricular/operational side of the program, such as academic advising and career services. As our program is a partnership program with other campuses, led by the Smeal College of Business, part of my role is working closely with our Faculty Director to serve our internal stakeholders as well as our students.

What did you do prior to coming to Smeal?

Before coming to Smeal I worked for a premier test preparation company in various management roles in the Philadelphia area, and then as the Center Director of the State College office. Education and working with students who have aspirations to attain graduate degrees have been always been a part of my career.

What’s your favorite thing about your role?

The best thing about my role is that I can share my own love for Penn State with students and prospective students on a daily basis. Having a background in admissions and recruiting, bringing new Nittany Lions into the ‘pride’ ranks very high on my list of favorite things to do!

What’s the most interesting thing about you that we wouldn’t learn from your resume alone?

I’m quirky. From my love of all things Disney villain, to my interest in forensics and true crime, most of my colleagues and students know I have a bit of a dark side with a sense of humor to match. Some of my office décor also further proves my point.

If you could trade places with any other person for a week, famous or not, living or dead, real or fictional, with whom would it be and why?

I can’t identify a specific person by name, but I’d pick someone who’s human experience is completely the reverse of my own. I’d consider things like gender, race, education, upbringing, income level, career, family, etc. To advance our understanding of one another, it would be an amazing opportunity to really be able to walk in someone else’s shoes to gain perspective.