Ray Mastre, a Penn State New Kensington alumnus, was elected in June as president of his alma mater’s Advisory Board. A 2004 graduate, Mastre is the board’s youngest president and the first campus graduate to fill the position.
The Advisory Board works with administration and faculty in implementing the mission of the campus. New Kensington’s mission is to build a strong future for the people of western Pennsylvania through the continuation and enhancement of Penn State's traditions in teaching, research, and service.
Mastre, a member of the board since 2007, is a consulting manager for PricewaterhouseCoopers in New York City. PwC is an international company, headquartered in London, that provides professional services – advisory, audit and assurance, family business services, human resources, legal and tax. As a part of the Security/Governance Risk and Compliance group at PwC, Mastre is responsible for helping clients reduce the risk of corporate computer systems. In addition, Mastre develops future talent for PwC through individual mentoring and recruiting on Penn State campuses.
“I love being able to share the lessons I learned with current students,” said Mastre, who earned a bachelor’s degree in information sciences and technology. “I encourage IST students to aspire to work for one of the world’s top professional services firms. PwC is a highly regarded brand in the market and a great place to work.”
A native of Plum Borough, Mastre joined PwC a few months after graduation, and moved to the company’s American headquarters in New York City. He later accepted a position with PwC in Zurich and for three years involved himself in everything from recruiting to training to delivering security design work.
“My international experience has made me a much more diverse person,” said Mastre, who caddied at Oakmont Country Club during his college days.
Since matriculating at New Kensington, Mastre has been actively involved in fundraising projects for the campus. As president of the Student Government Association, he spearheaded the drive to raise $10,000 for the Lion Shrine on campus. As a member of the Advisory Board, he was instrumental in garnering support for the Pollock Fountain that honors the legacy of former chancellor Larry Pollock. As board president, he is restructuring the committees to focus on creating student-centered initiatives, building the alumni revenue base and fostering relationships with local businesses.
Mastre’s recent philanthropic endeavor is the campus’ Student Leadership Development Fund, established in 1999 by board member and Alumni Fellow Barb Arnold. Geared to building future leaders, the fund supports guest speakers and travel related to student leadership programs.
“Developing leaders is my passion and providing opportunities for the talented students at the New Kensington campus is a priority,” Mastre said.
Advancing future leaders was the impetus behind the establishment in 2008 of the board’s second $50,000 scholarship, Penn State New Kensington Advisory Board Trustee Matching Scholarship. Spearheaded by former board President Robin Rarie, the initiative was a part of the board's leadership gift to the “For the Future” campaign. The scholarship is geared toward upperclassmen who are campus leaders, i.e., Lion Ambassadors, Student Government Association officials and student club officers. The 2012-13 recipients were Kylee Danko, Daniel Daugherty and Ryan Duke. The first scholarship, Advisory Board Endowed Scholarship, was created in 2002. Mark Ankrah was the latest awardee.
For more about the Penn State New Kensington Advisory Board, visit http://nk.psu.edu/Information/advboard.htm.