Alumni Receive Alumni Honoree Awards
Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese Alumni, Lauren Spiropoulos ‘08 and Nicole Kruse ‘23, have received Liberal Arts Alumni Honoree Awards from the Department of Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese, presented at the 2026 Alumni Awards Ceremony.
Lauren Spiropoulos, recipient of the Outstanding Alumni Award, is a 2008 graduate of Penn State, where she triple-majored in advertising and public relations, Italian, and international studies. She credits each discipline with shaping her perspective and influencing her work today.
Over the past fifteen-plus years, she has held leadership roles at global organizations including Condé Nast, Bloomberg Media, and the New York Times, driving transformation, scaling operations, and leading high-performing teams across international markets. Her foundation in language, cultural fluency, and critical thinking has been instrumental in navigating complex global organizations and developing strategies tailored to the unique needs of each market.
During her time on campus, Lauren was an active member of Delta Delta Delta, served on multiple THON committees, and proudly danced in THON her senior year. She currently lives in northern New Jersey with her husband, Christopher, and their three "Nittany Lions in Training"—Zoe (5), Olivia (3), and Bobby (1).
Nicole Kruse, recipient of the Outstanding Young Alumni Award, is a New York–based researcher and communications professional with a long-standing connection to Italy through her upbringing, academic work, language study, and time living abroad. She currently works at the John D. Calandra Italian American Institute, where she helps make research on Italian migration and community history accessible to wider audiences. Kruse holds a master’s degree from New York University and undergraduate degrees in history and Italian from Penn State. Her graduate thesis examines educational inclusion for Arab-origin youth in Italy, while her undergraduate honors thesis focused on artistic patronage in Renaissance Northern Italy. She is passionate about research that supports equity, dialogue, and community engagement.