Vicki (Hoover) Geehan
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, Class of 1976.
Born in Harrisburg and with close ties to the famous town of Hershey, Vicki Geehan grew up in Pennsylvania. Although the choice might seem obvious, she applied to Penn State solely on the advice of an older brother, who was at the University Park campus.
Geehan shared: “He came back during Thanksgiving break of his first year and said to me, ‘Don’t even apply anywhere else—you’re going to love it! Just go there!’”
Accepting advice from a neighbor, as well, and without really knowing what she was getting into, Geehan applied to the Computer Science program in the Eberly College of Science. At the time, Penn State was one of only a few universities in the United States offering the four-year degree. It turned out that both brother and neighbor were correct—Eberly was a perfect fit!
Right Place, Right Time
As an undergraduate, Geehan was fascinated by systems analysis. This field had transformed the very nature of business by 1976. A degree in computer science created career opportunities that Geehan didn’t even know existed when she enrolled. Banking, manufacturing, and transportation companies expressed interest in her. Geehan was most attracted to the health care industry, and her first (and only) interview was with Shared Medical Systems (SMS), a specialized health care information technology company. What followed was an amazing career—groundbreaking at the time because very few women were employed in this new field, and even fewer were systems analysts. As both the medical and information technology (IT) industries grew, she took on increasing responsibilities related to electronic patient records, health care IT systems, and management/administration.
Geehan was one of three women graduating from Eberly in computer science in 1976, a time when women were not expected to succeed in technical fields. She was met with some resistance. Despite the prevalent cultural bias against women in the workplace, Geehan had a manager who respected her capabilities and supported her career advancement at SMS.
“I’m hoping it is better now,” Geehan added, referring to the experience of women working in scientific fields today. “You have to find someone who sees you for who you are, not what you are. I was very lucky to have someone like that.”
We Are. . . The Power of the Alumni Association
Life after graduation did not mean life without Penn State. Geehan characterizes her feelings this way: “Penn State is the best place in the world. It’s a lifelong love!”
She remains connected with her college friends and is deeply involved in her local Penn State Alumni Association (PSAA) chapter. She volunteers her time and has served on the board of directors in various capacities, including as secretary and scholarship chair. Still pioneering, Geehan and her chapter created a first-of-its-kind scholarship endowment to serve local students who attend Penn State World Campus. The scholarship was later named in honor of Jim Lazlavic, a former Nittany Lion football player, NFL linebacker, and television sports celebrity in southern California.
Geehan continues to assist with many of the activities in her local PSAA chapter: get-togethers, raffles, and watch parties, to name a few. She also attends meaningful charitable service activities with her fellow alumni.
A Gift for the Future
Geehan’s parents had careers as teachers, and education was a family priority. At one point Geehan, her brother, and her sister were all attending Penn State, despite the financial strain it placed on their family. Later, the impact of financial aid really came into focus for Geehan during the chapter’s campaign to increase the PSAA San Diego chapter’s endowed scholarship to $100,000.
“I could see what a transformational impact the chapter had on future Penn Staters,” she said. “It made me want to do something really significant.”
Geehan and her husband, David, started looking for creative ways to fund a scholarship of their own. After ruling out several initial ideas, they ultimately decided to use their largest asset—their home—to endow a scholarship after they both pass away. When the time comes, their estate will sell the property and transfer the funds to Penn State to create a scholarship in their name. An estate gift such as this is a convenient and powerful strategy, and Penn State offers free estate-planning expertise. Through their planned gift, Geehan and her husband are creating a legacy that will profoundly impact future generations of scientists.
“Promoting science is vitally important to us,” she said. “I hope that the students who receive our scholarship will be able to make a real difference in the world.”