The Penn State SoVA Alumni Group would like to invite you to join us for a virtual panel and interactive discussion with artist Brian Kappel.

This virtual event is an interactive style discussion, and audience members are invited to ask questions in the zoom chat.

We will try to answer as many questions as possible during the live event. The discussion will be moderated by SoVA Alumni Board Member, Joe Royer.

Please note, a zoom link to join the discussion, will be provided on June 23rd to the email provided on your registration.

EVENT DETAILS

• June 24, 2026
• 7:00pm-8:00pm EST
• Virtual via Zoom (Link to be sent on June 23rd to the email provided)

GET TO KNOW THE SPEAKER 

Brian Kappel graduated from the College of Arts and Architecture with a Bachelor of Arts in Visual Arts i n 1998. He grew up in a small town in the Finger Lakes of New York, and Penn State gave him the opportunity to broaden his horizons and put himself out there to see what he could accomplish through creative applications. During his time at Penn State, Brian served a s the campus representative for Nike, working to raise the brand's exposure around campus through creative grassroots marketing. Brian also worked part-time as an illustrator for the Eberly College of Science. After graduation, his career developed significantly and opened up opportunities to work for Nike, Under Armour, Adidas, Oakley, NBC Studios, Jeep, PlayStation, ESPN and at various Oregon-based creative agencies (among others). Eventually, he launched Space Monkey Designs in 2016. Brian also has strong family ties to the University. His parents, William and Carol, both graduated in the class of 1970; his aunt, Dorothy Foster Class of ‘68, was a recipient of the College of Health and Human Development Fellowship Award; and his sister, Dr. Suzanne Kitts, graduated in 1995 from the College of Health and Human Development as well. His daughter, Emma, is a 2023 graduate of the College of Arts and Architecture, currently working as a Freelance Photographer. Brian became involved with the Alumni Society Board in 2021 after he was commissioned by Starbucks to create the mural at their location in the Paterno Library on-campus at University Park. He stays active through mentorship programs and other advisory roles. His advice to anyone looking to give back to the University is to remember that you can make valuable contributions through your time, talents, or resources. I f you can impart real-world wisdom onto a student, that will motivate them to turn around and do the same thing for future generations of Penn Staters.