Growing up in the wilds of northwest Pennsylvania, Elena Kapp ’16 probably never thought her background could help her in her career. But as a marketing specialist for REI, an outdoor clothing and equipment retailer, she works to build programs that will expose people from urban areas to the outdoors, so they may get the benefits she did growing up in Oil City, Pennsylvania.
Her position has her located in Alexandria, Virginia, just minutes from Washington, D.C., and she has the flexibility to work at home, at a coffee shop—or in a hammock in the park.
At IUP, Elena was a member of the Cook Honors College and the Business Honors Program, where she met and was influenced by a diverse group of people. Those interactions gave her a base to build from, and it has taken her to a career where no two days are the same.
“I think IUP was the right choice for me," she said, "and I am very happy that I chose it.”