More About Me
What student organizations and activities are you involved in?
It’s so easy to get involved in student organizations here, and there are SO MANY to choose from! The organizations I’m most committed to are the Club Cross Country team, which meets up every day at Rec Hall just to run, Alternative Breaks, which hosts overnight service trips in the local area, and the West Halls Residence Association, which is the student government of the West Halls residence area. I’m also active in the EMS-specific clubs of the EMS Student Council (their meetings/events are great way to stay connected to the EMS community), Campus Weather Service (we create TV and radio segments and forecasts), and the Storm Chase Club (culminates in a week-long chase in the Plains in May)!
What is the best class you’ve taken at Penn State and why?
Sociology 119N, hands down. It’s a class that focuses on race, ethnicity, and culture, and it’s absolutely eye-opening. It makes you think about how your racial identity affects your day-to-day life and allows you to realize so much about the way race is perceived in society. The professor is absolutely fantastic: he runs the class by inviting volunteers up to the front of the class and grills them on racial topics that are often quite uncomfortable, and his outspoken yet positive nature carries the interactions. Not to mention, he’s amassed tens of thousands of subscribers on YouTube by posting the class recordings. I’m serious: everyone at Penn State should take this class.
Why did you decide to attend Penn State?
It was always on my radar due to the high quality of its meteorology program. I had the opportunity to visit the campus in October of my senior year of high school for Discovery Day, and had a wonderful experience. The resources that the institution had, realized on a tour by the huge arrays of TVs in the Weather Center and up to the roof of the Walker Building, and the way that every professor welcomed me really left me with a good impression of the university. Plus, the campus felt like home: the colors of the fall trees, the amount of nature on campus, and the cozy vibe of downtown captivated me. After considering my options, I realized that there was no other choice that would better my future and make me as happy as Penn State.
What is one piece of advice you would give to prospective students?
When it comes time to make a decision about the college you’re attending, the most important thing to consider is which option “feels right”. That’s what it comes down to. Which college could you truly see yourself attending? Where do the vibes feel right? The feeling of community is what should be prioritized.
What opportunities has Penn State provided for you so far?
So many!!! Penn State is a massive institution with so many resources, and you can really accomplish any goal if you utilize those resources. The most worthwhile experiences Penn State has provided me have been the travel experiences. Through a Maymester, I visited Australia and New Zealand for a course on indigenous studies, and spent a spring break in Philadelphia with Alternative Breaks learning about interfaith relations. I traveled to Guanajuato, Mexico, for a calculus workshop with Mexican university students and to the National Weather Association Annual Meeting in Kansas City both through funds and connections with Penn State. I even spent a weekend in New York City at the Marriott in Times Square and got to see Hamilton on Broadway all thanks to Penn State’s Presidential Leadership Academy. The places this university can take you are endless.
