By Heather Cass
Publications Manager, Office of Strategic Communications,  Penn State Behrend

Penn State Behrend’s class of 2018 is ready to make its mark on the world!  We’re proud of our students and the things they’ve accomplished and learned while here at Behrend. Over the next couple months, we’ll be introducing you to a few of our remarkable seniors who have overcome challenges, pioneered new technology, participated in important research projects, and left an impression at Penn State Behrend.

Today, we’d like you to meet Chantel Sade Drake:

Major: Political Science

Hometown: Glendale, Wisconsin

On choosing Behrend: I wanted to attend a school that challenged me but also made me feel at home. I found what I was looking for at Behrend. I met some great friends that I now consider family. My professors helped me gain the knowledge I needed, not just in the field of political science but in life, too.

On choosing her major: I knew that I wanted to work within the government, but I could not define what I wanted my career to be and who I wanted to be. Now that I’m graduating, I know I found the right field for me.

Campus involvement: I was a member of International Model African Union in 2017. I am now a member of Harvard Model United Nations and Sigma Alpha Pi, the National Honor Society of Leadership and Success.

What you’d be surprised to know about her: I’m a contemporary dancer. I’ve been working up the guts to try out for So You Think You Can Dance. Maybe one day I will.

Avid bookworm: I love to read. I used to go to the library at home and check out about thirty books and read them in a week. James Patterson is one of my favorite authors.

Puzzling hobby: I work on 1,000-piece puzzles with my boyfriend, who is also a Penn State Behrend student. It’s a great stress reliever.

Who inspires her: I’m inspired by every person who has believed in me. My family has had to make a lot of sacrifices for me. I am the first person in my household to go to college and I could not have done it without the love and support of my family.

Advice for new students: Believe in yourself. The hardest thing you will go through will not just be exams, homework, or difficult classes, but the growth of oneself. The only person who can push you forward is you. The only person who can push you back is you.

After her graduation in May, Chantel plans to attend graduate school to earn a master of arts degree in international relations.