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 Alex Payne:

Major: Project and Supply Chain Management

Minor: Technical Sales

Certificates: ERP with SAP

Hometown: New Castle, Pennsylvania

Scholarships: I have received the Addison Gibson Foundation Grant and the Council of Fellows Leadership Scholarship.

On choosing Penn State Behrend: My older sister, Amyelia, attended Behrend and I frequently visited her during my senior year of high school. From these visits, I realized there were a lot of opportunities at Behrend. I also really liked the nature-oriented campus and how personable the students and faculty and staff members were.

On choosing his major: I chose Project and Supply Chain Management because I enjoy working with and leading people. I also enjoy figuring out the logistical, production, and project management challenges that companies face every day.

Proudest accomplishment at Behrend: I, along with all of Lion Ambassadors, led a large service project that resulted in about 10,000 books being donated to my hometown school district (New Castle, Pennsylvania). I learned that an Erie-area school was going to be updating its library and the books were destined for Goodwill or the trash. At the same time, I knew that they were trying to establish mini-libraries in classrooms at New Castle High School and could use the books. So the club collected and boxed the books and I delivered them in a rental truck. You can read more about it here.

Campus involvement: I was a senator in the Student Government Association for my first two years at Behrend, have been a Lion Ambassador since my first year, and have I been a Resident Assistant since my sophomore year.

What makes him unique: I am able to talk to almost anyone about anything. I come from a large family and have never been afraid to talk to or meet new people. This has helped me greatly throughout my time at Behrend as a student, as a campus leader, and in the professional world.

Who inspires him: My dad is a self-made man who has held many different positions throughout his life. He has owned six businesses and has taught me many important life lessons. These lessons range from teaching me how to brush my teeth to understanding what honor is and everything in between. If it weren’t for him, I would not be who or where I am today.

Advice for new students: Get involved on campus and stay busy. Your time at college is limited and there are so many opportunities at your fingertips. At twenty years old, our lives are more than 25 percent over already! Make today count and pursue every opportunity that you can.