Category: Class of 2024

Standout Seniors: Meet Matthew Enos (Accounting and Finance)

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Penn State Behrend’s Class of 2024 is ready to make its mark on the world!  We’re proud of our students and all that they have learned and accomplished here at Behrend. Over the next several weeks, we will introduce you to a few of our remarkable seniors who have engaged in college life in a big way, conducted valuable research, pioneered innovations, and overcome challenges during their time at Penn State Behrend.

Matthew Enos

Today, we’d like you to meet Matthew Enos.

Majors: Accounting and Finance

Hometown: Sharpsville, Pennsylvania

Scholarships: Penn State Provost Award

On choosing Behrend: I came to Behrend because of the opportunity to double major in business. On top of that, it is easy to get active and involved in clubs at Behrend.

On choosing his major: I have always enjoyed the stock market, so I started more toward finance. Accounting works well with finance, and I just really enjoyed dealing with numbers, doing taxes and auditing.

His proudest accomplishment at college: The way Behrend developed who I am. My senior year of high school, I would have been afraid to talk to a crowd of people or to someone I didn’t know. Now, I enjoy giving tours of the campus and talking to professionals in the accounting field. I am not afraid to talk in front of big crowds and share my experience at Behrend.

Bring on game night: I enjoy playing board games with my family and friends.

His definition of living a good life: Being close and able to spend time with my family is important to me. I want to be able to live without stressing about bills. To be able to separate work and personal life and enjoy both.

His priorities for the coming years: Doing well at work, getting promoted, and starting to save money for a house.

Advice for first-year students: Do not be afraid to try new things and get out of your comfort zone.

After his graduation in May, Matthew plans to work at KPMG in Pittsburgh in their audit department.

Standout Seniors: Meet Trista Buskirk (Psychology)

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Penn State Behrend’s Class of 2024 is ready to make its mark on the world!  We’re proud of our students and all that they have learned and accomplished here at Behrend. Over the next several weeks, we will introduce you to a few of our remarkable seniors who have engaged in college life in a big way, conducted valuable research, pioneered innovations, and overcome challenges during their time at Penn State Behrend.

Trista Buskirk copy

Today, we’d like you to meet Trista Buskirk.

Major: Psychology

Hometown:  Canton, Illinois

Scholarships: Donald R. Blair Scholarship, Class of 1922 Memorial Scholarship.

Awards: I received the President Walker Award, which is for first-year students who have completed 12 to 36 credits and earned a 4.0 cumulative grade-point average.

On choosing Behrend: Upon receiving an e-mail showcasing Behrend, I felt a strong calling to further look into the school. I went on a campus tour, where I ultimately made my decision to come to Behrend. During the visit, the tour guide and the atmosphere made it feel like home. The campus was not too big, but it wasn’t too small. It was perfect.

On choosing her major: I recognized in myself the need to understand others based on my own life experiences, and those experiences led me to choose psychology. Once I got more involved with the major, I was drawn to human behavior, specifically human rationality. It intrigues me to understand the reasons people make their decisions based on the facts and fiction surrounding them.

On spreading her wings: My proudest accomplishment at Behrend is my growth as a person. Moving away from home was terrifying to me at the beginning, but I am so glad I did it. Choosing Behrend provided me with the opportunity to blossom into the person I truly want to be.

Campus involvement: I was involved with Psi Chi, Psychology Club, and Circle K and served as an executive board member in each. I was one of the founding members of the Competitive Volleyball Club, a part of the National Society of Leadership and Success, and a Psychology Lab attendant.

Student research work: I worked alongside Dr. Lisa Jo Elliott, associate teaching professor of psychology, in the Lab for Usability and Interactive Systems as an app developer and researcher.

What makes her unique: Everyone is unique in their own way. To me, being unique does not equal standing out. A person’s strengths and uniqueness cannot always be seen just by looking at someone. I have learned that to understand someone, you cannot just look at the surface. You must dig a bit deeper. I have always been an observer; I observe as many people, places, and things as I can to begin to understand the bigger picture. I feel this dedication to understanding the world around me makes me unique.

What you’d be surprised to know about her: My age. Graduating from an esteemed university at the age of 19 is exciting. When people find out my age, they are usually shocked.

The world is her classroom: My passion is learning from every person I interact with. Everyone has knowledge to offer.

Advice for first-year students: Step out of your comfort zone. Life will throw you the tools you need to grow, but you never know who or what or when or where. Although terrifying sometimes, change is necessary for growth.

After her graduation in May, Trista plans to find work as a user experience developer or researcher.

Standout Seniors: Meet Alexander Jackson (Mechanical Engineering)

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Penn State Behrend’s Class of 2024 is ready to make its mark on the world!  We’re proud of our students and all that they have learned and accomplished here at Behrend. Over the next several weeks, we will introduce you to a few of our remarkable seniors who have engaged in college life in a big way, conducted valuable research, pioneered innovations, and overcome challenges during their time at Penn State Behrend.

alexander johnson2

Today, we’d like you to meet Alexander Jackson.

Major: Mechanical Engineering

Hometown: Cochranton, Pennsylvania

Scholarships: Defrees Family Foundation Endowment, STEM Leaders Program Scholarship, Behrend Excellence Award, Commonwealth Campus First Year Award.

On choosing Behrend: While I was job shadowing in high school, I learned that many engineers in northwestern Pennsylvania graduated from Penn State Behrend. As I talked with more people and broadened my connections, I realized that Behrend graduates were all over the world, working for some of the biggest companies. This gave me the confidence to put my trust in Behrend.

On choosing his major: Mechanical Engineering is a broad major that has allowed me to learn about many different industries and find the best career path for me. I also like that mechanical engineers can have an impact on the world through the design, manufacturing, testing, and implementation of new technology and innovations.

Proudest accomplishment at Behrend: I’m proud of the internships and career opportunities I’ve obtained. I’ve met and worked with some incredible people and clients. I’ve also visited major tech companies and talked with engineers who are pushing the limits of engineering. These experiences are rewarding.

Campus involvement: STEM Leaders Program, Behrend Engineering Ambassadors, Men’s Volleyball player, Student Athlete Advisory Committee.

Awards: Evan Pugh Scholar Award, President Sparks Award, National College Athlete Honor Society, Academic All-Conference, Men’s Volleyball Sportsmanship and Leadership Award, Men’s Volleyball MVP.

Highest priority for the coming years: My highest priority is to continue to learn. Learning doesn’t stop when we walk across that stage at graduation. A desire to learn and grow fuels innovation and creativity.

Sports rank high, too: Outside of work and school, I’m very passionate about sports! I’m a huge Pittsburgh fan (Steelers, Penguins, and Pirates), and enjoy playing and watching all kinds of sports. I love to be active.

Advice for first-year students: Surround yourself with a good group of people because the friends you hang out with will have a great influence on you and your goals. But don’t worry if you don’t find this group right away. As you go through school, you’ll meet others who share your interests and match your energy.

Parting thoughts: I’d like to thank all the faculty and staff members at Behrend. They deserve a lot of credit for the contributions and impact they have on generations of students. So I’d like to give a shout out to all the employees who keep Behrend up-and-running every year.

After graduation, Alex plans to work as a design engineer in the Rotary Wing Group at Parker LORD in Erie.

Standout Seniors: Meet Rachael Buhl (Secondary Education in Mathematics and Mathematics)

Published on by Behrend BlogLeave a comment

Penn State Behrend’s Class of 2024 is ready to make its mark on the world!  We’re proud of our students and all that they have learned and accomplished here at Behrend. Over the next several weeks, we will introduce you to a few of our remarkable seniors who have engaged in college life in a big way, conducted valuable research, pioneered innovations, and overcome challenges during their time at Penn State Behrend.

Rachael Buhl

Today, we’d like you to meet Rachael Buhl.

Major: Dual major in Secondary Education in Mathematics and Mathematics

Hometown: Kane, Pennsylvania

Scholarships: Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship

On choosing Behrend: I love that Behrend is relatively small and it’s just far enough away from home (but not too far). Also, Behrend has a great secondary math education program.

On choosing her major: I’ve known since I was little that I wanted to become a teacher
because I loved school and helping others learn new things. Growing up, math easily became my favorite subject. Math is like a constant puzzle for your mind, and I love that aspect of it.

Campus involvement: Science Ambassador, Math Club President, Member of the Behrend Track and Field team.

What you’d be surprised to know about her: I have pet deer and my younger siblings are triplets.

Her definition of a good life: Being happy with your accomplishments and being surrounded by people that you care about.

First year students take note: My advice for first-year students is to make a friend in every one of your classes. This will not only help you get involved around campus, but also will be beneficial if you need help with the material or if you miss a class and need someone’s notes.

After her graduation in December, Rachael plans to work in a high-needs school district teaching mathematics.