Category: Standout Seniors

Standout Seniors: Demetrius Green

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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 Demetrius Green:
Demetrius green - best shot

Demetrius Green

Major: Digital Media, Arts, and Technology

Minor: Management Information Systems

Hometown: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Scholarships: Council of Fellows Leadership Scholarship

On choosing Behrend: I liked the location because it wasn’t too far or too close to home. I also love big bodies of water, and Lake Erie is beautiful.

On choosing his major: I wanted to bridge the gap between creativity and technology. I have a background in communications, so I wanted to continue that, while adding technology to my expertise.

Campus involvement: I am historian for the Behrend chapter of the Association of Black Collegians. I’m also a member of the Organization of African and Caribbean Students, and the Multi-Cultural Council.

What you’d be surprised to know about him: I love to sing, all day. It starts to annoy people after a while.

Confidence counts: My definition of living a good life is being so confident and carefree that if you wanted to, you could walk into Walmart singing your favorite song at the top of your lungs, and not care who is watching or who can hear you.

On a life of service: I’m passionate about helping others. My motto is: If I can, I will. I love to put a smile on another person’s face.

What inspires him: My future inspires me. I’ve been waiting for this moment for years, and I’m excited to start seeing things come to fruition. I know there are great things waiting for me, and I just have to keep working and be diligent in pursuing those things.

Advice for new students: Check in with your adviser. Get involved. Leave the campus and explore Erie and Presque Isle. Ask questions.

After his graduation in May, Demetrius plans to start his career as an MIS technology professional.

 

Standout Seniors: Nicole Overby

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

Penn State Behrend’s seniors are ready to make their 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 Nicole Overby:
 Nicole Overby

Major: Accounting

Minor: Management Information Systems

Graduation date: December 2017

Hometown: Nazareth, Pennsylvania

Scholarship: I received the National Bank of North East Leadership Scholarship, the Lawrence and Elizabeth Held Scholarship, the Behrend Faculty and Staff Scholarship, and the Edward P. and Barbara F. Junker Scholarship.

On choosing her major: I was drawn to numbers in high school, and I knew early on that I wanted a business degree. After I took some accounting classes, I realized it was a perfect fit for me.

Proudest accomplishment at Behrend: I was the student marshal at commencement. It meant so much to me and my family that I was selected by faculty members to represent the Black School of Business.

Campus involvement: I was involved in Circle K, Business Analytics Team, Accounting Club, Athena, Phi Kappa Phi, and the Behrend Beacon, and I helped produce and write the Black School of Business program newsletters.

What you’d be surprised to know about her: I have a twin sister

What she’s passionate about: Spreading goodness. This is a broad statement, but that is why I love it. Whether it is doing community service or simply smiling and saying hello to strangers, I think it is important to spread joy every day. I am a stronger believer in positivity. Not only will it make you feel better, but it will have a positive impact on everyone you come in contact with.

Advice for new students: Set goals, but be flexible. If you are too set on one path, you might miss another one that is best for you.

Nicole graduated from Penn State Behrend in December of 2017. She will return to the college in August to begin earning a Master of Professional Accounting degree. She plans to work in public accounting.

 

 

 

Standout Seniors: Meet Anthony Walker

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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 Anthony Walker:

Anthony Walker

Major: Mechanical Engineering

Minor: Computer Science

Hometown: Carmichaels, Pennsylvania

Scholarships: I have received the Frank S. Palkovic Trustee Scholarship.

On choosing to major in Mechanical Engineering: I have always been interested in the STEM fields. Mechanical Engineering seemed to be the broadest major that would allow me to have the most options in the field of engineering.

Proudest accomplishment at Behrend: Writing an angle optimization code for an aerodynamics project.

What makes him unique: Most students in my major don’t love computer science, but I enjoy it so much that I decided to minor in it. I have even taken on personal projects outside of academia that involve computer science.

Who inspires him: Dr. Amir Danesh-Yazdi, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, puts a tremendous amount of effort into his teaching. His classes have pushed me to do more and inspired my interest in computer science. I’m also inspired by my mother, father, stepfather, and Edward Maison, who has been my closest friend for nearly a decade and supports all of my endeavors.

After his graduation in May, Anthony plans to work in his field and eventually obtain his Ph.D. in mechanical engineering.

Standout Seniors: Meet Brittni Merenick

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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 Brittni Merenick:

brittani merenick1

Major: Elementary and Early Childhood Education

Hometown: Warren, Pennsylvania

On choosing Behrend: When I was growing up, I often came to Behrend for basketball camps and fell in love with the campus. Once I did an official college tour, I knew I wanted to attend Behrend.

On choosing her major: I love working with children. It may sound cliché, but I really want to make an impact on my students’ lives. I like that I get to teach my students something new every day. The great thing is that while I’m teaching them, I am also learning and growing professionally.

Proudest accomplishment at Behrend: Earning a 4.0 GPA two semesters in a row while taking 15 credits and working sixteen-hour weeks. This was on top of field placements, trying to have a social life, and sleeping!

Campus involvement: I was a member of the Student Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA) and served as president of the club last year and as a representative on the regional Political Action Committee for Education. I also participated in the PennLake National Writing Project.

What you would be surprised to know about her: I have a fraternal twin sister, but most people say my younger sister and I look more like twins.

Advice for new students: Enjoy your college experience while you can because it is over quicker than you can imagine. Make new friends, and don’t be afraid to try new things.

After her graduation in May, Brittni hopes to find a teaching position in Pennsylvania. She plans to begin working on a graduate degree in the fall as well.

 

 

 

Standout Seniors: Meet Dylan Langharst

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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 Dylan Langharst:

Dylan Langharst

Majors: Concurrent majors in Physics and Mathematics

Minors: Concurrent minors in Astronomy and Political Science

Hometown: Sarver, Pennsylvania

Scholarships: I’ve received the Anonymous Friend Trustee Fund Scholarship multiple times, a School of Science scholarship, the Lake Erie Trustee Scholarship at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, the McMannis Educational Trust Fund Scholarship, and the Dr. and Mrs. Arthur W. Phillips Scholarship for Schreyer Scholars.

On choosing his majors: In high school, I was really interested in understanding the physical world and decided to major in physics. However, during my time here at Behrend, I fell in love with mathematics, due in part to the faculty members in the department.

Proudest accomplishment at Behrend: I studied abroad in Germany during the summer of 2015, and during the summer of 2017, I was employed by the Department of Energy doing quantum computing. However, these are not my proudest accomplishments. My proudest accomplishment is when I was contacted by one of the students I tutored/taught through the Learning Resource Center who said that, without my help, he wouldn’t have passed Physics 211 or had such a solid start for Physics 212. This was my proudest moment.

Campus involvement: President of the Physics Club, vice president of the Math Club, and vice president of Behrend’s branch of Pi Mu Epsilon, the national math honor society.

Hidden talent: I am almost fluent in German.

What you would be surprised to know about him: I have a big interest in history, especially medieval history. I almost majored in history instead of physics.

Who inspires him: Faculty members inspire me, especially Dr. Chuck Yeung, Dr. Blair Tuttle, Dr. Darren Williams, Dr. Bruce Wittmershaus, Paul Becker, Dr. Antonella Cupillari, Dr. Daniel Galiffa and Dr. Amos Ong. They are always willing to answer any questions I have, even if my questions have nothing to do with material we are learning in class. Also, Dr. John Gamble, distinguished professor of political science and international law, who has been a life mentor since I started college.

Advice for new students: Pick a field of study that you genuinely enjoy learning about or classes will be difficult.

After his graduation in December, Dylan plans to attend graduate school for a master’s degree in mathematics. He then wants to obtain a Ph.D. and, eventually, teach at the college level.

 

Standout Seniors: Meet Angelia Clear

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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 Angelia Clear:

Angelia Clear.jpg

Majors: Concurrent major in Marketing and International Business

Hometown: Lower Burrell, Pennsylvania

On choosing her majors: I love the international aspect of business, but marketing is so versatile and interesting to me, so I decided to dual major.

Scholarships: I received the Presidential Scholarship, the Addison Gibson Foundation Grant, and the John K. Henne Scholarship for International Study.

Proudest accomplishment at Behrend? Receiving and accepting an invitation to join Beta Gamma Sigma, an academic honor society, while balancing a heavy course load and working full time.

Campus involvement: I have attended the School of Business spring business trips and I am a Black School of Business Ambassador. I am very involved in the Marketing Club and also enjoy playing intramural soccer when I can. I’ve studied abroad and I am a member of Beta Gamma Sigma.

Multitasking master: I am someone who has to have a lot of things going on all the time. I enjoy managing my time and being busy!

What you’d be surprised to know about her: I am a very observant person who can be shy at first, but I honestly enjoy learning about different people and cultures and immersing myself in new experiences.

Advice for new students: Time management is huge in college. Students need to get organized from the beginning because it is easy to fall behind. Also, get involved and do things that you really enjoy. College is not just about academics; it is about you. You get out of it what you put into it.

Following her graduation in May, Angelia plans to start her career in business.

 

 

 

Standout Seniors: Meet Derek Shaffer

Published on by Behrend Blog1 Comment

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 Derek Shaffer:

derek shaffer in uniform cropped

Major: Mechanical Engineering

Hometown: Stoneboro, Pennsylvania

Scholarships: I received The DeFrees Family Foundation Scholarship for Schreyer Scholars and Honors Students for all four years that I have been at Behrend. I have a lot of gratitude toward the donors. Without scholarship help, managing the monetary burden of college would be difficult.

On choosing Behrend: I chose Penn State Behrend because of its size, which is small enough to offer personal connections with professors. In addition, undergraduate student researchers are in high demand here by faculty members.

On choosing to major in Mechanical Engineering: I chose my major for its versatility. A person with a mechanical engineering background can go into material science, aerospace, architecture, design, research, manufacturing, and many other fields. I also find it interesting to study the similarities and differences at the crossroads of these fields.

Proudest accomplishment at Behrend: I’m proud of the amount of work I have been able to accomplish while still experiencing the best parts of college. I was on the college’s club hockey team for my entire college career while still maintaining a 4.0 grade-point average and publishing multiple journal and conference papers through my manufacturing research.

Campus involvement: I have been a member of the club hockey team my entire college career. We are part of the American Club Hockey Association, which includes teams from universities across the country. These teams are then broken into conferences just like NCAA sports. Our teams practice whenever they can get ice, which often means 6:00 a.m. or midnight, play games on the weekends instead of going out, and have GPA and credit requirements just like varsity athletes.

On goaltending: Not many people are fond of the idea of being hit with frozen rubber, but I find it fun.

Who inspires him: My parents and my girlfriend of six years inspire me the most. They are the hardest working and most caring people I have ever met. My mother is a nurse, my dad is a police officer, and my girlfriend is a physician assistant. These three people have shown me the importance of living a full life and enjoying time with your family and friends.

Advice for new students: Don’t rush into picking a major or worry too much about what you’ll do for a career. It will come to you naturally as you gain more time and experience with different fields. Figuring out what type of person you want to be and leaving your options open are more important.

After his graduation in May, Derek plans to attend graduate school. In the future, he hopes to do high-level research and design, preferably in the aerospace industry.

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 Derek and his fiancé, Jazmyne Sasse.

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Standout Seniors: Meet Echo Seiersen

Published on by Behrend BlogLeave a comment

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 Echo Seiersen:

echo Seiersen - best one

Majors: Concurrent majors in Communication and Political Science

Hometown: Corry, Pennsylvania

On majoring in Communication: Originally, I pursued a communication path because I am fascinated by the science behind interpersonal interactions and the differences that exist in communication between cultures. Political science came in when I started to get more involved in politics and discovered a real passion for rhetoric and social issues. I have found that politics intersects with communication in many ways.

Scholarships: I have received the Joseph A. and Berit I. Benacci Family Scholarship and the Coombes-Leahey Trustee Scholarship.

Proudest accomplishment at Behrrend: My proudest accomplishment has been working with Dr. Colleen Kelley (associate professor of speech communication) as a research assistant on her book—A Rhetoric of Divisive Partisanship: The 2016 American Presidential Campaign Discourse of Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump, which was published in February. I am also proud of the work I did with Dr. Robert Speel (associate professor of political science). I helped him with research he presented to Erie County Executive Kathy Dahlkemper about the efficacy and success of Day Reporting Centers in reducing recidivism rates throughout Pennsylvania and in other counties similar to Erie County.

Campus involvement: I have been a writing tutor with the Learning Resource Center for more than two years.

What makes her unique: I write poetry and like to paint, and I am actually working on publishing a book of poetry now.

What you’d be surprised to know about her: I have fibromyalgia and psoriatic arthritis. The former is a medical condition in which you experience chronic muscle pain and tenderness throughout your body, either constantly or when touched, along with fatigue and cognitive issues (often called “fibro fog”). Psoriatic arthritis is a form of inflammatory arthritis that damages joints, tendons, and ligaments, and sometimes the organs. It mostly causes pain, swelling, and stiffness in the joints. Long story short, I am in constant pain every single day, and I also sometimes struggle with fatigue and memory or concentration problems. I try really hard not to let these conditions impact my academic work or social life, so I think a lot of people would be surprised to know about them.

Her definition of a good life: Having a home where you feel comfortable, supported, and safe, and surrounding yourself with people who love, challenge, encourage, and inspire you. Also, I believe with total sincerity that having a lot of cats is vital to maintaining happiness.

Advice for new students: Listen more. We all have something important to learn from other people, even those we disagree with. And after you have listened, speak out with courage and certainty.

On the loves of her life: I could not have made it through this journey without my boyfriend, Tanner Hanson. He gives me endless and unconditional love and support. I also have two cats that bring much joy to my life. I have an American shorthair named Isabella and a Maine Coon named Enzo.

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After her graduation in May, Echo plans to attend graduate school. She hopes to obtain a Ph.D. and become a researcher and professor of political communication.

 

Standout Seniors: Meet Cathy Brooks

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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 Cathy Brooks:

Cathy Brooks (2 of 3)

Majors: Dual major in Accounting and Finance

Hometown: Bethel Park, Pennsylvania

On choosing Penn State Behrend: I have always wanted to attend Penn State, but University Park was overwhelming to me. Behrend was big enough to provide great opportunities, but not so large that I felt lost in the crowd.

On choosing her majors: During my freshman engineering seminar (I entered Behrend as an engineering major), I took a personality test that said accounting was a 100 percent match for my skills and interests. After taking Physics 211, I had a feeling engineering was not the right path for me, so I decided to switch majors.

On double majoring: After taking a few business courses and seeing how similar finance and accounting were, I decided to add the Finance major in order to put me closer to the 150 credits I need to sit for the CPA exam and get value out of those credits.

Campus involvement: I am a member of Delta Sigma Pi, the professional business fraternity on campus. For the past year, I’ve been the group’s vice president of alumni relations. Before joining the fraternity, I could be quiet and shy. The group has been great for building my confidence, and being involved with them has made the last two years of college fly by.

On motherhood: I have a two-year-old at home and she has motivated me to succeed. I do everything for her because I want the best for her. Having a family, a job, a role in the fraternity, and going to college full time has forced me to overcome a lot of obstacles. But I have learned that stressful days are just temporary and organization is everything when you have a lot on your plate.

On taking chances: The best advice I can give to anyone is that you will never know until you try. If you try and fail, you’re in the same spot as if you’d never tried at all, so what do you really have to lose?

What you would be surprised to know about her: I love to sing and play trumpet. I haven’t had much time in my life for it since I started college, but I hope to join a community band when I move to D.C. this summer.

Advice for first-year students: Get involved! It’s one thing to get good grades in class, but to show that you also helped other students, the school, or the community will really set you apart from other candidates interviewing for the same job that you are.

After her graduation in May, Cathy will be working as a federal auditor in Washington, D.C., on KPMG’s Army Engagement Team.

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Standout Seniors: Meet Briana Young

Published on by Behrend Blog1 Comment

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 Briana Young.

Briana Young

Briana with the 2004 Mini Cooper she restored.

Major: Physics

Minor: Mathematics

Hometown: Port Allegany, Pennsylvania

On choosing her major: My high school physics teacher had a poster in his classroom that listed a bunch of careers you can pursue with a physics degree. I love understanding how everything works, and I knew I’d never be bored with physics.

Scholarships: I have been the lucky recipient of the LORD Corporation Scholarship and the National Science Foundation STEM Scholarship.

Proudest accomplishment at Behrend? I have two. The first is when I got an internship with LORD Corporation the summer before my sophomore year. The second is when I was asked to present my undergraduate research work at the American Physical Society conference in Los Angeles this spring.

Campus involvement: I have been involved with an array of organizations on campus. In my first two years, I was involved with International Student Organization where I was able to meet so many people that I never would have met in my small town. In my sophomore year, I was accepted into Lambda Sigma Honor Society and into Pi Mu Epsilon, a national math honor society, in my junior year. I have also been part of Campus Health and Fitness, which is a new club on campus.

What makes her unique: I have a handful of hobbies. I am very into art and I have my own Etsy account. I love cooking, hiking, and camping. I also have completed two half marathons while in college.

What you would be surprised to know about her: My car is a 2004 Mini Cooper that I bought as a wreck and fixed up. I learned how to do it from my dad who has done body work on cars his entire life.

On being a champion for Women in Physics: The longer I have been in school the more involved I have gotten with Women in Physics. In January, I attended a Women in Physics conference that made me realize there would be a lot more of us in this field if it weren’t for self-doubt. I am passionate about encouraging other generations of girls to get excited about physics.

On giving back: I want to involve myself with outreach and teaching kids in the community the importance of science. (Editor’s note: No doubt she’ll have that chance at LORD, as they are an avid supporter of Penn State Behrend’s K-12 Outreach programs, often allowing their engineers to help lead events and each workshops for young students.)

Inspiration at home: My parents inspire me every day. They both work hard for their own success and still manage to dedicate a great deal of their time to helping others. They are both involved in different programs to help troubled kids and they inspire me to not only work hard for myself and my family, but also to actively help others.

Advice for new students: There are no shortcuts to get to where you want to be. It’ll be hard and frustrating, but keep your eyes on your ultimate goals. And don’t forget to take care of both your body and your mind.

Briana has accepted a position as a quality engineer at LORD Corporation following her graduation in May.