what is the penn state application essay

What are your chances of acceptance?

Calculate for all schools, your chance of acceptance.

Your chancing factors

Extracurriculars.

How to Write the Penn State Supplemental Essays 2023-2024

Penn State has one, optional supplemental essay prompt for all applicants, which is essentially a personal statement. Applicants to Penn State’s Schreyer Honors College, or Accelerated Pre-Med program, will also have to respond to a fairly extensive list of supplemental prompts—2 essays and 8 short answers for the Honors College, and 4 essays for the BS/MD program.

Regardless of whether you are just applying to Penn State as a whole, or to one of these more specialized programs, you want your essays to shine. In this post, we’ll break down each prompt, so you’re prepared to write a strong, engaging response to each prompt.

Read these Penn State essay examples to inspire your writing.

Penn State Supplemental Essay Prompts

All applicants.

Prompt: Please tell us something about yourself, your experiences, or activities that you believe would reflect positively on your ability to succeed at Penn State. This is your opportunity to tell us something about yourself that is not already reflected in your application or academic records. (500 words, optional)

Schreyer Honors College Applicants

Prompt 1: Describe a problem you’ve solved or a problem you’d like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma – anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could take to identify a solution. (800 words)

Prompt 2: Isaac Asimov wrote: “Any book worth banning is a book worth reading.” Do you agree? Is such censorship ever justified? If not, explain why. If so, who or what should determine which books are read and which books are forbidden. (800 words)

Short Answers

Prompt 1: What do you hope to get at Penn State as a Schreyer Scholar to help you accomplish your future goals and aspirations? (200 words)

Prompt 2: If you were able to go anywhere in the world, outside of the country you currently reside, where would you go and why? (200 words)

Prompt 3: Tell us about your leadership experiences (community roles, family contributions, research, clubs, organizations, etc.) and why leadership is important to you. Describe the challenges and/or successes you’ve faced in these roles. (200 words)

Prompt 4: List awards or other recognitions you have received in or outside of school over the last 4 years. Which award or recognition means the most to you and why? (200 words)

Prompt 5: Tell us about a book or other media that has made you think about something in a new way. (200 words)

Prompt 6: Consider a time when you had to collaborate with individuals from diverse backgrounds or with different perspectives. How did this experience contribute to your personal growth and understanding of others? (200 words)

Prompt 7: Everyone belongs to many different communities and/or groups, including: shared geography, faith, ethnicity, income, cuisine, interest, race, or intellectual heritage. Choose one of the communities or groups to which you belong and describe how it has influenced your life over the last four years. (200 words)

Prompt 8: Please use this space to share information you would like us to consider that has not been discussed elsewhere in your Schreyer Honors College application. This could include obstacles you’ve overcome, something you’re proud of that is not discussed elsewhere, or anything else you choose. (200 words)

Accelerated Premedical-Medical Program (BS/MD) Applicants

Prompt 1: Describe one non-academic activity during your high school years that has been the most meaningful to you. (250 words)

Prompt 2: Write a personal statement indicating why you want to be a physician, why you want an accelerated program and why you’ve selected this Penn State/Kimmel program. (500 words)

Prompt 3: Describe what you think your strongest qualities are as well as weaknesses that you would like to improve upon. (250 words)

Prompt 4: Tell us about a time you were unsuccessful and how you grew from this experience. (500 words)

Please tell us something about yourself, your experiences, or activities that you believe would reflect positively on your ability to succeed at Penn State. This is your opportunity to tell us something about yourself that is not already reflected in your application or academic records. (500 words, optional)

While this essay is technically optional, we still strongly encourage all applicants to complete it. Writing an optional essay provides admissions officers with more information about you, helps your application stand out, and further expresses your interest in the college you are applying to. 

One of your main objectives in all college essays should be to depict yourself as a strong addition to a specific college’s community. A good response will contain a reflection on your experiences to demonstrate a specific personal quality that you think will set you up for success at Penn State. To brainstorm, ask yourself: What do I need to succeed at Penn State? What are my strengths? 

You’ll need to think of examples that demonstrate the traits that will set you up for college success. Though the prompt says that you can pick “something about yourself, your experiences, or activities,” your choice should be something that you can show through a story or anecdote.

Almost any poor topic can be strengthened if you make it more specific:

Don’t pick something too broad, like “I have formed many friendships in different settings.” However, you could write a detailed account of a specific friendship or friend group you formed after switching high schools, explaining how you developed the skills to not only survive, but thrive in a new social community. Then, you can discuss how, at any college, but especially a big school like Penn State, forming a social network is crucial for academics (study groups, peers to help with homework, collaborators for group projects, etc.) and for making the most of your college experience.

Avoid focusing on an experience that virtually all applicants will share. “I made it through high school” is not a strong response. However, you could write about an illness you faced that almost jeopardized your ability to succeed in school. Through detailed storytelling, you could show the reader that you developed time-management skills and perseverance, which, as you can guess, are absolutely crucial for college success.

Great responses to this prompt can be quite personal since more formal academic and extracurricular activities might already be covered in your application. For example, you could relate difficult family or friendship situations you’ve negotiated to your ability to navigate a diverse and complex college community.

Regardless of which aspect of your identity, experience, or activity you pick, be absolutely sure to avoid generalizing. Many students write a 500 word essay that never uses specific examples. While these essays might sound smooth, they are almost entirely composed of clichés and generalizations. Here’s an example so you can get a better idea of what we’re talking about.

A student could write something like: 

“I have volunteered for over five years at my local food pantry. This experience has made me more appreciative of what I have, and more determined to give back. I know I’ll take these values with me to Penn State.”

Note that these sentences do not refer to a specific instance or give concrete examples. They give a general description of one activity and then make generic, high-level assertions about the results of that activity.

A strong essay will push beyond this level of resolution:

• Describe what you did at the food pantry.
• Show the perspective this has given you by giving an example of how you changed your daily activities or interactions with others as a result of this experience.
• Link these changes to success in college by discussing how you’ll dive into volunteer opportunities and community organizations. Use specific examples of clubs or organizations at Penn State, such as the Lion’s Pantry, which is dedicated to addressing student hunger.

A few words of caution: Some students will have too many things they want to squeeze into this essay. While you may feel like you’ve just left so many crucial details out of your application, you should resist the temptation to use this essay as a “catch-all” for everything “not already reflected in your application.” Note that the prompt asks you to share “something” not already included—not everything! This essay should be focused and cohesive, telling a story that proves you can succeed in college.

If you truly feel that important information has been left out of your application, try to incorporate it into your Activities Section, other essays, or, if all else fails, the Additional Information section of the Common App.

Schreyer Honors College Applicants, Essay Prompt 1

Describe a problem you’ve solved or a problem you’d like to solve. it can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma – anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could take to identify a solution. (800 words).

Brainstorming Your Topic:

Given the length and nature of this prompt, taking the time to select a strong topic is especially important. You need to pick a topic that is nuanced enough to sustain 800 words, but also personal enough that you can answer each part of the prompt while also highlighting aspects of your personality that make you a strong fit for the Honors College.

Fortunately, the prompt’s criteria are pretty open-ended, and admissions officers go out of their way to say the scale of the issue doesn’t matter. So, to brainstorm, we recommend asking yourself open-ended questions, like:

• Which societal issues are particularly important to you?
• Are there any more local issues (at your high school or in your city, for example) that have a big impact on your life?
• Is there a problem you’ve already taken steps to solve?

Once you’ve identified a topic, you want to take a moment to think about your personal connection to it, to make sure it’s a good match for this prompt. 

For example, if you want to write about your weekly beach cleanups, but you only do them because your dad makes you, you should probably keep brainstorming. However, if you started doing them after completing a research project in your junior year chemistry class on how microplastics have impacted the local fish population, this topic would be perfect!

Tips for Writing Your Essay:

Seeing as you have plenty of words at your disposal, you want to make sure you’re thorough in describing the problem, its significance to you, and your ideas about how to solve it. To do so, you want to make sure that, like any college essay, your points are grounded in specific, personal anecdotes, as otherwise the essay may read as preachy or generic.

For example, compare the following excerpts from a hypothetical essay:

Excerpt 1: “To clean up the oceans, everyone needs to get involved. It might not feel like picking up one plastic bottle will make a difference, when there are beaches all over the world covered in trash. But if we all picked up every bottle we see, all those small actions would eventually start to add up.”

Excerpt 2: “Every summer, my family spends a week on the Oregon coast. My mom used to drive me crazy when she would interrupt my tanning session to nag me about picking up plastic bottles, empty chip bags, and forgotten toy shovels. ‘Why should I have to pick up someone else’s trash? Besides, what’s the point—there’s always more coming,’ I used to think. But then, one Saturday she dragged me along to a community beach cleanup. 200 people spent the entire day combing through the sand for even the smallest pieces of plastic, and by the time the sun set, I wasn’t even thinking about how sweaty or dirty I was. All I cared about was how pristine the white sand looked, stretching away into the distance, clean and unmarked by bright plastic.”

At their cores, these two examples are making the same point. But the first one lacks the personal details that show how the writer arrived at these realizations, and thus the takeaways read as generic, and won’t do anything to distinguish them from other qualified applicants.

The second one, on the other hand, tells us exactly what happened in the writer’s past that changed their mindset about the importance of individual action. Remember that, like with any college essay, the point of this essay is to teach your readers about who you are. So, your discussion of the problem you choose should be grounded not in scientific studies or big-picture ideas, but in the experiences you have had that have shaped not only your thoughts on this issue, but your personality as a whole.

Obviously, the second example is much longer, but, as noted above, this is one of the rare supplemental essays where space likely won’t be an issue. You have the room to provide the personal details admissions officers are looking for, so take advantage of it!

Mistakes to Avoid:

The most important pitfall to avoid has already been outlined above: make sure your essay doesn’t become too much about the problem, at the expense of teaching your readers about important aspects of your personality. You probably have much more experience with academic writing than reflective writing, so as you write and revise your first draft, make sure there aren’t any points where you instinctively slip into research-based, argumentative mode.

Schreyer Honors College Applicants, Essay Prompt 2

Isaac asimov wrote: “any book worth banning is a book worth reading.” do you agree is such censorship ever justified if not, explain why. if so, who or what should determine which books are read and which books are forbidden. (800 words).

When you sit down to start writing your response, the first thing you want to do is honestly ask yourself whether or not you agree with Asimov. Censorship is a hot topic in the news right now, so you may already have at least a partially-formed opinion. But in order to write a strong response, you need to be fully authentic. So, before you start writing, you want to spend some time really thinking about how you feel about this issue, and why.

It’s also important to note that you shouldn’t just say what you think your readers will want to hear. If your response is thoughtful and reflects a high level of critical thinking, you can argue in favor of either side of the debate.

Once you’ve decided what position you’re taking, you’ll need to work on fleshing out your justification for it. This justification needs to be more sophisticated than just “I believe in free speech, so no books should be banned,” or “I believe some books provoke dangerous ideas, like those of Nazi Germany, and so banning can sometimes be justified.” In college, particularly at an honors college, you’re going to be wrestling with difficult questions like this one every day, so you want to show admissions officers that you appreciate the nuance of this debate.

For example, a rough outline of a strong response might look something like this:

• Introduction: Provide a personal anecdote that shows the importance of books in your own life, and use that to introduce your perspective that banning books is never justified
• Point 1: Describe a situation, either from your own life or history, where the free exchange of information was essential to progress
• Point 2: Highlight the role books play in allowing not only the exchange of existing ideas, but also the introduction of new ones, by focusing on a text that moved a particular discussion forward in a substantial way
• Point 3: Acknowledge that some books do contain ideas you feel are dangerous, but argue that those dangerous ideas need to be acknowledged, lest they manifest in tangible ways, and that even labeling certain ideas as “dangerous” is dicey, because some people would call ideas that are fundamental to your worldview “dangerous”

Pay special attention to Point 3: acknowledging that the other position has merit, and then explaining why your position is still the better choice, is something you’re going to be asked to do frequently in college. Showing admissions officers that you’re already able to think at that level can take your essay from good to great.

Finally, this prompt is more academic than most other supplements out there, but you still want to draw on your own experiences in your response. Otherwise, the tone of your essay may end up rather dry, and while that isn’t a death sentence, you do ideally want your reader to be genuinely invested in your essay, and incorporating anecdotes from your own life will help build that investment.

The #1 thing you want to avoid in your response is offending your reader, even unintentionally. As noted above, the admissions officers are intentionally asking you a question with no clear answer—they want to see that you can address such a question in a tactful, respectful way. Coming across as defensive, argumentative, or ignorant won’t say anything good about your ability to contribute to high-level college discussions.

For example, you wouldn’t want to say “The only people who I’ve heard argue in favor of banning books are my aunt and uncle, who also believe a lot of other absurd things, like that Elvis is still alive, so I’ve never seen much merit in that position.” Obviously, we’ve given an extreme example to illustrate our point. But on a more realistic level, you want to keep your essay focused on yourself and your opinion, rather than speaking down on anyone else.

Schreyer Honors College Applicants, Short Answer Prompt 1

What do you hope to get at penn state as a schreyer scholar to help you accomplish your future goals and aspirations (200 words).

This is essentially a “Why This College?” prompt, but focused on Penn State’s Honors College specifically, rather than a college as a whole. The keys to writing a strong response are essentially the same, however: identify specific resources that can only be found at Schreyer Honors College (not things that you could also take advantage of as any other Penn State student!), and explain how those resources align with your goals for college and beyond.

For example, you might choose to highlight Schreyer’s goal that all Schreyer Scholars have at least one experience abroad by the time they graduate as something that is particularly attractive to you, as you are interested in international relations and thus hope to familiarize yourself with other cultures as much as possible during college.

Alternatively, you might talk about how you’re excited by the thought of living in Atherton or Simmons, one of Penn State’s two honors housing residence halls, because you hope to attend law school after college, and so the more practice you can get with lively, intellectual debates, the better.

The only thing you really want to avoid in your response is general or superficial reasons for wanting to attend Schreyer, that don’t do much to help your readers envision you as a Schreyer Scholar. For example, you don’t want to talk about the prestige of the program, or the fact that Atherton and Simmons have prime locations on campus. Admissions officers want to accept applicants who are ready to hit the ground running, and the more specific you can be in spelling out how Schreyer will help you achieve your goals, the more confident they will be in your readiness.

Schreyer Honors College Applicants, Short Answer Prompt 2

If you were able to go anywhere in the world, outside of the country you currently reside, where would you go and why (200 words).

This prompt is a more-lighthearted question that just wants a sense of your personality – are you more adventurous or more restrained? Are you more interested in culture and history or relaxation and some peace and quiet? Your answer says more than you may think about what kind of person – but there’s no right or wrong answer here. Like many of the questions before it, you’ll want to answer both honestly and in a manner that showcases your true personality. Your answer should be as unique as you can think of, but as usual, the more personal a connection to your answer the better.

For example, maybe you’re the first-generation child of immigrants from India but have never been back there yourself. You could write about how a trip to India would reconnect you with your family roots, your culture, and the pasts of your parents. 

If you don’t feel like you have a special story or experience to share, however, don’t worry. Your answer will be strong so long as it is unique to you, so brainstorm a place or country that would be at the top of your bucket list. Maybe you’re an avid hiker and want to take a crack at Mount Kilimanjaro. You can write about how visiting and climbing the mountain has always been a dream of yours that you hope to have the resources to achieve later on in life. Write about what hiking means to you and why, as well as why Mount Kilimanjaro is the end goal.

Schreyer Honors College Applicants, Short Answer Prompt 3

Tell us about your leadership experiences (community roles, family contributions, research, clubs, organizations, etc.) and why leadership is important to you. describe the challenges and/or successes you’ve faced in these roles. (200 words).

Although this prompt asks you to discuss your “leadership experiences,” plural, in reality you want to keep your focus pretty narrow, since you only have 200 words to provide the elaboration they’re asking for. You can start off with a general overview of the leadership positions you’ve held, but you pretty quickly want to zoom in on an anecdote or two that show what you’ve learned about leadership from these experiences.

For example, the start of your essay might look something like this:

“I’ve been fortunate to hold a variety of leadership positions throughout high school, from two-time captain of my volleyball team, to assistant manager of the Chipotle down the street from my house, to, as the oldest of seven children, first mate on our family’s sailing ship. But the moment that taught me the most about leadership was one in which I failed: my team had a tournament starting at 8 am, and I never woke up, as I’d accidentally set my alarm for 6:30 p.m., not a.m.”

From here, the writer can dive into a discussion of how, while many people see confidence and inspiration as the most important traits a leader can have, their experience showed them that accountability is just as crucial. And because that point is grounded in an anecdote from their own life, we know exactly why they feel this way–without that specificity, your essay will likely come across as generic or even preachy.

Schreyer Honors College Applicants, Short Answer Prompt 4

List awards or other recognitions you have received in or outside of school over the last 4 years. which award or recognition means the most to you and why (200 words).

This prompt is a great opportunity for you to paint a better picture of yourself and your accomplishments, both academic and otherwise. After listing all of your awards and recognitions, there are two main ways you can approach this question—you can highlight an honor or distinction you have received for an academic or extracurricular achievement, or you can flex your creative muscles and expand on a smaller award or appreciation you have received. 

For example, if you have been recognized for your success in an extracurricular activity with a competitive element like debate, Model UN, or robotics, you can explain the activity’s importance to you, and what the process of winning meant to you. You could also take this approach if you have won your school’s talent show, or received a ribbon in a local photography contest. Alternatively, you could talk about being voted captain of your cross country team, or awarded the lead role in your school’s musical theater production, and describe how you handled that responsibility. 

However, if you lack any formal awards, try to think of any informal recognitions you have received over the years – a superlative in the yearbook, a counselor of the summer award at a sleepaway camp, even a “Best Cousin Ever!” sticker your 5-year-old cousin gave you last Thanksgiving. While you may feel awkward writing about something not conventionally “impressive,” this approach can actually show a high level of maturity. College applications are by definition pretty braggy, so showing admissions officers that you have an appreciation for “the little things” in life can, perhaps counterintuitively, help set you apart from other applicants who may have written about more traditional, resume-y achievements.

Schreyer Honors College Applicants, Short Answer Prompt 5

Tell us about a book or other media that has made you think about something in a new way. (200 words).

Think about something that you’ve read, watched, or listened to that has stuck with you or impacted you personally. This isn’t meant to be an opportunity for you to recant your love for Shakespeare or your appreciation for Charles Dickens, although you certainly can if it’s deeply resonated with you. And that’s the key – you want to be genuine with your answer. You can go on and on about how much you admire an author or filmmaker’s style or craft – but what the admissions reader really wants to know is how a piece of media has changed your perspective and impacted you personally.

Is there a movie that you can endlessly rewatch? A book you always find yourself going back to? A podcast or an album you can’t stop listening to? The trick is to do some reflection into the “why” – media above anything else has a strictly personal connection to your mind, so see if you can figure out what about the connection to your selected media is so special. If you’re stumped, do a bit of journaling, either while participating with your chosen media or afterward, and write down how it makes you feel and what it makes you think about. Chances are you’ll be able to uncover what it means to you and how it affects you.

Perhaps your mother’s favorite movie is the musical West Side Story, and you and her went to see the Steven Spielberg remake together. Maybe she has a special connection with the musical because she’s originally from Puerto Rican – you could write about how sharing that experience with your mom got you in touch with your heritage and your roots, and got you to reevaluate what it means to be a Puerto Rican in the America of today.

Everyone has a different story, and it is tapping into that story and how it relates to your media choice that should be the basis of your response here.

Schreyer Honors College Applicants, Short Answer Prompt 6

Consider a time when you had to collaborate with individuals from diverse backgrounds or with different perspectives. how did this experience contribute to your personal growth and understanding of others (200 words).

This prompt very considerately spells out pretty much exactly what you need to do: describe a time when you collaborated with a diverse group of people, and explain why that experience was significant to your personal growth/understanding of others. One important thing to keep in mind is that, as you think about which experience you want to focus on, the phrases “diverse backgrounds” and “different perspectives” can be read in a variety of ways. 

For example, you could write about your last Thanksgiving dinner, and focus on the wide range of ages present at the table, from your 97-year-old grandmother to your infant cousin. You could then talk about how this experience showed you that, if people really want to, we can always get along: we go out of our way to be polite and respectful towards family, even when we don’t particularly want to, but there’s no reason we couldn’t do the same for others.

Alternatively, you could write about your part-time job at a ski lodge, where your coworkers came from all over the state, and some were much stronger skiers than others. You could use this experience as an avenue into talking about how if everyone has a shared goal, and is willing to contribute whatever they’re able in pursuit of that goal, having different skill sets actually becomes an asset, as each person’s strengths balance out someone else’s weaknesses.

Schreyer Honors College Applicants, Short Answer Prompt 7

Everyone belongs to many different communities and/or groups, including: shared geography, faith, ethnicity, income, cuisine, interest, race, or intellectual heritage. choose one of the communities or groups to which you belong and describe how it has influenced your life over the last four years. (200 words).

This is an example of the classic “Diversity” prompt, so you have two main goals in your response: highlight some aspect of your identity, and explain how that part of you has shaped your personality as a whole. If you just say “I lived in Italy from age 8 to age 14” or “I come from a family where we don’t bleed red, but green, for the Philadelphia Eagles,” but don’t explain what you’ve learned from these experiences, your reader won’t actually understand you any better.

Instead, like always, you want to include a specific anecdote or two that highlight some personality trait, or part of your worldview, that you wouldn’t have if you weren’t a part of this community. Take the Eagles example above. Later in the essay, you might say something like:

“This fandom has helped me connect with family members who I otherwise might not know. Like my grandpa, who has been suffering with dementia since before I was born. He’s unable to ask me about my classes or my lacrosse team, but when we watch the Birds together, I feel like we’re having a conversation all our own. Some things are better said without words.”

In this excerpt, the student doesn’t just list a community they’re a part of, but also shows us why that community is so important to them.

Finally, note that the prompt gives a broad definition of “community.” Hopefully, our two examples also help emphasize that you don’t need to write about any one particular thing. If your race has been a huge part of shaping your identity, then you should of course write about it! But you can also write a strong essay about any community you’ve been a part of, even ones that may seem a little unconventional.

Schreyer Honors College Applicants, Short Answer Prompt 8

Please use this space to share information you would like us to consider that has not been discussed elsewhere in your schreyer honors college application. this could include obstacles you’ve overcome, something you’re proud of that is not discussed elsewhere, or anything else you choose. (200 words).

This prompt is the last opportunity for you to fill in any gaps left over in your application to the Schreyer Honors College. Look over your application and all your previous responses and reflect on if there’s anything still left unsaid. Remember, the admissions reader wants the clearest picture of you as they can possibly get, and the more information you can provide them about yourself the better.

Here are some examples of details you may wish to write about here:

• Unusual circumstances or hardships (financial hardships, first-generation status, illness, tragedy, etc.)
• Family responsibilities that may have prevented students from taking traditional extracurriculars
• Unique extracurricular that wasn’t written about in another part of the application outside of the Activities Section
• Describing your identity in the context of race, gender, or LGBTQ+

This prompt is going to be on an extremely case-by-case basis, so do what feels right for you and remember that you don’t have to embellish anything about yourself or your life in an attempt to make it sound more interesting to an admissions reader. They really just want to get to know you as your authentic self, so make sure that you’re answering this prompt in a manner that is genuine and honest.

Accelerated Premedical-Medical Program (BS/MD) Applicants, Prompt 1

Describe one non-academic activity during your high school years that has been the most meaningful to you. (250 words).

This prompt is the classic Extracurricular Activity essay . Remember that the admissions committee already has a list of your extracurricular activities, so make sure you’re delving beyond a simple list of your responsibilities. You’ll want to share your emotions and thoughts as you participate in this activity, as well as how it’s impacted you.

As you choose your activity, consider which qualities you’ve already demonstrated in your application, and which ones you’d like to highlight more. If you’ve already written about one activity in your Common App essay, there’s no need to repeat it here. Or, maybe your Common App essay demonstrates resilience when you also consider yourself a very ambitious person. Then, you might want to pick an activity that highlights your ambition.

If you’ve had any jobs or internships in the medical field, this is your opportunity to expand on your experience and what it may have taught you. However, the key to this prompt is to choose something that was the most meaningful to you. Don’t feel like you have to choose an extracurricular in medicine just because you’re applying to a BS/MD program. 

Once you’ve chosen an activity to write about, reflect on how it has shaped who you are. This is extremely important, as a common mistake with this prompt is to focus too much on the activity itself without explaining the “why” behind its importance. What lessons has the activity taught you? What skills did you learn? Why has this activity kept you engaged or kept you motivated? These are just a few of the questions that can guide your answer.

Accelerated Premedical-Medical Program (BS/MD) Applicants, Prompt 2

Write a personal statement indicating why you want to be a physician, why you want an accelerated program and why you’ve selected this penn state/kimmel program. (500 words).

As you are probably aware already, the Penn State-Kimmel program is a highly rigorous seven-year program that will require you to commit to a career in medicine. It is not a fast track to becoming a doctor, but rather a set path to reaching that goal. Keeping that in mind, this prompt should be somewhat easy to answer. It is simply a space asking you to explain why you are interested in medicine and the program specifically, which means your answer will be best the more it sounds like you.

Brainstorming a list of reasons why you want to become a physician will be a great starting point – there will likely be several things that draw you to this career path, so list as many you can think of and use that as a jumping-off point. Some questions that can get you thinking may include:

• What was the first experience that made you think about medicine as a career?
• Are there any subjects in school that gave you an interest in medicine? What about extracurriculars?
• What do you hope to do as a physician? Any specific field you would like to work in?
• Are there any personal experiences that you have that make you want to be a physician?

Of course, there are dozens of other questions that you can ask yourself to get a solid foundation for this prompt, but the point is to Jeopardy-style your way into an answer. Ask yourself a series of questions and see what answers you come up with!

Once you describe your reasons for pursuing medicine, you can move forward to the next two parts of the prompts, which are more or less the same question – why this accelerated program? 

When it comes to explaining your interest in an accelerated program, the admissions committee has likely heard it all: guaranteed admission to medical school, getting your MD sooner, etc. But what will these benefits do for you specifically? What will you do with the extra time you’ll have from not needing to apply for medical school, or being able to graduate early? Maybe you have a specific clinic you want to spend a lot of time in, or perhaps you want to serve patients in countries impacted by climate change, which will only get more urgent over the next several years. Dig deeper beyond the obvious benefits of an accelerated program.

Finally, you want to explain why the Penn State-Kimmel Program is right for you. How will it help you achieve your specific goals? This will require you to do a fair amount of research on the program and the Sidney Kimmel Medical College. Look into the specific courses, research opportunities, statements from alumni, and more. 

For example, maybe you want to help develop immunotherapies for cancer after your aunt received an experimental treatment that worked wonders. You could express interest in contributing to the Immune Cell Regulation & Targeting Research Program at Jefferson Health (the home of the Sidney Kimmel Medical College). Or, maybe you want to conduct research on the social determinants of health as a Black woman, particularly when it comes to race. Since Philly (where the Kimmel Medical College is located) is 40% Black, the city would be a good setting for your research.

A large thing to keep in mind is that this program is a 7-year commitment to getting an MD, so you’ll want to frame your answer around how you’ve wanted to be a doctor for a large part of your life. The questions you ask yourself and the information you find on the website will not only help you with this prompt, but also help you figure out if this program is right for you!

Accelerated Premedical-Medical Program (BS/MD) Applicants, Prompt 3

Describe what you think your strongest qualities are as well as weaknesses that you would like to improve upon. (250 words).

This is a common question not only in college applications, but also career interviews, so your answer to this question may even prove helpful down the road!

This prompt is more straightforward, so you can simply discuss a few strengths and weaknesses. Given the word count, we recommend sticking to 1-2 each. Try to follow them up with examples of times you demonstrated those qualities. 

If your strengths relate to medicine, that’s all the better! But no need to explain how these qualities will benefit you in medicine. The connection can be implicit, as doctors need many soft skills.

For example, maybe one of your key skills is that you’re very organized – you could explain how you managed seven different committees as Student Body President, and how you kept track of their progress by having them use a color-coded Google Sheet. The implicit connection to medicine is that being a physician requires you to keep tabs on a plethora of patients and follow-up on their changing needs.

When you get to the weakness part of the question, remember that this prompt is meant to get you thinking about what you believe you can improve upon. For instance, you don’t want to write that you’re not a people person. Not only is this an aspect of your personality that may be difficult to change, but it is also an essential component of becoming a physician. 

Think about weaknesses that you can work on – for example, maybe you have trouble with criticism and take it personally because you’re very proud of the work you do. But, you also recognize how important it is in improving your work. So, you’ve already started actively seeking out criticism, such as submitting your artwork to art feedback Discord servers.

Your answer to these questions will give the admissions reader a sense of your work style and will help evaluate if you are a good fit for the requirements of the program, so remember to frame your answer with that in mind. 

Accelerated Premedical-Medical Program (BS/MD) Applicants, Prompt 4

Tell us about a time you were unsuccessful and how you grew from this experience. (500 words).

Speaking of questions that you’ll likely get in job interviews, this is another classic. This prompt will get you reflecting on any experience, both in and out of the classroom, where you had some sort of shortcoming, and how you applied that knowledge to future endeavors. 

Admissions readers know that in a program like this one, you’re bound to fail at one point or another – they just want to see that you know how to grow from your mistakes. There are a plethora of examples you could probably choose from, but the best one will be the most personal to you.

Keep in mind that your topic doesn’t need to be medicine-related. The point of this prompt is simply to see how you pick yourself up after a failure. You don’t even need to have succeeded in the end; what’s important is that you show what you learned.

This prompt falls under the Overcoming Challenges essay archetype, so we encourage you to read our full guide on that. 

Roughly 50% of the essay should describe the process of overcoming the challenge. In this portion of the essay, you should lay out the basics of the challenge, discuss the steps you took to overcome it, and any final accomplishment that illustrates what you’ve overcome. 

The remaining 50% of the content (spread throughout the overall narrative) should cover your state of mind, your emotional state, and how your perception of the challenge has changed over time. This should span the initial challenge, the steps you took to overcome it, and the final accomplishment (if there is one). 

Where to Get Your Penn State Essays Edited

Do you want feedback on your Penn State essays? After rereading your essays countless times, it can be difficult to evaluate your writing objectively. That’s why we created our free Peer Essay Review tool , where you can get a free review of your essay from another student. You can also improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays. 

If you want a college admissions expert to review your essay, advisors on CollegeVine have helped students refine their writing and submit successful applications to top schools. Find the right advisor for you to improve your chances of getting into your dream school!

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

Are you seeking one-on-one college counseling and/or essay support? Limited spots are now available. Click here to learn more.

2023-24 Penn State Supplemental Essay – Prompt and Tips

September 6, 2023

With an acceptance rate still above 50%, it would be easy to misjudge how challenging the Penn State admissions landscape truly is. In fact, those entering the famed University Park campus sport mid-50 SATs of 1270-1450. They also boast an unweighted GPA range of 3.59-3.93 . Additionally, successful applicants in 2023-24 should prepare to write a strong Penn State supplemental essay.

(Want to learn more about How to Get Into Penn State? Visit our blog entitled:  How to Get Into Penn State University: Admissions Data and Strategies  for all of the most recent admissions data as well as tips for gaining acceptance.)

In a competitive admissions environment, every piece of the Penn State application takes on a high level of importance. Therefore, it is vital that all Nittany Lion applicants dedicate a significant amount of time to this optional essay. Below is the lone PSU supplemental prompt for the 2023-24 admissions cycle along with our advice for composing a winning essay.

Penn State Supplemental Essay Prompt #1 (Optional)

Please tell us something about yourself, your experiences, or activities that you believe would reflect positively on your ability to succeed at penn state. this is your opportunity to tell us something about yourself that is not already reflected in your application or academic records. we suggest a limit of 500 words or fewer..

This essay is technically “optional” but all serious applicants should view it as mandatory. Unlike many “optional” essays that may or may not apply to you (e.g. COVID impact, gap in education, gender identity etc.), just about every applicant has at least one extracurricular or experience worth elaborating on.

The activity/experience angle

With this prompt, Penn State is not necessarily asking you to write about the activity where you earned the most prestigious awards. Nor are they looking for the one where you held the highest position of leadership. The university is going to see all of your activities in that section of the Common App. As such, you want to ask yourself which of your entries is crying out for more explanation and detail. Which one is closest to your heart and most representative of your unique passions? Pick the option that will allow you to deliver additional detail that may be memorable to the admissions reader. For example, you may be a volunteer EMT and have compelling, drama-filled experiences to share.

Alternatively, you may have worked in local restaurant and learned more about the lives of your undocumented coworkers. Start this process by asking, “What is the most interesting and consequential moment I have experienced in my extracurricular activities?”

If you can identify one clear-cut moment, that is likely the activity worth sharing with the Penn State admissions staff.

The more broad “about you” angle

Of course, this prompt has a wider scope than just an activity. You can also take this opportunity to share something personal. After completing your Common App, is there anything that you have yet to share that is absolutely elemental to who you are as a person/student? Without the benefit of an in-person interview, it may feel like you never fully had a chance to connect intimately with a PSU admissions officer. Perhaps you have not communicated the full you, your true essence, your je ne sais quoi. If you feel something important about yourself has yet to be communicated elsewhere in the application, then this essay is about to become your best friend.

Consider that the admissions reader is already familiar with your academic history, activities, and awards. What don’t they know, or, what could they understand on a deeper level. This could be a particular skill or talent or something about your character or personality. On the other hand, you may wish to speak more about your passions, hobbies, ideas, or beliefs. Any of those options are perfectly fine!

This one is intentionally open-ended so use this space to share your most cherished accomplishments or most winning attributes. The university itself is, in essence, inviting you to make a “closing argument” at the end of this admissions trial.

How important is the Penn State supplemental essay?

The essays (the Common App essay and supplemental essay) are not among the most important factors to the admissions committee. GPA and the rigor of one’s courses are at the top of the list. However, the essays can help borderline applicants push themselves over the edge toward an acceptance.

Want Personalized Essay Assistance?

Lastly, if you are interested in working with one of College Transitions’ experienced and knowledgeable essay coaches as you craft your Penn State supplemental essay, we encourage you to  get a quote  today.

• College Essay

Andrew Belasco

A licensed counselor and published researcher, Andrew's experience in the field of college admissions and transition spans two decades. He has previously served as a high school counselor, consultant and author for Kaplan Test Prep, and advisor to U.S. Congress, reporting on issues related to college admissions and financial aid.

• 2-Year Colleges
• Application Strategies
• Best Colleges by Major
• Best Colleges by State
• Big Picture
• Career & Personality Assessment
• College Search/Knowledge
• College Success
• Costs & Financial Aid
• Data Visualizations
• Dental School Admissions
• Extracurricular Activities
• Graduate School Admissions
• High School Success
• High Schools
• Law School Admissions
• Medical School Admissions
• Navigating the Admissions Process
• Online Learning
• Private High School Spotlight
• Summer Program Spotlight
• Summer Programs
• Teacher Tools
• Test Prep Provider Spotlight

“Innovative and invaluable…use this book as your college lifeline.”

— Lynn O'Shaughnessy

Nationally Recognized College Expert

College Planning in Your Inbox

Join our information-packed monthly newsletter.

Choose Your Test

Sat / act prep online guides and tips, how to write a penn state essay in 3 steps.

College Essays

If you want to go to Penn State , then the Penn State essay is one of your big chances to show how you’re different from other students in your application for admission . In order to really make this component of the application work to your advantage, you’ll need a solid strategy for writing a concise, unique, and persuasive Penn State essay!

Writing your Penn State admissions essay might seem intimidating at first, but we’re here to guide you through the process. This article will help you write a stellar Penn State essay by: 

• Explaining purpose of the Penn State Essay
• Outlining the three steps to writing a solid Penn State Essay
• Providing a breakdown of Penn State essay examples
• Giving you three practical tips for writing an exceptional essay

Let’s dive in!

The Penn State essay is an important part of your Penn State application because it can make you stand out from other applicants!

What’s the Penn State Essay?

The Penn State essay, sometimes also called the Penn State supplemental essay, is a 500 word written response included in the Penn State application for admission . 

The prompt for this essay invites applicants to tell the admissions committee about themselves. Here’s the prompt you’ll have to answer:

Please tell us something about yourself, your experiences, or activities that you believe would reflect positively on your ability to succeed at Penn State. This is your opportunity to tell us something about yourself that is not already reflected in your application or academic records. We suggest a limit of 500 words or fewer. 

This essay prompt is essentially asking applicants to write a response that is very similar to what is known as a personal statement. College admissions typically use an applicant’s personal statement to better understand who the applicant is as a person and what strengths they will bring to the university. 

In other words, the Penn State Essay response is an applicant’s chance to show what makes them unique in the admissions process. 

3 Steps to Answering The Penn State Essay Prompt

If we break down the pieces of what the Penn State prompt is asking, we can identify three main tasks that you need to complete in order to write a killer essay . These tasks are as follows: 

• Identify something about yourself (e.g. a skill, ability, character trait), one of your experiences, or an activity you have been involved in, and 
• Explain the meaning or significance of that aspect of yourself in order to
• Prove that you embody what it means to be a Penn State student. 

While whipping out a 500 word essay response that covers these topics may sound easy, it’s a bit trickier in practice. It’s important that you think carefully about your strategy and come up with a clear plan for your essay response. Remember: your essay is an important part of your admissions application, so you want to spend time getting it right. 

Now, we’re going to walk you through how to address each of these three major points in your essay in order to make admissions counselors sit up and take notice. 

Step 1: Select a Topic to Write About

To begin the process of drafting your Penn State essay, you need to select a meaningful attribute, experience, or activity that makes a positive case for your ability to succeed at Penn State . You need to identify these meaningful experiences or attributes because of the first part of the Penn State essay prompt, which states: 

Please tell us something about yourself, your experiences, or activities that you believe would reflect positively on your ability to succeed at Penn State. 

To do this, start by taking inventory of the character traits, experiences, or involvement in activities that you’re most proud of, passionate about, or are the most meaningful to you. We recommend you start by writing a list of the things that come to mind. If you want, you can divide it into categories based on character traits/abilities, experiences, and activities. As you put together this list, don’t worry about whether the things you’re coming up with are “good” or not — you’re just brainstorming ideas at this point!  

If you’re stuck and have no idea where to start, that’s okay, too. Try asking yourself these questions to get you started: 

• What is my favorite memory? And why? 
• What’s my favorite thing to do in the whole world? Why do I love it? 
• If my friends had to describe me in one word, what would they say?

Once you start jotting down ideas, you’ll probably find that you’re able to come up with quite a few. The traits, experiences, and activities that you list out can vary widely and come from different areas of your life, including experiences with friends and family, academic pursuits, extracurricular activities, work with community organizations and volunteerism, political activism, travels, strong memories from childhood, or challenges you’ve faced in life. The possibilities aren’t limited to the ones we just mentioned; this list is simply meant to give you a jump start for brainstorming. 

Once you’ve listed out all the meaningful traits/abilities, experiences, and activities that you can think of, evaluate them in order to select one item from the list that you will address in your Penn State essay. To narrow it down to one item, consider asking yourself the following questions: 

• Which of these items do I feel the strongest positive emotional connection to? 
• Which of these items am I the most proud of? 
• Which of these items could I tell a story about? 
• Which of these items makes me unique or different from other people? 

You don’t necessarily have to use these questions to select your essay topic, but if you find that you answer several of these questions with the same experience or activity, that might be a good clue that you should choose that item as the topic of your Penn State essay. 

Once you pick a topic, it's time to figure out what it says about you as a person. This essay is designed to help admissions counselors get to know you. 

Step 2: Think About What Your Topic Says About You 

Once you’ve selected a single character trait/ability, experience, or activity from your list, the second step of responding to the Penn State essay prompt is to tell a compelling story. 

You want to engage your reader while explaining what the trait/activity/characteristic you’ve chosen says about you as a person. 

To get started on this step, it’s a good idea to do some freewriting or brainstorming. Try to identify the ways in which the experience or activity you chose showcased a talent, skill, or ability you possess in a meaningful or valuable way. It’s important to be able to explain your perception of how this experience or activity shaped you into a person who will bring something positive to Penn State.

Here’s what we mean: say Katerina has decided that she wants to write about making the varsity squad for her school’s soccer team. In her freewrite, she writes about how the accomplishment makes her feel (proud, excited, enthusiastic), and she also writes a bit about the hard work it took for her to get there. Not only does she jot down ideas about going to the State tournament and making a game-winning goal, she also writes about how she missed making the squad in 9th grade, but instead of quitting, she got up an hour early every day over the summer to fit in extra practice. 

In this example, Katerina is trying to get a better understanding of why her topic is important to her, and what kind of story she can tell the admissions committee to help them understand her better. In this case, Katerina may decide to focus on how she didn’t give up and put in extra work to make her dreams come true...and it ended up paying off in a big way! 

Keep in mind that it doesn’t matter if the item you choose to write about is the most prestigious accomplishment from your résumé — you have the rest of your Penn State application to account for those accomplishments. Rather, the Penn State Essay is your time to tell the story of the real person behind your long list of accolades. If you can tailor this story to focus on a specific, detailed experience, activity, or positive attribute you possess, your essay will be more impactful.

Step 3: Tie Your Story Back to Penn State

After you’ve nailed down the way that you want to describe your uniqueness as an applicant, you need to define your understanding of what success at Penn State means to you . 

Why do you need to do this? Because of the instructions in the first sentence of the Penn State essay prompt, which states: 

Please tell us something about yourself, your experiences, or activities that you believe would reflect positively on your ability to succeed at Penn State . 

Penn State Admissions wants you to make a clear connection between your reflections on the experience you choose to write about and the opportunities for success that Penn State offers to its students. In order to make this connection effectively in your essay response, you need to explain how your story shows that you’re a perfect fit for Penn State. 

To get started, do your research on the culture, identity, and opportunities provided for students at Penn State . Use any information you may have gathered from visits to Penn State’s campus, attending admissions events, talking with current students or alumni, or perusing Penn State’s website to help you construct a complete picture of the culture of Penn State and what the school has to offer. 

Also, dig into specific opportunities you want to take advantage of while you’re attending Penn State. What does Penn State offer you that no other college can give you? Maybe that’s a specific degree plan, unique courses, or even a specific professor you want to work with. The more specific you are about how you’ll fit into the Penn State community, the better. 

So let’s go back to Katerina. Katerina wants to be an engineer, and in her research, she learned that Penn State’s BEST Center is working on improving battery technology. Since Katerina wants to work in the tech field, the BEST Center will help her prepare for her future career. 

So now Katerina needs to use her story about her soccer experience to explain how she’ll succeed as an engineering student at Penn State . One way she might do that is by saying that engineering is a demanding degree, and the persistence she learned on the soccer field will set her up for doing well as a Penn State engineering student. She could even take it a step further and explain that the creative problem solving she developed in her soccer training will help her succeed as she researches new battery technology as a part of the BEST Center, too.

This definition of “success” should inform how you tell the story of yourself in your Penn State essay. The admissions committee doesn’t expect every applicant to define success in the same way. In fact, Penn State admissions wants to see that you’ve really thought through your potential to be a good fit as a student at Penn State based on a thorough understanding of what Penn State has to offer a student with your past experiences and vision for the future. You should be able to define your path to success and explain how Penn State will help you get there.  

If you're still not sure what your Penn State essay should look like, take a look at our example essay below.

A Penn State Essay Example

There are many different ways that a Penn State essay can be successful but, in general, excellent essays talk about a specific experience, tell a memorable story, and connect the story of that experience to your definition of success at Penn State. 

To help you understand what these moves can look like in practice, let’s check out Penn State essay examples: 

Every morning during the spring of my junior year of high school, my alarm went off at 4:45 a.m. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, many people in my hometown were laid off from their jobs struggling to make ends meet. My family owns a farm, and we grow many different types of vegetables and have laying hens, too. So when my morning chores were completed, I would jump in the truck with my dad and my sister to drive into town and deliver free vegetables and eggs to families in need. 

My family could help others because of our farm. That made me think: what if other people could grow their own food and then share what they had with others? That’s why I started an online, community-based agriculture program at my school. I wanted to help others learn how to grow their own food, then share that food with others in their community. 

While the group started out small with just a few students, within three weeks, 40 of my classmates joined in. Together, we organized a seed, plant, and garden tool drive that helped give 70 families in our town enough supplies to start their own small gardens. And many of my classmates have committed to growing gardens of their own! This experience taught me how important agriculture is, but also how agriculture can directly impact the well-being of those around me. 

As a major in community, environment, and development at Penn State, I would have the opportunity to learn about and envision strategies for helping consumers in local communities become aware of and educated about the social and economic benefits to supporting their local farmers. By taking supplemental courses in computer programming, I would prepare myself to create user-friendly online spaces that are dedicated to sharing information about local food systems with consumers in local communities. Ultimately, I believe that Penn State will help me achieve my dream of starting a nationwide, online program to help people in undeserved communities start community agriculture programs of their own. 

Now, let’s break down what this example essay does well. In this essay, the writer provides a clear definition of what success at Penn State will look like for them as a student. This essay emphasizes the student’s personal goals, knowledge of the opportunities Penn State has to offer, and commitment to investing in the Penn State community and society at large . That will definitely make an impact with admissions counselors! 

This student also helps admissions counselors get to know them by telling a story that includes specific details and vivid imagery from an experience that other applicants may not have . The essay helps the reader get a better sense of who this person is, their background, and the things they care about by telling the short story about delivering homegrown care packages to people in the community. This story will help the admissions committee remember the applicant and will set them apart from other applicants as well. 

But most essays aren’t perfect, and this one isn’t, either. One thing this essay response can improve upon is the way in which it connects the student’s idea of success to Penn State . In the last paragraph, the student should focus more on how specific opportunities provided by Penn State’s agriculture department, like its collaborative research into sustainable agriculture , will help the student achieve their goals. 

All in all, t his Penn State essay provides a good example of how to address all aspects of the essay prompt , be clear and concise in your writing, and reveal important aspects of who you are as a person that your other application materials may not show. 

3 Tips for Writing an Excellent Penn State Essay

You want your Penn State essay to persuade admissions that you’ll be a fantastic addition to Penn State’s incoming class. To help you present yourself in a way that Penn State admissions will remember, check out our three tips for writing an outstanding Penn State essay to help you stand out from the crowd. 

Tip 1: Be Specific

If you want your Penn State essay to be memorable, you need to be specific . Throwing out a bunch of abstract character traits or claims as to why you’ll be successful at Penn State won’t help your essay stand out. Instead, give your essay a coherent focus by selecting one or two related character traits, experiences, or activities that show your ability to be successful at Penn State. 

The point of the Penn State essay is to shoot for depth, not breadth. You already showcase your grades, coursework, and awards through other parts of your Penn State application. The essay is the time to reveal more about who you are and what you will bring to Penn State by showing how you’ve been successful in a past situation. Choosing a specific experience and diving into the details of it will show that you’re more than just a list of achievements on a résumé—you’re a real human being. 

Tip 2: Give Concrete Examples

When writing your Penn State essay, examples are a crucial form of support. When you select one or two specific elements  to focus on in your essay, you need to be able to elaborate on those things through specific and engaging examples. 

For instance, you don’t want to simply say, “My adaptability to a range of situations predicts my potential for success as a student at Penn State.” An admissions committee may read that sentence and ask, What makes you so adaptable? What activities or experiences demonstrate evidence of your adaptability? What has your adaptability helped you achieve or accomplish? 

Instead of making a vague, abstract claim like the one in the paragraph above, you need to be more specific, which you can do by providing an example . 

Here’s how a writer could elaborate on their adaptability in their essay: 

Starting your senior year of high school at a new school probably sounds daunting, but after moving seven times in seven years, I was prepared for the ins and outs of being the new kid on my last first day of school. Moving so many times due to my father’s work in the military has given me the opportunity to experience different cultures, learn new languages, and cultivate the ability to make meaningful connections with new people who are very different from me in a matter of minutes. During my senior year at a new school, I used these skills to mobilize my fellow students for a school wide walkout in support of DACA. 

Do you see the difference? The example above gives specific details of what life experience led this student to become adaptable rather than simply making an unsupported claim .

This example is also memorable because it uses vivid language. When you read it, you can imagine the student traveling the world, confidently stepping foot into a new school, and building connections with fellow students for social action. 

In your Penn State essay, examples like this one can be used to make meaningful connections between your vision for your life as a student and a clear definition of success . Using examples in this way will make your essay memorable and unique. 

Tip 3: Don’t Rehash Your Résumé

It’s tempting to rehash the list of accomplishments on your résumé in your Penn State essay, especially if your résumé is packed full of prestigious awards and experiences. However, keep in mind that there are other areas of the Penn State application that explicitly ask for this information. 

When the admissions committee sits down to read your essay response, they’re looking to learn something new about you—something that your résumé can’t tell them . So, instead of listing off accomplishments or stating the facts of what you’ve achieved, pick an aspect of who you are that might not be super apparent. That can include personality traits (maybe you’re really funny), unique experiences you’ve had (maybe you rescued kittens one summer!), or something else that makes you uniquely you. 

Just remember: your essay is a chance for you to make a powerful impression on your readers, so don’t waste it! 

Next Steps 

If you’re applying to Penn State, you need to make sure you’re meeting some of the school’s other admissions requirements . Here’s a guide to the Penn State admissions process to get you started . You can also learn more about the Penn State ACT and Penn State SAT standards , too. 

Are you looking for more college essay tips and tricks? Don’t worry: we’ve got 13 more for you! 

If you’re applying to other schools besides Penn State, y ou may find that you have to write “Why This College?” essays . If you’re not sure what those are, be sure to check out this article.

Ashley Sufflé Robinson has a Ph.D. in 19th Century English Literature. As a content writer for PrepScholar, Ashley is passionate about giving college-bound students the in-depth information they need to get into the school of their dreams.

Ask a Question Below

Have any questions about this article or other topics? Ask below and we'll reply!

Improve With Our Famous Guides

• For All Students

The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 160+ SAT Points

How to Get a Perfect 1600, by a Perfect Scorer

Series: How to Get 800 on Each SAT Section:

Score 800 on SAT Math

Score 800 on SAT Reading

Score 800 on SAT Writing

Series: How to Get to 600 on Each SAT Section:

Score 600 on SAT Math

Score 600 on SAT Reading

Score 600 on SAT Writing

Free Complete Official SAT Practice Tests

What SAT Target Score Should You Be Aiming For?

15 Strategies to Improve Your SAT Essay

The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 4+ ACT Points

How to Get a Perfect 36 ACT, by a Perfect Scorer

Series: How to Get 36 on Each ACT Section:

36 on ACT English

36 on ACT Math

36 on ACT Reading

36 on ACT Science

Series: How to Get to 24 on Each ACT Section:

24 on ACT English

24 on ACT Math

24 on ACT Reading

24 on ACT Science

What ACT target score should you be aiming for?

ACT Vocabulary You Must Know

ACT Writing: 15 Tips to Raise Your Essay Score

How to Get Into Harvard and the Ivy League

How to Get a Perfect 4.0 GPA

How to Write an Amazing College Essay

What Exactly Are Colleges Looking For?

Is the ACT easier than the SAT? A Comprehensive Guide

Should you retake your SAT or ACT?

When should you take the SAT or ACT?

Stay Informed

Get the latest articles and test prep tips!

Looking for Graduate School Test Prep?

Check out our top-rated graduate blogs here:

GRE Online Prep Blog

GMAT Online Prep Blog

TOEFL Online Prep Blog

Holly R. "I am absolutely overjoyed and cannot thank you enough for helping me!”

• Search All Scholarships
• Exclusive Scholarships
• Easy Scholarships to Apply For
• No Essay Scholarships
• Scholarships for HS Juniors
• Scholarships for HS Seniors
• Scholarships for College Students
• Scholarships for Grad Students
• Scholarships for Women
• Scholarships for Black Students
• Scholarships
• Student Loans
• College Admissions
• Financial Aid
• Scholarship Winners
• Scholarship Providers

Student-centric advice and objective recommendations

Higher education has never been more confusing or expensive. Our goal is to help you navigate the very big decisions related to higher ed with objective information and expert advice. Each piece of content on the site is original, based on extensive research, and reviewed by multiple editors, including a subject matter expert. This ensures that all of our content is up-to-date, useful, accurate, and thorough.

Our reviews and recommendations are based on extensive research, testing, and feedback. We may receive commission from links on our website, but that doesn’t affect our editors’ opinions. Our marketing partners don’t review, approve or endorse our editorial content. It’s accurate to the best of our knowledge when posted. You can find a complete list of our partners here .

How to Respond to the 2023-2024 Penn State Supplemental Essay Prompts

Varonika Ware is a content writer at Scholarships360. Varonika earned her undergraduate degree in Mass Communications at Louisiana State University. During her time at LSU, she worked with the Center of Academic Success to create the weekly Success Sunday newsletter. Varonika also interned at the Louisiana Department of Insurance in the Public Affairs office with some of her graphics appearing in local news articles.

Learn about our editorial policies

Cari Schultz is an Educational Review Board Advisor at Scholarships360, where she reviews content featured on the site. For over 20 years, Cari has worked in college admissions (Baldwin Wallace University, The Ohio State University, University of Kentucky) and as a college counselor (Columbus School for Girls).

Pennsylvania State University , commonly known as Penn State, is a public land-grant research university located in State College, Pennsylvania. It is widely known for its high ranking athletics and undergraduate degree programs. We are here to help you respond to the Penn State supplemental essays , so keep reading!

The Penn State prompts

The Penn State supplemental essays might be optional for all applicants, but going the extra mile shows your interest in the university and showcases your talents. Your story is important, and Penn State wants to hear about it. This is why they also include a supplemental essay for potential students that have taken time off before applying to college. 

“ Optional : Please tell us something about yourself, your experiences, or activities that you believe would reflect positively on your ability to succeed at Penn State. This is your opportunity to tell us something about yourself that is not already reflected in your application or academic records. We suggest a limit of 500 words or fewer.”

This prompt is the classic “who are you beyond academics?” question. Penn State and many other colleges want to get to know their applicants to determine if it’s the right fit. It’s important for your personality to shine through in this essay, and being authentic is a necessary component.

Make your Penn State supplemental essay specific to you and your journey. Start by figuring out a main topic for your essay that isn’t so general that it could apply to any of the other applicants.

However, the story you share with the admissions office should relate to what you hope to accomplish or contribute to the Penn State community. This includes hobbies that might have inspired you to choose your major as well as ways you contributed to your current community in a way that you hope to make a similar impact at Penn State. You might also want to mention a course that Penn State exclusively offers that relates to an interest you have. 

Apply to these scholarships due soon

$10,000 “No Essay” Scholarship

$2,000 Sallie Mae Scholarship

“Get Inspired” TikTok Scholarship

Niche $25,000 “No Essay” Scholarship

TikTok Diploma Frame Giveaway

$25k “Be Bold” No-Essay Scholarship

FIRE First Amendment Scholarship Competition

“Jump for Joy” InstaScholarship

$2,000 No Essay CollegeVine Scholarship

Questions to consider.

• What is the story I want to tell Penn State?
• What are some notable experiences, interests, or hobbies that I have?
• Why did I choose to apply to Penn State?

Start your scholarship search

• Vetted scholarships custom-matched to your profile
• Access exclusive scholarships only available to Scholarships360 members

Remember: This prompt is only for applicants who are sending in their application sometime other than their senior year of high school.

“ Please use this space to explain any time that has elapsed between your high school graduation and your anticipated enrollment at Penn State. Please provide a summary of why that gap occurred. If you attended another college or university during that time, please note it below and ensure that you have entered the information in the Academic History section of this application . ( 500 words ) ”

Everyone’s college journey is different, with some not enrolling in college the fall after graduating high school. Whether you took a gap period to travel or to prepare for university, this is your opportunity to share your experience with Penn State. 

You might’ve taken the time to travel, recoup from years in school, or start an entirely new adventure. You might have taken the time to seek experience and save money by working. Whatever your reasons, this supplemental essay prompt allows you to emphasize the importance of your gap period and how it has shaped you.

When writing your essay, try to include why you want to attend Penn State after your time off. Make them a part of your story, and explain how you hope to further develop once you attend. 

Be aware of the word count, it’s a bit more fixed than the other supplemental essay prompt. It might be hard to hit the exact limit, so go back and proofread before adding any additional sentences. A couple words here and there are quick to stack up!

Also see: What is a gap year? Everything you need to know

• Why did I want to take a gap year?
• What did I accomplish during my gap year?
• How did taking this time shape me as a person?
• In what ways do I feel more prepared to start college now (specifically at Penn State)?

Don’t miss: Top reasons to take a break from college

Next steps for students

As you go through the college application process, mark your calendar with important deadlines! By doing this, you can accurately plan and get things done in advance. You could circle the date for admission notifications or schedule a campus tour.

Penn State has multiple campuses for applicants to choose from, and they also offer virtual tours, so you can get a quick look before visiting in person. The website even gives brief overviews of each location in Pennsylvania along with degrees, housing, and extracurriculars offered there. 

Remember to check Penn State’s social media pages to stay updated on important events and dates. You’ll also be able to get a glimpse of what Penn State is like and how you might fit in there. Good luck on your path toward success!

Additional resources 

Now you know how to ace the Penn State supplemental essays. But the work is not done! You can never be too prepared for college, so here’s a couple resources to make the transition smoother: 

• Figure out the major that’s right for you
• Decide on applying early decision or early action
• Choose different types of scholarships to apply to
• How to write an essay about yourself

Other colleges to consider

• University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, MI)
• University of Illinois (Urbana-Campaign, IL)
• Purdue University (West Lafayette, IN)

Frequently asked questions about the Penn State supplemental essays

Can i apply to penn state through the common app, is the penn state optional supplemental essay worth writing, how long should the penn state supplemental personal essay be, scholarships360 recommended.

10 Tips for Successful College Applications

Coalition vs. Common App: What is the difference?

College Application Deadlines 2023-2024: What You Need to Know

Trending now.

How to Convert Your GPA to a 4.0 Scale

PSAT to SAT Score Conversion: Predict Your Score

What Are Public Ivy League Schools?

3 reasons to join scholarships360.

• Automatic entry to our $10,000 No-Essay Scholarship
• Personalized matching to thousands of vetted scholarships
• Quick apply for scholarships exclusive to our platform

By the way...Scholarships360 is 100% free!

The Penn application process includes a personal essay as well as supplemental short answer prompts. We read your words carefully, as they are yet another window into how you think, what you value, and how you see the world. Through your writing, we get a glimpse of what you might bring to our community, including  your voice and creativity.

• Apply for Admission
• International Applicants
• Transfer Admission
• Comprehensive Review
• Extracurricular-Activities
• High School Preparation
• Alumni Conversations
• Letters of Recommendation
• Supplementary Materials
• Incoming Class Profile

Before you begin writing:

• Review the prompt thoroughly. Be sure you’re answering the question or prompt being asked. T opics are chosen because the Admissions Committee wants to know specific things about you. If you don’t address the them directly, we are left to make decisions regarding your application with incomplete information.
• Consider your response carefully. We understand that you may be writing responses for different schools and you may want to reuse material, but read through your response to make sure the content is relevant to the prompt.
• Double check your writing. Give yourself time to revisit your response. Do not rush your writing process; create space in your schedule to revise your work. Ultimately, it is up to you to polish your response before you submit.

In your Penn supplemental short answers, be precise when explaining both why you are applying to Penn and why you have chosen to apply to that specific undergraduate school. Some of our specialized programs will have additional essays to complete, but the Penn supplemental prompts should address the single-degree or single-school choice.

2023-24 Short Answer & Essay Prompts

Penn Supplemental Short Answer Prompts (Required)

• Write a short thank-you note to someone you have not yet thanked and would like to acknowledge. (We encourage you to share this note with that person, if possible, and reflect on the experience!) (150-200 words, only required for first year applicants)
• How will you explore community at Penn? Consider how Penn will help shape your perspective, and how your experiences and perspective will help shape Penn. (150-200 words)
• The school-specific prompt will now be unique to the school to which a student is applying. Considering the undergraduate school you have selected, please respond to your school-specific prompt below. (For example, all applicants applying to the College of Arts and Sciences will respond to the prompt under the “College of Arts and Sciences” section).

For students applying to the coordinated dual-degree and specialized programs, please answer this question in regard to your single-degree school choice; your interest in the coordinated dual-degree or specialized program may be addressed through the program-specific essay.

Transfer Essay  (required for all transfer applicants): Please explain your reasons for transferring from your current institution and what you hope to gain by transferring to another institution. (4150 characters)

Penn Nursing intends to meet the health needs of society in a global and multicultural world by preparing its students to impact healthcare by advancing science and promoting equity. What do you think this means for the future of nursing, and how do you see yourself contributing to our mission of promoting equity in healthcare? (150-200 words)

To help inform your response, applicants are encouraged to learn more about Penn Nursing’s mission and how we promote equity in healthcare . This information will help you develop a stronger understanding of our values and how they align with your own goals and aspirations.

The flexible structure of The College of Arts and Sciences’ curriculum is designed to inspire exploration, foster connections, and help you create a path of study through general education courses and a major. What are you curious about and how would you take advantage of opportunities in the arts and sciences? (150-200 words)

To help inform your response, applicants are encouraged to learn more about the academic offerings within the College of Arts and Sciences .  This information will help you develop a stronger understanding of how the study of the liberal arts aligns with your own goals and aspirations.

Wharton prepares its students to make an impact by applying business methods and economic theory to real-world problems, including economic, political, and social issues.  Please reflect on a current issue of importance to you and share how you hope a Wharton education would help you to explore it.  (150-200 words)

To help inform your response, applicants are encouraged to learn more about the foundations of a Wharton education . This information will help you better understand what you could learn by studying at Wharton and what you could do afterward.

Penn Engineering prepares its students to become leaders in technology, by combining a strong foundation in the natural sciences and mathematics, exploration in the liberal arts, and depth of study in focused disciplinary majors. Please share how you hope to explore your engineering interests at Penn. (150-200 words)

To help inform your response, applicants are encouraged to learn more about Penn Engineering and its mission to prepare students for global leadership in technology . This information will help you develop a stronger understanding of academic pathways within Penn Engineering and how they align with your goals and interests.

Coordinated Dual Degree and Specialized Programs Short Answer Prompts

For students applying to the coordinated dual-degree and specialized programs, please answer the program-specific essay below.

** Character count that only applies to transfer students applying through Common App.

Why are you interested in the Digital Media Design (DMD) program at the University of Pennsylvania? (400-650 words / 3575 characters**)

The Huntsman Program supports the development of globally minded scholars who become engaged citizens, creative innovators, and ethical leaders in the public, private, and non-profit sectors in the United States and internationally. What draws you to a dual-degree program in business and international studies, and how would you use what you learn to contribute to a global issue where business and international affairs intersect? (400-650 words)

The LSM program aims to provide students with a fundamental understanding of the life sciences and their management with an eye to identifying, advancing, and implementing innovations. What issues would you want to address using the understanding gained from such a program? Note that this essay should be distinct from your single degree essay. (400-650 words)

• Explain how you will use the M&T program to explore your interest in business, engineering, and the intersection of the two. (400-650 words)
• Describe a problem that you solved that showed leadership and creativity. (250 words)

Describe your interests in modern networked information systems and technologies, such as the internet, and their impact on society, whether in terms of economics, communication, or the creation of beneficial content for society. Feel free to draw on examples from your own experiences as a user, developer, or student of technology. (400-650 words / 3575 characters**)

Discuss your interest in nursing and health care management. How might Penn's coordinated dual-degree program in nursing and business help you meet your goals? (400-650 words)

• Please list any predental or premedical experience. This experience can include but is not limited to observation in a private practice, dental clinic, or hospital setting; dental assisting; dental laboratory work; dental or medical research; etc. Please include time allotted to each activity, dates of attendance, location, and a description of your experience. If you do not have any predental or premedical experience, please indicate what you have done or plan to do in order to explore dentistry as a career.
• Do you have relatives who are dentists or are in dental school? If so, indicate the name of each relative, his/her relationship to you, the school attended, and the dates attended.
• Describe any activities which demonstrate your ability to work with your hands.
• What activities have you performed that demonstrate your ability to work effectively with people?
• Please explain your reasons for selecting dentistry. Please include what interests you the most about dentistry as well as what interests you least.

How do you envision your participation in the Vagelos Integrated Program in Energy Research (VIPER) furthering your interests in energy science and technology? Please include any past experiences (ex. academic, research, or extracurricular) that have led to your interest in the program. Additionally, please indicate why you are interested in pursuing dual degrees in science and engineering and which VIPER majors are most interesting to you at this time. (400-650 words)

• Log in to MyPennState
• Request Info

Information about Penn State's participation in the Common App.

Penn State is now one of more than 800 colleges across the United States accepting applications through the Common App .

Apply via the Common App

Application Eligibility

First-Year (Freshman) and International Students: Applying to Penn State via the Common App is available to first-year (freshman) domestic and international students.

Transfer Students: All transfer students should apply to Penn State via MyPennState .

Am I at a disadvantage if I apply through the Common App instead of MyPennState?

No, the required application materials and application evaluation process are the same if you apply through the Common App or through MyPennState. There is no advantage or disadvantage to either application but you should apply through only one application platform.

The Common App and the MyPennState application give students the opportunity to apply Early Action (all materials submitted by November 1). Students applying Early Action will have a decision by December 24. For those students choosing not to apply Early Action and for all domestic students, we recommend submission of a complete application, including all required materials, by December 1. The application fee regardless of platform is $65 for domestic students and $75 for international students.

Checking your application status

Once you submit your application through the Common App, you will receive an email from Penn State Undergraduate Admissions directing you to go to MyPennState to complete the Self-Reported Academic Record (SRAR). You may feel that you completed this step as part of your Common App, but you must complete the Penn State SRAR via MyPennState in order for your application to be reviewed. Once you submit all materials for your Common App you should regularly check its status and receive an admission decision in MyPennState .

Early Action and Priority Filing Dates

Early action: november 1.

The Common App and the MyPennState application give students the opportunity to apply Early Action (all materials submitted by November 1). Students applying Early Action will have a decision by December 24.

Rolling Admission:

Applicants are evaluated on a modified rolling admissions schedule. Additionally, some academic programs have limited enrollment and specific application dates. For those students choosing not to apply Early Action and for all domestic students, we recommend submission of a complete application, including all required materials, by December 1.

Fee Waivers

You may be eligible for an economic need-based fee waiver based on information in the Profile section of your Common App. If you meet the criteria for a Common App fee waiver, your Penn State application fee will be waived.

To receive a Common App fee waiver, you must affirm at least one of the following indicators of economic need:

• I have received or am eligible to receive an ACT or SAT testing fee waiver;
• I am enrolled in or am eligible to participate in the Federal Free or Reduced Price Lunch program (FRPL);
• My annual family income falls within the Income Eligibility Guidelines set by the USDA Food and Nutrition Service;
• I am enrolled in a federal, state, or local program that aids students from low-income families (e.g., TRIO programs such as Upward Bound);
• My family receives public assistance;
• I live in federally subsidized public housing, a foster home or am homeless;
• I am a ward of the state or an orphan;
• I can provide a supporting statement from a school official, college access counselor, financial aid officer, or community leader.

Common App Resources

Below are some tools and resources you can use should you use the Common App:

• The Common App blog highlights announcements and any changes coming for the upcoming application year
• Common App Ready has PowerPoint presentations, videos, and handouts (in English and Spanish) that can be used to walk students and parents through the Common App
• The Common App website has a wealth of college exploration tools for students as well as a parent section
• The Virtual Counselor is an online content library of articles and videos with college-related advice for students and parents
• Common App for Mobile   Navigate the entire college application journey with our mobile app. Move seamlessly from the web to your phone or tablet without missing a beat.
• The Advisor role and Application Preview help counselors and those supporting students keep track of a student’s application progress as well as view their application, with student permission
• The Common App Solutions Center provides 24/7/365 support, including easy to search FAQs, live chat, and schedule-a-call

• How to Write the Penn State Supplemental Essays

• Optional “ Please tell us something about yourself, your experiences, or activities that you believe would reflect positively on your ability to succeed at Penn State. This is your opportunity to tell us something about yourself that is not already reflected in your application or academic records. (500 words) ”

For BS-MBA Program Applicants Only

• Essay Question 1 “ Why do you want to attend Penn State? (150 words) ”
• Essay Question 2  “ Select the scientific discipline above that is MOST interesting to you. Why do you want to devote 4 years of college studying it? (200 words) ”
• Essay Question 3 “ Inclusiveness and Diversity: In an increasingly global community, students must gain cultural competency. In what way have you demonstrated a commitment to this mission? (200 words) ”

Essay Question 4 “ Goals: Discuss your career aspirations. How would the Science BS/MBA program help you reach those goals? (200 words) ”

• Essay Question 5 “ Leadership: Please discuss your leadership and collaboration skills. Give recent examples of how they have been demonstrated. (200 words) ”
• Essay Question 6  “ Resiliency: Transitioning to college can be a challenge. Discuss the adjustments you believe you will need to make to be successful as you transition from high school to a college environment. (200 words) ”

Process of Writing the Essay

Step one: define success at penn state, step two: identify experiences.

Founded in 1855, Penn State University has gained popularity as one of the most prestigious public research institutions. Its acceptance rate is 57.6 %. The students accepted usually score high at GPA and SAT. It is a well-developed institution that promises a bright future to the alumni. Among the famous graduates of the establishment are Elon Musk and Donald Trump. 

Optional “ Please tell us something about yourself, your experiences, or activities that you believe would reflect positively on your ability to succeed at Penn State. This is your opportunity to tell us something about yourself that is not already reflected in your application or academic records. (500 words) ” 

The first step to success is reading the instruction right. If you look at this one, the requirement is not to repeat yourself. It means that you need to know your application by heart. Know every detail you wrote down to avoid repetition. 

The next step is to write about the strong traits of your personality. Compile a list of achievements and identify what strong features in your personality helped you succeed. Penn admission committee is trying to identify how compatible you are with the community. One idea might not be enough here, however, ten will be too much. So, know the balance.

Penn State supplemental essay objective is to identify your academic goals and ambitions. If a student does not provide any significant ambition or objective the application loses a lot of points. So, think carefully about the way you deliver the ideas in your essay. Aim to dwell on the essay question given and avoid irrelevant information. 

Essay Question 1 “ Why do you want to attend Penn State? (150 words) ” 

Before you scribble down the first reason which is “Penn is my favorite educational establishment”, mind that it is one of the widespread and basic answers. If you want to become one of the 57 % of the accepted candidates, your answer should be more than that. 

What to do if the ideas do not come to your mind? Try studying the website of the school. Learn about the activities of the department you wish to enter. Get in contact with the alumni on the forums and blogs. Last but not least, read the publications of the most successful college essays that got students the place in Penn, and other universities. 

Essay Question 2  “ Select the scientific discipline above that is MOST interesting to you. Why do you want to devote 4 years of college studying it? (200 words) ” 

It is a question that dares you to predict whether you are ready for four years of studying the same subject. It checks your readiness to devote your time and effort to one thing. If you do not see yourself studying something for as little as four years then the admission office will question your compatibility with the university.

Essay Question 3 “ Inclusiveness and Diversity: In an increasingly global community, students must gain cultural competency. In what way have you demonstrated a commitment to this mission? (200 words) ” 

It is a Penn variation of diversity essay. It aims at finding your vision of the global community. Depending on the opinions you express the person doing the essay review will get the clue on how well you fit into the multicultural environment. 

For this section, all your intercultural communication experience matters. If you have been traveling, participating in international projects, or assisted the students from cultural exchange programs, write it down in this section. Express your observations on how perceptive your community was to other people, culture, and whether you ever experienced a language problem. The knowledge of other languages will be a bonus as well. 

This essay question presupposes that you already have career aspirations. It is time to create an outline of your future career and support it with the arguments. Show the admission officers that Penn University is an inevitable part of your plan to achieve career success.

Essay Question 5 “ Leadership: Please discuss your leadership and collaboration skills. Give recent examples of how they have been demonstrated. (200 words) ” 

You do not need to be a leader of a political party or student government to have leadership experience . If you were a soccer team captain, team leader of a school project, it is already a solid example. The main thing is to show that you draw personal conclusions from any experience you have whether positive or negative.

Essay Question 6  “ Resiliency: Transitioning to college can be a challenge. Discuss the adjustments you believe you will need to make to be successful as you transition from high school to a college environment. (200 words) ” 

Face the challenges and write down your plan of going through the transition period. It is a big life-change to move from a school environment where you are mostly taken care of to a university campus where you have to be in charge. Be realistic and admit that the change is challenging but you have a plan.

The prompt asks about your ability to “succeed at Penn State.” This is tricky, because every applicant will have different goals for college. So, start by defining what success at Penn State means to you.

What are your goals for Penn State? What do you want to learn and achieve while you’re there?

You may want to include:

• Academic goals
• Experiences that will prepare you for your career goals (like research, internships, volunteer experiences, or relevant student groups)
• Personal goals – do you want to pursue an interest or value that is important to you?

As you come up with your definition for success at Penn State, explore the PSU website. Try to identify specific examples of opportunities that will allow you to pursue your goals.

• Let’s look at an example student’s brainstorming list:
• My definition of success at Penn State:
• Double major in Linguistics and Psychology
• Explore interest in a career as a speech-language pathologist
• Research at the Center for Language Science
• Internship at the Child Study Center in the Department of Psychology

Once you’ve defined success at PSU, it’s time to identify an experience that has prepared you to succeed.

Try to think of experiences where you overcame similar challenges to the ones you’ll face as you pursue your goals at PSU. How will your goals challenge you?

• Let’s revisit the example student. Pursuing a double major will be academically challenging.
• Here’s the past experience she chose to write about:
• When I struggled in my Calculus class, I asked for help from my teacher and started a study group with my classmates. This taught me to be resilient in the face of academic challenges.

Once you’ve picked an experience to write about, you can start to add more details about how it has prepared you to succeed at Penn!

It is possible to say that this process of writing an essay is universal. Do you need to write  Georgia Tech supplemental essays , Brown University essay , or  USC essays for example? Follow these steps or use some of the tips mentioned in this article. You will succeed!

Acing your admissions is a step into adult life. It is also an initial stage of your academic career. 

No wonder you might get worried and stressed. To smooth the anxiety, turn to admission writers for assistance.

The University of Michigan is the prestigious educational establishment with rich history and traditions. It is not Columbia or Brown university, but of course, an applicant may feel anxious when they need to write that “why UMich” essay, as its content is the critical point of no return.  Have prob...

The official website of Wharton MBA states the requirements for an application essay pretty clearly. They want to know you as an expert, and also as a person you are. Keeping that in mind, here is one of the first and most critical Wharton MBA essay tips: be real. It works for Apply Texas essay, Uni...

Although Emory is not on the list of Ivy League institutions, its reputation got the place on the so-called ‘secondary Ivy list’. The acceptance rate of Emory college is 22 %. It gives a chance to a lot of bright minds to get the education not less prestigious than Harvard. So, what is the differenc...

Home » News » Carbondale PROSPER team receives inaugural prevention partnership award from Penn State

Home » News

Carbondale PROSPER team receives inaugural prevention partnership award from Penn State

awardees-and-family-PRCweb

(l-r) Annabelle Wojciechowski (granddaughter of Christine Orrson and daughter of Christy Tomascik, PRC Education Program Specialist), Melissa Tomascik (daughter of Christine Orrson and PRC Youth and Family Prevention Specialist), Ann Vadella (Carbondale PROSPER team co-leader), Karen Thomas IPROSPER Field Coordinator), Janet Rusnak (Strengthening Families Program facilitator) and Nelliie Connolly (Strengthening Families Program facilitator)

May 17, 2024

By Sara P. Brennen

The Carbondale PROSPER team was recently honored by the Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center (PRC) at Penn State with its inaugural Christine Ann Orrson Award for Prevention Partnership, recognizing the team’s decades of dedication, resourcefulness, and tenacity in providing evidence-based programs to promote the health and well-being of youth and families in their community.

PROSPER , or PROmoting School-community-university Partnerships to Enhance Resilience, is a community partnership approach to implementing evidence-based programs that has been scientifically proven to help prevent substance use and problem behavior by giving kids and parents the skills they need.

PROSPER partnerships were established across Pennsylvania by Penn State Extension and the Penn State Prevention Research Center starting in 2001, and the Carbondale PROSPER team was among the first to be established, by leaders from the Carbondale Area School District, county human service agencies, and community organizations and individuals.

Since 2002, the team has led implementation of two evidence-based programs, The Strengthening Families Program: for Parents and Youth 10-14, (SFP 10-14) and LifeSkills Training in the Carbondale Area School District, serving approximately 375 families and 2600 students over the years. PROSPER combines an in-school program for middle school students with an after-school program with the youth and their families that teaches valuable skills such as refusing peer pressure and resolving conflicts.

Ann Vadella, Carbondale Area Elementary School guidance counselor and PROSPER team co-leader commented, “Those programs have made a difference to hundreds of community members in Carbondale and even beyond. I didn’t know that PROSPER and SFP 10-14 would become one of the best parts of my career as a counselor and even more, as a community member.”

The award was presented April 3 at the Hintz Family Alumni Center by Janet Welsh, Penn State research professor of health and human development and PROSPER principal investigator, and Daniel Perkins, Penn State professor of youth and family resiliency and policy.

Present to accept the award on behalf of the Carbondale PROSPER team were Karen Thomas, PROSPER field coordinator; Ann Vadella, Carbondale PROSPER team co-leader; Nellie Connolly, community team member representing Friendship House and the ministerium, and Strengthening Families Program facilitator; Kelly Langan, community member representing the United Neighborhood Centers and Strengthening Families Program childcare staff member; and Janet Rusnak, retired Carbondale High School nurse, Strengthening Families Program facilitator, and original PROSPER team member.

“It’s gratifying to see the team recognized for their hard work and efforts in implementing and sustaining evidence-based programs for more than 20 years,” says Karen Thomas, PROSPER field coordinator. She added, “They are dedicated and committed individuals who understand the impact they’ve had on building resilient youth, strengthening family bonds, and creating a healthier community. I’m grateful for our current and past community partners including the Carbondale Area School District, the Lackawanna County Office of Youth and Family Services, Goodwill Industries, The United Neighborhood Centers, Friendship House, Lackawanna/Susquehanna Office of Drug and Alcohol programs, the Greater Carbondale YMCA, Outreach, NHS of Northeastern PA, the City of Carbondale, and past program youth and parent participants. Their support has been instrumental to our success.”

The award was named in honor of Penn State Extension professional Christine Orrson.

“Chris’s pioneering leadership within Penn State Extension was multifaceted and was key to the success of the overall PROSPER initiative,” said Perkins. “She was an early adopter of PATHS , an evidence-based program for youth that teaches social and emotional skills. She led one of our first PROSPER teams, enhancing the lives of countless families. She also provided mentorship to Extension educators and faculty alike,” said Perkins.

PROSPER is currently implemented in four communities in Pennsylvania. For more information, contact Sara Brennen at [email protected] . For information about the Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center, visit prevention.psu.edu .

Recent News

Apply for research funding to advance equity and reduce racial inequities

April 24, 2024

Penn State social scientists head to D.C. for advocacy day

April 19, 2024

Lecture on Compassion: Exploring the new science of self-transcendent emotions

April 15, 2024

Related People

Daniel F. Perkins

Professor of Family and Youth Resiliency and Policy; Principal Scientist and Founder, Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness

Melissa Tomascik

Youth and Family Prevention Specialist

Christy Tomascik

Education Program Specialist

Janet Welsh

Research Professor

About Us Focus Areas Flagship Initiatives Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Events News People Projects Publications Guided Meditations

Join Our Team Our Benefactor and Donors Current and Past Funders Donate to the PRC

Contact Us Subscribe to Our Newsletter Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on X Follow us on Facebook Follow us on Instagram Follow us on YouTube

• SI SWIMSUIT
• SI SPORTSBOOK
• Olympic Sports

Freshman Linebacker Anthony Speca Brings 'Influential' Personality to Penn State

Mark wogenrich | may 12, 2024.

• Penn State Nittany Lions

Penn State's 2024 football recruiting class featured 25 players, nine of whom were 4-star prospects or better, according to the 247Sports Composite, and all signed during what Nittany Lions coach James Franklin called a "drama-free" signing day. The class, ranked 15th in the nation according to 247Sports, also made a strong first impression through the recruiting period, which gets longer and more hectic every year.

Sixteen of those players got a head start during spring drills, with a few making quick impacts and debuting at the Blue-White Game.

"When you're able to get guys on campus earlier, I don't think it's the end-all, be-all but it helps," Franklin said on Signing Day. "I mean, when they are here in the spring, learning the system, getting comfortable, getting a feel, it allows them to be better positioned to legitimately compete in the summer and during training camp. ... Now, I do think we got nine guys coming in the summer that if they approach it the right way will still be able to compete and we've seen examples of that."

Those nine Nittany Lions arrive in May and June, bringing a host of new skills to Penn State's roster. Who are they? We're introducing the rest of Penn State's 2024 recruiting class in series of stories. So let's meet the new Nittany Lions. Next up: A linebacker from Pittsburgh who was "very influential" at his high school.

RELATED: How receiver Tyseer Denmark could be an early "difference-maker" for the Nittany Lions

Anthony Speca

• Position: Linebacker
• Height/weight: 6-1/220
• High school: Pittsburgh Central Catholic

Meet Anthony Speca: As the prototypical Penn State linebacker, Specs arrives with plenty of fanfare. He was a four-year letterwinner and two-year captain at Pittsburgh Central Catholic, leading the team to four WPIAL championship games and one title. A two-time, first-team all-state linebacker, Speca broke the school record for tackles (326). He made 94 tackles, 17 for loss, as a senior. Speca also made five sacks, broke up 12 passes and blocked two field goals. During his junior season, Speca made 122 tackles. A 3-star prospect, according to 247Sports, Speca was the No. 6 player in Pennsylvania and a top-50 linebacker nationwide. 

Quotable: “Anthony has some natural leadership qualities, especially at the position he plays,” Pittsburgh Central Catholic coach Ryan Lehmeier said. “He’s a strong communicator with a natural leadership personality. He is exceptionally talented and plays sideline-to-sideline. He has great length and athleticism. He made a huge impact on our team as a four-year starter and our all-time leading tackler. He left the place better than he found it and was very influential to our young guys.”

More Penn State Football News

James Franklin wonders whether helmet mics will curb sign-stealing in college football

Penn State Football 2024 forecast: Are we talking enough about special teams?

Penn State Football 2024 forecast: Reshaping the offensive line

Penn State Football 2024 forecast: An important season for the running backs

AllPennState is the place for Penn State news, opinion and perspective on the SI.com network. Publisher Mark Wogenrich has covered Penn State for more than 20 years, tracking three coaching staffs, three Big Ten titles and a catalog of great stories. Follow him on Twitter @MarkWogenrich.

MARK WOGENRICH

Mark Wogenrich is Editor and Publisher of AllPennState, the site for Penn State news on SI's FanNation Network. He has covered Penn State sports for more than two decades across three coaching staffs and three Rose Bowls.

Meet the Best & Brightest class of 2024

• Updated: May. 15, 2024, 9:14 a.m. |
• Published: May. 14, 2024, 6:12 p.m.

• Deb Kiner | [email protected]

Drones, robotics, sports, dance and art are just a few of the interests of the Best & Brightest class of 2024.

The high school seniors are musicians, athletes, scholars and Scouts and they want to pursue careers in medicine, engineering, accounting, computer science, education and economics.

They all have an incredible work ethic, superior time management skills, boundless energy, dedication and enthusiasm.

They have founded nonprofits and businesses, worked part-time jobs and reached beyond central Pa. to expand their knowledge.

The Best & Brightest class of 2024 includes 20 high school seniors from 17 high schools in seven counties. There are 15 girls and five boys that represent the potential of the class of 2024. They were selected from 135 applications that were submitted by students from Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry and York counties.

The Best & Brightest were honored during a ceremony on Tuesday, May 14, at Colonial Golf and Tennis Club. The speaker was Danielle Conway, Dean and Donald J. Farage Professor of Law at Penn State Dickinson Law.

The presenting sponsor for the ceremony was Renewal by Andersen of Central PA. The supporting sponsor was UPMC.

During the ceremony, each winner was given a framed portrait taken by award-winning PennLive photographer Sean Simmers, along with a gift card. Dean Conway also presented each winner with a gift card.

At the awards ceremony, the winners saw a video submitted secretly by their family and friends expressing their support and encouragement.

Students are invited to apply for the Best & Brightest award themselves. They submit an application along with two letters of recommendation and an essay describing how they have made a difference in their community and/or school and how that experience will help them to contribute to a better society.

The process of evaluating the applications starts with a panel of nine current and former educators that determine a list of semifinalists.

Then, a panel of nine judges representing various parts of the community such as faith, education, the arts, government and business, evaluate the semifinalist applications and selected the 20 winners.

The goal of the Best and Brightest program, founded in 1993, is to highlight high school seniors who are making a difference in their schools and communities while achieving academic success and in some cases, overcoming tremendous obstacles.

These are the members of the Best & Brightest class of 2024. Their profiles are written using information they provided in their applications. Not all awards, activities and honors are listed. The honors listed are primarily for the 2023-24 school year.

Grace Akande

Grace Akande, a senior at Central Dauphin East High School, is a Best & Brightest 2024. Sean Simmers | [email protected] Sean Simmers

School: Central Dauphin East High School

Parents: Jonathan Akande and Teclaire Ngayo

In her words : In her essay, she wrote about Culture Day at Central Dauphin East High. “Celebrations like these grant me all the reason to attend school with positivity each morning. Even as I prepare to become an undergraduate, I aspire to continue to invite diversity to flourish as it does at East High. Emphasizing the importance of cultural inclusion allows students to present their heritage and gives their peers the opportunity to appreciate it. From displaying international flags across school, preparing authentic meals from one’s origin to share, and even performing artistic demonstrations, students can find their home away from home. As an individual who is passionate about learning from other backgrounds, these celebrations must not get lost behind a single annual event but be welcomed in all situations. Although I cannot bring my community with me, I can advocate for love and acceptance no matter what new environment I encounter.”

In their words: “Grace is an outstanding, hardworking, and intelligent student, and truthfully, there are not enough adjectives to describe her character or what she contributes to our CD East High School Community and stakeholders. .. Grace is academically ranking among the top of her senior class ... Being a part of her educational journey is a blessing.” – Luther Green Jr., principal, Central Dauphin East High School

Honors: Universal Cheerleaders Association All-American (3 times), Big 33 cheerleader, National High School Cheerleading gold medalist 2024, cheerleading captain, captain of the lacrosse and field hockey teams, Coca-Cola Scholarship semifinalist, Temple University provost scholar, DePaul University presidential scholar, Niagara University trustee scholar, University of Southern California presidential scholar, National Honor Society, Tri-M Music Honor Society, French Honor Society, College Board African-American Recognition, College Board PSAT recognition, Quest Bridge College Prep Scholar, Elks MVS scholarship semifinalist.

Activities: Cheerleading, lacrosse, field hockey, president of Key Club, president of Tri-M Music Honor Society, French Club, student council, class president for four years, African-American History Club, secretary of National Honor Society, school Student Voice and ATSI committees.

Mentor: Bria Mosley, cheerleading coach, Central Dauphin East High School

Plans: Grace plans to major in accounting at the University of Pennsylvania.

Leah Allewelt

Leah Allewelt, a senior at Susquenita High School, is a Best & Brightest 2024. Sean Simmers | [email protected] Sean Simmers

School: Susquenita High School

Parents: Sean and Sarah Allewelt

In her words: She made it her goal to increase the participation in and success of mini-Thon, managed by student council. She was elevated to the roll of president of student council as a junior and is president this year. The event has raised more than $20,000 in the past two years and set a school record. “I have worked exceptionally hard to inspire others and to revive the school spirit at Susquenita. I have put hundreds of hours into organizing, which, in turn, has aided in raising thousands of dollars for children with pediatric cancer. This money has made a difference in so many lives inside and outside of my community.”

In their words: “Over the course of the last [20] years as a building principal I have worked with many talented students, but every once in a while, a student comes along whom embodies ‘THE’ ideal model student. Leah is this student and as a professional educator, working with her as a student leader has been a highlight in my career.” – Craig Funk, principal, Susquenita High School

Honors: 2023 Tri-Valley League field hockey champions, PIAA District III 1A runner-up, PIAA state quarterfinals; girls varsity basketball co-captain; National Honor Society; Spanish National Honor Society; PSAT National Rural and Small Town Award.

Activities: Basketball, field hockey and track and field, shotput and discus; student council president; National Honor Society vice president; mini-Thon organizer; student representative on the school board; principal’s advisory committee; Constitutional Convention Debate team best delegate award; concert band; jazz band; saxophone; Leo Club; Varsity Club; and environmental/fly fishing club.

Mentor: Blaine Leonard, girls’ varsity basketball coach, Susquenita High School

Plans: She will major in veterinary and biomedical sciences at Penn State University before pursuing a degree in veterinary medicine.

Enjalai Baillie

Enjalai Baillie, a senior at Harrisburg High School SciTech Campus, is a Best & Brightest 2024. Sean Simmers | [email protected] Sean Simmers

School: Harrisburg High School SciTech Campus

Parent: Chemeka McQuay

In her words: “Most people who come from similar backgrounds as myself tend to settle, but waiting taught me to never settle and that if I am persistent on what I want, I will achieve it. My whole life has been filled with waiting and honestly, I am glad. Most people keep their lives moving and never have the opportunity to reflect. I did. All the times I waited for the bus I thought about what I wanted to do with my life and how I could rewrite my own story. All the times I sat in an Uber or Lyft, I met someone new who opened my eyes to new perspectives. … My life wasn’t bad, it was just different. You can rush all you want and get the same results on the outside, but when you take a deeper look within you will know who is fit to succeed.”

In their words: “Enjalai possesses a unique combination of academic excellence, involvement in extracurricular activities, and personal qualities that make her an exceptional student. Her determination, curiosity, and strong work ethic have consistently impressed me and those around her. … She is a remarkable individual who possesses the necessary skills, determination, and passion to succeed.” – Ryan Anderson, math department lead teacher, Harrisburg High School SciTech Campus

Honors: College Board African-American recognition, Dr. George Love award (twice) at Capital Area Science and Engineering Fair, homecoming queen, Lisa M. Waller Striving for Excellence scholarship, National Honor Society.

Activities: Girls’ volleyball team captain, snare drum line leader and drum section leader in marching band, school district “tooth fairy” for elementary students; Key Club president; National Honor Society vice president; Nu-Vizion step team captain; student council vice president; softball team; Black Student Union; Harrisburg City Parks and Recreation summer program site leader.

Mentor: Elijah Ellis, Nu-Vizion step team coach, Dream Believe Achieve Academy of Arts & Development

Plans: She will major in biology on a pre-dental track at Swarthmore College then attend dental school.

Yanni Rose Chau

Yanni Rose Chau, a senior at Milton Hershey, School, is a Best & Brightest 2024. Sean Simmers | [email protected] Sean Simmers

School: Milton Hershey School

Parent: Thanh Chau

In her words: Yanni talks about the Student Government Branch: Spartan Community Outreach. “Until I step across the stage and pick up my diploma, I will continue to share my voice, my belief that everything can be better. Before I go, I hope to leave a legacy in SCOR, guiding future members through the basics, such as proposal writing, and creating a stepping stone to bigger ideas. By creating templates and documents that can last forever, I can be assured that I left opportunities behind for others: the opportunity to grow. This may be the end of my story at Milton Hershey, but my growth as a leader and my craving for improvement has only grown stronger over the years.”

In their words: “Academics aside, Yanni is one of the strongest young women I know. She has faced challenges in her life that most cannot begin to comprehend, and despite all of this, she has persevered and come out on top. As a teacher our job is to educate, but also to nurture students and help them grow into young adults. I am humbled in saying that Yanni has done the same for me, and taught me how to be a better teacher and genuine individual.” – Frank Komykoski, engineering and design instructor, Milton Hershey School

Honors: First place regionals, Skills USA in related technical math; second place regionals, FBLA, business calculations.

Activities: Residential assistant, president of Student Government Branch: Spartan Community Outreach, Mu Alpha Theta, cross country, Skills USA, runs half marathons, volunteers at Spartan Spirit Store; The Hershey Company internship.

Mentor: Ashley Spence, Milton Hershey School student

Plans: She will pursue a degree in mechanical engineering at the University of Pittsburgh.

Cara Cronin

Cara Cronin, a senior at Hershey High School, is a Best & Brightest 2024. Sean Simmers | [email protected] Sean Simmers

School: Hershey High School

Parents: Art and Donna Cronin

In her words: Her sister, Ali, was her first field hockey and lacrosse coach and inspired her to coach younger players.

“Ali’s love for playing and competing was contagious and made me passionate about both sports. I wanted to have the same impact Ali had on me on other kids. Every summer since 7th grade, I volunteer to coach at the same Hershey youth field hockey and lacrosse camps that I attended. I also get to coach my own teams during the fall and spring seasons for each sport. When Covid hit, camps were cancelled, and seasons were cut short. I missed the opportunity to coach during much of my freshman year. After Covid, I was excited to resume my role. Despite having multiple bilateral leg surgeries during my sophomore year, I did not let it stop me. I love teaching skills and game strategies, and especially being a part of their development in becoming better players and teammates. My goal is to make the sports that I love, adored by younger players, like Ali did for me.”

In their words: “I have known Cara as a student leader from her freshman year when she would come into my classroom to work on projects or to collaborate with others in our Student Council. Cara impressed me, even then, for her willingness to approach others with kindness and her openness to volunteer for anything that needed to be done. Cara is not the type of person to shy away from a challenge nor the type of person to allow others to be uncomfortable in their environment. ... Cara is a calm, introspective leader who makes it a point to connect with others.” – Erin Ives, English teacher, Hershey High School

Honors: AP Scholar, College Board; National High School Coaches Association Academic All-American; dual enrollment with Elizabethtown College and Princeton University in senior year; National Field Hockey Coaches Association High School National Academic Squad; PA High School Field Hockey Coaches Association GPA Award; National Honor Society; Mu Alpha Theta math national honor society;

Activities: Captain of the field hockey and lacrosse teams, homecoming court, vice president of her class, student council, founder and president of Hershey High School Play It Forward Club, mentor with high school Link Crew, technology intern, classroom assistant for AP computer science, youth field hockey coach, youth lacrosse coach, volunteer with Joy of Sports Foundation, piano, snowboarding.

Mentor: Andrew Maya, computer technician and head soccer coach, Hershey High School

Plans: She will study computer science at Harvard University.

Caroline Cunningham

Caroline Cunningham, a senior at Trinity High School, is a Best & Brightest 2024. Sean Simmers | [email protected] Sean Simmers

School: Trinity High School

Parents: Sarah Yerger and Martin Cunningham

In her words: “During my senior year, I was selected by the student body and school administration to be School Captain, the highest student leadership position at Trinity, and expanded my mission to promote kindness among all 500 students. Although my experience as House Captain gave me the skills to organize events and foster student engagement, it is in this new role that I have learned the art of mediating issues between students, working to make sure that all students feel included, collaborating with administration, and championing student initiatives and ideas - all while honing my own leadership skills. To build inclusivity, I organized themed training sessions, including one on kindness to highlight that leadership is about uplifting others.”

In their words: “ Over these past four years, it has been one of the greatest joys of my teaching career to watch her flourish in her leadership roles. I have seen her unite students who would typically not work together, grow from challenges, and learn to pivot while planning and implementing school activities. She has surpassed my expectations in every way, and she not only possesses but excels in the soft skills effective leaders embody. Her humility, compassion, and integrity are remarkable, especially for someone her age.” – Michele Stager, director of house system and English department chair, Trinity High School

Honors: National Merit Scholarship commended student, AP Scholar with Honor, Certificate of Merit from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for outstanding performance on SAT or ACT, National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society, French Honor Society, Math Honor Society.

Activities: Student Government captain, captain of the girls’ soccer team (PIAA 2A District III champion 2023); track and field; Trinity Social Justice Committee; DECA Business Club, first place awards in district and state competitions; mini-Thon; Model UN; Mock Trial; Key Club; Biomedical Club; French Club; Spanish Club; World Cultures Club.

Mentor: Michele Stager, director of house system and English department chair, Trinity High School

Plans: She will major in public health and international relations at Tulane University with a minor in Spanish.

Dayasia Drayton

Dayasia Drayton, a senior at Central Dauphin East High School, is a Best & Brightest 2024. Sean Simmers | [email protected] Sean Simmers

Parents: Mark and Stacy Hawthorne

In her words: “The passion I grew for art therapy has helped me tremendously by helping me learn more about myself, others, and my community. It even inspired me to be interested in psychology, which may be my field of study in college. My devotion to helping one another find their peace within themselves is what matters to me. By spreading awareness about these underlying issues of mental health through bringing art therapy to my club. Through my leadership in the Self-Care Club, we practice ways to maintain balanced well-being and love ourselves.”

In their words: “Beyond her academic achievements, Dayasia possesses a heart full of kindness and empathy. She consistently demonstrates compassion and understanding towards her peers, creating a supportive and inclusive atmosphere in our classrooms. Dayasia has a unique ability to connect with others on a personal level and offer assistance when needed. Dayasia was adopted and prior to being so, experienced pain and challenges that no child should. To this day, there is a layer of her heart that gives to others so that they can always know kindness.” - Taylor Bigler, director of partnerships, professional experiences and outreach for Shippensburg University, former Central Dauphin East High School teacher

Honors: Boys & Girls Club of Harrisburg youth of the year, Turner Memorial Missionary Baptist Church youth ministry president and ushers ministry leader, National Honor Society.

Activities: Student council senior class secretary, African-American Club president, summer camp junior art staff, Boys & Girls Club of Harrisburg.

Mentor: Aaishah Muhammad, Boys & Girls Club art instructor

Plans: She plans to study psychology at Hood College.

Anderson French

Anderson French, a senior at Red Land High School, is a Best & Brightest 2024. Sean Simmers | [email protected] Sean Simmers

School: Red Land High School

Parent: Richard French and Erin Gay

In his words: Anderson’s brother, Adley, was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive brain cancer when he was 3 years old. He and his father created Adleys Army to raise money and promote awareness of ATRT. “Cancer sucks. Every day my little brother has to fight for his life. It makes me appreciate all of my blessings and I am thankful for every day that I have with Adley. Each day that I have with my brother is a gift whether he is running and playing at my baseball games or in the hospital going through another treatment. Helping others and bringing community together is the biggest lesson that I learned. I hope to carry this life lesson with me as I start the next chapter of my life.”

In their words: “One thing that has always been so evident in his life is his respect and kindness toward other people, not just to me as a pastor, but toward his teachers, his coaches, his parents, and even his peers. ... You could ask anyone who has known or interacted with Anderson French, whether in athletics, in the classroom, in church, or in the cash register line at Walmart, and they would observe and tell you the same story, because this is just who Anderson is! He really is an amazing young man, head and shoulders above so many of his peers not just in stature, but in his character and integrity.” - The Rev. Kristian Walker, Christian Life Assembly

Honors: National Honor Society; numerous awards for football, golf, basketball and baseball including Mid Penn and district qualifying for golf and qualifying for districts in basketball; PennLive All-Star golf team.

Activities: Captain of the baseball, basketball and golf teams; founder of Adleys Army platform to support brother with brain cancer; Patriots Helping Patriots at Red Land; youth basketball camp counselor; youth baseball camp counselor; founder of Cornhole Club at Red Land; mini-Thon; internship with Lobar Associates; baseball umpire for Red Land Youth Baseball League.

Mentor: Doug Enders, travel baseball coach

Plans: He is committed to Virginia Tech to study general engineering and construction management and play baseball. He also is expected to be selected in the MLB Draft this summer as a catcher.

Namya Jindal

Namya Jindal, a senior at Dallastown High School, is a Best & Brightest 2024. Sean Simmers | [email protected] Sean Simmers

School: Dallastown Area High School

Parents: Deepti and Rohit Jindal

In her words: “The Distinguished Young Women program has been an inspiration for me, and through it, I have met some of the strongest, most unique, talented young women. The most important message of the program has been to be your best self. I had the opportunity to spread this message with my family and local schools around me. It was incredibly important to me to teach my younger siblings about the importance of working to be your best in all aspects of your life. I was able to teach them about having ambition, trying to be healthy, and the importance of giving back to your community. My siblings were able to learn about the importance of each of these aspects of their life, and it was very important to me to spread this message to the younger generations of students in my school as well.”

In their words: “Namya’s character is marked by her integrity, responsibility, and humility. She is well-respected by peers, teachers, and coaches alike. Namya demonstrates concern for other students by taking time out of her school day to tutor students in mathematics. Her positive attitude, resilience in the face of challenges, and willingness to help others make her a role model for fellow students.” - Matthew Striebig, mathematics teacher, Dallastown Area High School

Honors: Coca-Cola Scholarship semifinalist, National Merit Scholarship commended student, National Honor Society, National Art Honor Society, Pennsylvania Governor’s School for the Sciences merit scholarship; Mu Alpha Theta Honor Society; Distinguished Young Women county winner.

Activities: Tennis team; Rasika School of Dance, classical Indian dance graduation in Bharatnatyam, volunteer tennis coach with Special Olympics of York; cello and piano; FBLA president; president, Future Health Professionals Club; president, National Art Honor Society; research intern at Aptagen in biotechnology; volunteer at WellsSpan York Hospital; Model UN; speech and debate; mini-Thon.

Mentor: Ellen Connelly, gifted support teacher at Dallastown Area High School

Plans: She will attend the seven-year B.S. + M.D. program at Penn State University.

Julianna Lindberg

Julianna Lindberg, a senior at Manheim Central High School, is a Best & Brightest 2024. Sean Simmers | [email protected] Sean Simmers

School: Manheim Central High School

Parents: Andrew and Emily Lindberg

In her words: “I am passionate about helping families who, like me, have struggled financially and faced familial hardships. I have witnessed the power of education, and know that learning English provides better job opportunities, a chance for higher education, and better healthcare. Through teaching English to both parents and students, I hope to lower the language barrier and break the cycle of poverty that so many non-English-speaking families find themselves in, making an impact for generations to come.”

In their words: “As her coach, I have found Julie to be an exceptionally well-rounded individual. She is the most diligent high school athlete I have ever worked with, as she shows commitment not only to her academic and athletic endeavors, but to her personal growth and to community outreach as well. ... Julie is currently the salutatorian of her graduating class of over two hundred students — a testament to her academic excellence and her unwavering pursuit of bettering herself through academic knowledge. ... Julianna Lindberg is truly an exceptional individual that represents academic, athletic, social, and altruistic responsibility in a way that is remarkable among her peers.” - Alissa Winters, mathematics teacher, Manheim Central Middle School and varsity cross country coach

Honors: National Honor Society, English Honor Society, Science Honor Society, Rho Kappa Honor Society, Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica, National Spanish Exam Plato Award, AP Scholar Award, Quiz Bowl League All-Star.

Activities: Grace Church and Manheim Brethren in Christ youth groups; cross country team captain; co-president, Fellowship of Christian Athletes; treasurer of Interact Club; vice president, National Honor Society; track and field; Quiz Bowl; Science Olympiad; student council; Spanish Club; ENGin tutor to people in Ukraine and algebra tutor.

Mentor: Amy Burdyn, teacher, Manheim Central High School

Plans: She plans to major in elementary education with a minor in Spanish at Grove City College, where she also will be on the cross country and track teams.

Yanwei Liu, a senior at Hershey High School, is a Best & Brightest 2024. Sean Simmers | [email protected] Sean Simmers

Parents: Lan Kong and Guodong Liu

In her words: “As a volunteer at the Hershey Medical Center, I’ve discovered how simple interactions can uplift the spirits of those going through struggles. During my time at the hospital, I’ve met with many elderly patients, talking about various topics from our favorite pies to our top vacation destinations. No matter the subject, every time I leave the room, I’m gifted with smiles that let me know how powerful just listening to others can be. ... I’ve learned that volunteering is not one person donating their time to benefit others. Volunteering is a reciprocal relationship where both sides benefit. As these elderly patients have enjoyed our conversations, I have begun to understand how kindness is something that resonates with all ages, races, and genders.”

In their words: “Yanwei is a determined, involved, and caring student who actively seeks out new opportunities to challenge herself. ... In the future, Yanwei hopes to either have a career as a data scientist, statistician, and/or professor. She is passionate about using STEM to improve healthcare and the overall quality of life for people. She also hopes to participate in health-related research in order to positively impact the lives of others. Yanwei has my enthusiastic recommendation. She is a kind, driven, and determined student.” - Allison Gergenti, school counselor, Hershey High School

Honors: Pennsylvania Governor’s School for the Sciences, National Merit Scholarship commended scholar, AP Scholar with distinction.

Activities: Cross country, track and field; PULSE program at Penn State College of Medicine; violin, Harrisburg Youth Symphony Orchestra; Youth & Government: Science for All club; volunteer, Hershey Medical Center HELP program.

Mentor: Brian Buterbaugh, director of orchestra, Hershey High School

Plans: She will major in computer science at Cornell University.

Aidan Mahaffey

Aidan Mahaffey, a senior at Palmyra Area High School, is a Best & Brightest 2024. Sean Simmers | [email protected] Sean Simmers

School: Palmyra Area High School

Parents: Keith and Abbie Mahaffey

In his words: “Bringing attention to a neglected sport as well as bringing my town to the forefront within the sport has been a great honor to me. I have helped transform our program from a mediocre program without accomplishment to a proud program with a great team culture and a team celebrated by the community. Kids in the community can see that where you come from does not impact what you can accomplish. Just because where you are does not have a path to what you want to achieve, athletically or otherwise, does not mean that you cannot forge your path. If I could do it over again, I would not change a thing. All the stress, sacrifice, and long days have been worth it to bring pride and contribute to the community.”

In their words: “He understands the value of humans for who they are, he loves others unconditionally, and he cherishes the viewpoints and life journeys that others bring with them. I am eager to watch Aidan continue to mature and am thrilled to walk along with him as he ventures off to do far greater things in life, on, but more importantly, off the tennis court. If our country had more young men like Aidan we would be in a far greater place. Whatever he decides to do in life, he will do so passionately, filled with love, and with purpose.” - Mitchell Davis, owner and head coach, War Bird Fitness

Honors: College Board AP Scholar with Distinction, PHEA Certificate of Merit for SAT score, Maquis Scholar at Lafayette College, National Honor Society, PennLive male tennis athlete of the year in 2022 and 2023.

Activities: Captain of the tennis team; volunteer tennis coach, Lebanon Valley Community Tennis Association; student council; three time PIAA 3A state doubles champion; three time PIAA District 3 3A doubles champion; three time Mid Penn Conference 3A doubles champion; two time Mid Penn Conference 3A singles champion; three time Lebanon County singles champion; nationally competitive player, United States Tennis Association, junior circuit; top 10, USTA Middle States Region.

Mentor: Mitchell Davis, owner and head coach, War Bird Fitness

Plans: He will study economics and play tennis at Lafayette College.

Sara Miller

Sara Miller, a senior at Eastern Lebanon County High School, is a Best & Brightest 2024. Sean Simmers | [email protected] Sean Simmers

School: Eastern Lebanon County High School

Parents: Robert and Caryn Miller

In her words: “Throughout high school, I’ve positively impacted my community by playing varsity football as a female. I am the first non-kicker to play in Lebanon County and many other areas. ... Football has been the best journey of my life and I would be incomplete without it. I’m very fortunate to share the journey with my community and show them the lessons and experiences I’ve encountered along the way.”

In their words: “Having retired from three decades in public safety, coaching high school football has brought me immense joy. Coaching Sara Miller has been an honor and a true pleasure. Sara doesn’t just face obstacles; she confronts them with unwavering determination and grace. In today’s uncertain times, my generation often worries about the future, lacking exposure to bright young minds like Sara Miller. If my peers knew individuals like her, they’d share my optimism. Sara embodies this generation’s sensitivity and concern for others and the world, superior of past eras but with a work ethic of a past generation.” - John Wetzel, volunteer football coach at ELCO

Honors: National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society, Lancaster-Lebanon League All-Academic Second Team All Star, wide receiver; Lancaster-Lebanon League Section 3 second team and defensive all-star award.

Activities: Football; captain of the basketball team; track and field; RaiderTHON Club secretary; football and basketball youth camp volunteer; youth track coach; Intermediate School mentor.

Mentor: Luke Williams, family friend

Plans: She will attend Flagler College but has not decided on a major.

Vraj Patel, a senior at Cumberland Valley High School, is a Best & Brightest 2024. Sean Simmers | [email protected] Sean Simmers

School: Cumberland Valley High School

Parents: Nagendrakumar and Hetalbahen Patel

In his words: “As I continue on this path as an aspiring medical professional, I strive to further my passion for improving patient care through biological research and gaining a strong understanding of medical sociology to make well-informed diagnoses for diverse patient circumstances in college. I aim to serve a multidimensional purpose, considering situations from both a sociological and ethical standpoint to help patients in my community and around the globe return to their healthy lives.”

In their words: “Academically, Vraj is among a hall of two students in my 7 years teaching three academic disciplines who have left me in shock at a student’s ability to excel. He is and has remained the valedictorian of his graduating class throughout high school. As if this was not enough, he has done so without showing any signs of stress, ego, or even a hint of strain. ... Through his care and commitment to others, future-focused mindset, and possession of numerous responsibilities, he is an excellent example of what it means to be a strong, capable, and compassionate leader.” - Erick Hoffman, social studies department, Cumberland Valley High School

Honors: Scholar in Mumbai Power Plant Project, first place in HOSA State Biomedical Debate Competition, National Honor Society, AP Scholar with Distinction, youth representative for the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre Nuclear Division.

Activities: School Model UN founder and president; president of school DECA; American Cancer Society youth chapter leader; radiation oncology treatment LINAC operator/shadower; ANATA Initiative communications director; volunteer at Penn State Holy Spirit Medical Center; Key Club; Penn State PULSE program.

Mentor: Erik Hoffman, social studies department, Cumberland Valley High School

Plans: He will major in biomedical engineering and biosciences at Rice University.

Heaven Poles

Heaven Poles, a senior at Harrisburg High School SciTech Campus, is a Best & Brightest 2024. Sean Simmers | [email protected] Sean Simmers

Parent: Jezebel Freytes-Burgos

In her words: “I was born with all odds against me. Growing up in America as an Afro-Latina & plus-sized female, it always felt like I would never be able to win: because of the looks, the stares, and the spiteful comments. At times it pulled me down and made me feel less confident in my abilities in this world. ... I took the societal currents working against me and used them as opportunities to educate myself and learn about the importance of building self-worth among young ladies who come from a similar background as me. And I put those lessons into action. I began by helping to start a Black Student Union at school; here, we allow ourselves to be both transparent and vulnerable, intending to share what we believe are our failures. We find ways to support each other in overcoming these perceived deficiencies. Knowingly, we can help each other overcome the negative stereotypes and expectations of so many.”

In their words: “I selected Heaven to work as my Biology Lab Assistant, this school year. In addition to the prepping, setup, and cleanup of lab experiments and dissections, having Heaven has been an asset to the current students in the Human Biology course. Heaven has been able to act as a teaching assistant, providing support and instruction to students during lab activities. In all my years of teaching, I have not had a student like Heaven. Her unending drive for perfection and amazing organizational skills set her apart from the average teen. Her level of responsibility and competence in the lab far exceeds her peers. It will be extremely difficult to find another student to replace her, after she graduates.” - Rebecca Hardie, science teacher, Harrisburg School District

Honors: University of Denver, first team pick, Collegiate World Series; volunteer of the quarter, National Hispanic Institute; National Honor Society

Activities: Owner and head baker, Heavenlyy Creationz LLC; chief student recruitment officer, Harrisburg, National Hispanic Institute; marching band section leader; vice president, Black Student Union; senior class treasurer; student council; student ambassador; LatinX member; Key Club; Be My Eyes; high school representative on William Penn task force; lab assistant; tutor.

Mentor: Rebecca Hardie, science teacher, Harrisburg School District

Plans: She will double major in nursing and public health at New York University.

Paige Reddig

Paige Reddig, a senior at Ephrata High School, is a Best & Brightest 2024. Sean Simmers | [email protected] Sean Simmers

School: Ephrata High School

Parents: Michael Reddig and April Rodgers-Reddig

In her words: She has been a member of the Ephrata Robotics Team since ninth grade when she said there was a belief that girls “should not be in robotics.” “I had the most amazing experience as a junior and was able to offer more to the team. We opted to put all of our efforts into one robot. I would act as co-programmer and have major responsibilities for the first time. The team backed me every step of the way, my successes and even my failures. My co-programmer had more experience but never dismissed my ideas and helped me to improve. I was responsible for the 15 second autonomous programming and later reprogramming of the firing mechanism. It was hard and took hours of work with testing and retesting of the code. We won the Think Award for programming, qualified for States, and Worlds. While at Worlds, there were complications and I was able to help my team.”

In their words: “The first thoughts that come to anyone’s mind who knows Paige are, devoted, diligent, hardworking, and an out-and-out willingness to go that extra mile to do what it takes to achieve. In class, she has always shown a desire to succeed, has a great attitude, and a willingness to allocate more time when needed. ... Paige is a very dedicated and distinguished individual. I feel overly confident that she will be able to continue her success in her studies and will develop into a strong leader and pillar of our community in the future.” - Bret Marzock, mathematics teacher, Ephrata High School

Honors: Robotics - think, sportsmanship and create awards; school recognition for competing in robotics at the state and world levels; Flash Fiction Award publishing contract for a book she wrote, “Three Sisters of Doom.”

Activities: School robotics team and lead programmer; Karate black belt and instructor; best of show awards for seven years in youth needle art at the Ephrata Fair; crafting, sewing and quilting; art; book club; assistant to the costume director for school theatrical production of “Mamma Mia!”; photographer; piano; tennis.

Mentor: Kimberly Houck, martial arts instructor

Plans: She will major in computational biology at the University of Pittsburgh.

Eliana Roof

Eliana Roof, a senior at Dauphin County Technical School, is a Best & Brightest 2024. Sean Simmers | [email protected] Sean Simmers

School: Dauphin County Technical School

Parents: Christopher and Sharon Roof

In her words: “I’ve always loved building things - getting to use my hands while my mind moves a mile a minute - turning one thing into another - two-by-fours into tables, or presumptive gender-based stereotyping into respect. Getting to build my future in the construction industry has allowed me to help others obtain their own futures, too. I’ve had the unique privilege of getting to manufacture change in my community - constructing places to help better us all. ... My fight to be a woman in the trades will help pave the way for all those who come after me, showing other nontraditional students that they can do it too, and empowering myself and those around me to see the good that one small action can do - allowing me to keep building up my community one nail at a time.”

In their words: “It’s difficult to talk about her intellectual promise, as I’ve yet to find her limits. Eliana is one of the most intelligent and empathetic students I’ve known. She enjoys research and desires to understand the world. This curiosity, blended with her capability, is impressive. ... Eliana has overcome myriad challenges. Being a female in a male-dominated industry has pushed her to tap an inner-strength allowing her to discount any who question her place. Additionally, she’s confronted stereotypes of the intersectionality of being an intellectual female in the construction trades. She’s consistently overcome these to find her place. Eliana has been a leader in and out of school. ... Eliana is an inspiring young woman with an amazing future ahead of her.” - Jeff Williams, English language arts, Dauphin County Technical School

Honors: Hershey Theater Apollo Awards, honorable mention, outstanding supporting actress in a play; Lower Paxton Twp. Lions Club John Osuch outstanding student award; Innerview Community Service awards; National Honor Society; National Technical Honor Society; International Thespian Society.

Activities: Dancer, student leader and teaching assistant at The Studio; building a mini food pantry as part of The Studio; school theatre program; Building Construction Cares program at the school; United Student Ministries at Crosspoint United Methodist Church; Ridgeway Youth at Ridgeway Community Church of the Brethren; TBfighters.org; speech and debate team; Skills USA.

Mentor: Robert Brightbill, instructor, Dauphin County Technical School

Plans: She will study construction management at Drexel University.

Henry Rumbaugh

Henry Rumbaugh, a senior at Spring Grove Area High School, is a Best & Brightest 2024. Sean Simmers | [email protected] Sean Simmers

School: Spring Grove Area High School

Parents: Jim and Melissa Rumbaugh

In his words: “I have always been naturally competitive and a hard worker who strives to do my best, but my personal challenge really amped up when I realized I was ranked first in my class during the winter of my freshman year. Since then I have pushed myself in school, helping me learn so many new things and encouraging my peers to do their best at the same time. Through my three sports, I have built relationships with many different kinds of students and have tutored some of them along the way. ... Early in the wrestling season this year, I sustained a shoulder injury which crushed the goals I had for my senior season. I had to learn patience, reliance on my doctor and trainer, and prioritization given my skill levels each week with my teammates supporting me both on and off the mat. I realized even more the importance of the team and enjoyed watching and encouraging my younger brother during his matches. Throughout my many sports, academic, and service experiences over the last four years, I have seen the difference that engagement with others can make.”

In their words: “I met Henry during his freshman year in gifted seminar. He immediately made an impression on me. I could tell there was just something special about him and I’ve noticed it time and time again in the years since. Maybe it is because Henry always takes the time to say hello and casually chat with me when I see him outside of class. Perhaps it’s because Henry is gracious when it comes to helping others and adds good insight and discussion to our classroom setting. Or maybe it’s the fact that Henry is brilliant yet remains humble. I don’t know exactly what makes Henry so special, but I’ve come to realize that there are some students that just make your day a little brighter and a little better, and Henry is one of those students.” - Melissa Grim, AP calculus and gifted seminar teacher, Spring Grove Area High School

Honors: National Honor Society; third place at Harrisburg Area Community College regional math competition in 2023; Crispus Attucks Rev. Michael D. Jefferson “Living the Dream” award; only student certified to fly the school’s drones.

Activities: Captain of the boys’ soccer team; captain of wrestling team; president of National Honor Society; captain of Physics Olympics and Quiz Bowl teams; passed written exam for a private pilot’s license; Rocket Siblings program; tutoring; People’s Bank apprenticeship; Hanover Rotary Club; youth group; mountain biking club; orchestra.

Mentor: Derrick Henning, teacher, Spring Grove Area High School

Plans: He plans to study mechanical engineering at Schreyer Honors College at Penn State University.

Leah Talkington

Leah Talkington, a senior at Bermudian Springs High School, is a Best & Brightest 2024. Sean Simmers | [email protected] Sean Simmers

School: Bermudian Springs High School

Parents: Jason and Stacia Talkington

In her words: “Over these past four years, I have worked to improve my school by starting new traditions and re-instilling old ones. As class president, I spear-headed a Senior Sunrise with my fellow students, and we gathered on the football field and watched the sunrise to kick off our senior year. I also worked with the administrators at the high school, and this year, the seniors could paint their parking spots for the first time. I partnered with the VFW in East Berlin and held tailgates every Friday before home football games so the student section could build team spirit and camaraderie. I also started my school’s first-ever homecoming parade. I felt a loss and disconnection in the community. I wanted to plan something to unite the community, and the parade did just that. ... Every day, I have pushed myself to make a difference, a change, and an improvement. I will continue to work hard and as we say in 4-H continue to make the best better.”

In their words: “Leah is the lifeblood of our high school community. She is involved in a wide variety of school activities, including National Honor Society and student council, and frequently maintains leadership positions in these organizations. Whenever there are significant school events occurring, such as our pep rallies, homecoming festivities, or trunk-or-treats, Leah is always at the forefront of their implementation. She has high expectations for her projects, and works incredibly hard to ensure that these expectations are met. She navigates the delegation of tasks appropriately, and is always willing to work alongside the committees she leads. Despite her tenacity in leadership, Leah is also able to accept feedback and adjust her plans accordingly to meet the needs of the team.” - Nate Mattis, mathematics teacher, Bermudian Springs High School

Honors: National Honor Society; FBLA, third place in leadership in the district; PAIAA Division III Second Team All-Star, field hockey; Girl Scouts of the USA Silver Award.

Activities: Class president, student body vice president, secretary National Honor Society, FBLA, varsity field hockey, Girl Scouts, Hanover Fellowship Church, West Virginia 4-H, earning her charting pin.

Mentor: Micala Matatis, social studies teacher, Spring Grove Area High School

Plans : She plans to major in business management and double minor in finance and marketing at Penn State University.

Michael Thieblemont

Michael Thieblemont, a senior at Susquehanna Twp. High School, is a Best & Brightest 2024. Sean Simmers | [email protected] Sean Simmers

School: Susquehanna Twp. High School

Parents: Dr. Michael and Sandra Thieblemont

In his words: For his Eagle Scout project, he created a prayer garden with seating at his church, Word of Grace Ministries. “Today, this prayer garden is used by many churchgoers as a serene place to relax, pray, and meditate. Though this was the end of my road as a Boy Scout, it was just the beginning of many community undertakings to come. The invaluable life skills I have learned and the many experiences I have gained in Boy Scouts has prepared me to be able to continue to be a contributing member of society who values community service to help promote a better society. Furthermore, volunteering has truly given me joy and happiness as I have seen the positive impacts of my time and commitment to various organizations.”

In their words: “Michael is a highly respected student leader at Susquehanna Township High School. In my classroom he produced quality work and invested significant time to improve his writing skills and perform well on the AP Exam at the end of the school year. ... He has shown a desire to build community through his volunteer service with several community organizations ... Michael has many talents beyond the classroom. Michael has been an important team leader on the tennis team and has earned the respect of his teammates and coaches. He helped younger players learn to build mental strength and compete with class and sportsmanship. He also shows this type of leadership in the plethora of other activities he is involved in. ... He cares about making the world a better place and having a positive impact.” - Jack Port, social studies teacher and head tennis coach, Susquehanna Twp. High School

Honors: National Merit Scholarship program finalist, AP Scholar with Distinction, National Honor Society, PHEAA Certificate of Merit, Penn State Harrisburg STEM summer enrichment program certificate of completion, Eagle Scout, National Outdoor Achievement Award for camping, Pennsylvania Game Commission Junior Wildlife Conservation award, Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry Forest Conservation award.

Activities: Boy Scouts; president, Chess Club; vice president, Robotics Club; cross country, indoor track and tennis; student government; school theater; jazz band; Key Club; Interact Club; Science Olympiad; Esports Club; Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Interaction Ionizing Radiation with Matter Drone Challenge; volunteer with United Way Day of Caring, Central Pennsylvania Food Bank, Hanna’s Pantry, Zembo Shrine, Caitlin’s Smiles, Downtown Daily Bread, Susquehanna Twp. Parks and Recreation summer lunch program.

Mentor: Jack Port, social studies teacher and head tennis coach, Susquehanna Twp. High School

Plans: He will attend Schreyer Honors College at Penn State University to major in computer science.

The Best & Brightest judges

The preliminary round judges were a group of current and retired educators. They were: John Brenneman, John Bricker, Sharon Caba, Susan Cohen, Takia Colston-Krow, Albert Parrillo, John Rubisch, Jill Sedor and Deb Wire.

The final round judges represent areas of the central Pa. community such as government, nonprofits, faith and the arts.

This year, those judges were:

• Susan Anthony, retired, community service director, The Patriot-News and board member, Susquehanna Art Museum, HANNA Foundation
• John Friend, Harrisburg University vice president for admissions and secondary schools
• Rogette Harris, PennLive editorial board, chairwoman of the Dauphin County Democratic Party, chairwoman of the South Central PA Regional Caucus for the state Democratic Party
• Mike Hawthorne, York author and comic book artist
• Linda Johnston, Renewal By Andersen of Central PA, chief cultural officer
• Dr. Sharee Livingston, Obstetrics and Gynecology, UPMC Lititz, founding partner Patients R Waiting and Diversifying Doula Initiative
• Nathan Mains, executive director of the Pennsylvania School Boards Association
• Pastor Joshua Robertson, pastor of The Rock Church, Harrisburg
• TaWanda Hunter Stallworth, M.Div., program manager, Penn State Dickinson Law Antiracist Development Institute

The 2024 Best & Brightest semifinalists (excluding the winners)

Emma Adair, Manheim Central High School

Catie Baker, Susquenita High School

Alexandra Bandura, Boiling Springs High School

Brooke Barcavage, Halifax High School

Brooke Beamesderfer, Northern Lebanon High School

Molly Beittel, Bishop McDevitt High School

Holly Best, Fairfield Area High School

Penelope Brosius, Northern York High School

Isaiah Brown, Red Land High School

Raytel Bryant, Harrisburg High School SciTech Campus

Sophia Chripczuk, Boiling Springs High School

Nolan Chronister, Hanover Senior High School

Alexis Clouse, Big Spring High School

Kaitlyn Do, Cedar Crest High School

Ashley Doyle, Red Land High School

Courtney Foose, Mechanicsburg Area Senior High School

Joseph George, Boiling Springs High School

Jenna Green, Boiling Springs High School

Elizabeth Howard, Trinity High School

Braylee Klinger, Lower Dauphin High School

Christopher Koehler, Milton Hershey School

Gracie Kohler, Upper Dauphin Area High School

Lael Laing, Central Dauphin High School

Selina Lin, Hershey High School

Xander Lozada-Delzell, Milton Hershey School

Alexis Lubart, Boiling Springs High School

Caleb Masshardt, Cedar Cliff High School

Priyanka Nambiaa, Hershey High School

Cindy Ni, Chambersburg Area Career Magnet School

Sydney Plesco, Central Dauphin High School

Meilynn Poletti, Central York High School

Finn Royer, Cedar Crest High School

Shiza Saad, Hershey High School

Kiersten Sabolsky, Dauphin County Technical School

Nathan Sauder, Manheim Central High School

Sadaf Sharifi, Big Spring High School

Ashley Spence, Milton Hershey School

Jacobi Tate, Bishop McDevitt High School

Leahnata Tejan, Milton Hershey High School

Macy Trostle, Boiling Springs High School

If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.