Student Success

Michel Germán

Penn State Berks Senior Spotlight: Michel Germán

During her time at Penn State Berks, Michel Germán dedicated her efforts to helping others, in and out of the classroom, all while persevering through adversity. The Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, native graduated on May 6 with her bachelor’s degree in elementary and early childhood education during the Penn State Berks commencement ceremony.
Erin Horack and Vinh Lu

Berks student research duo receives honorable mention at regional conference

Two Penn State Berks students received an honorable mention at the Mid-Atlantic Ecological Society of America (ESA) Annual Meeting, which was held from March 31 to April 2 at the University of Delaware. Erin Horack, a second-year biotechnology major, and Quang Vinh Lu, a second-year biology major, presented their research, titled “Antibiotic-Resistant Gene Expression in Water Quality Indicators, Escherichia coli, and Enterococci, Extracted from the Delaware River Basin.”
Edith Konneh

Penn State Berks Senior Spotlight: Edith Konneh

Edith Konneh has had a successful four years at Penn State Berks, both academically and socially. Perhaps her most significant accomplishment was inspiring her fellow students through her poetry which explores issues of mental health, self-love, and healing. The Lansdowne, Pennsylvania, native will graduate with a bachelor's degree in elementary and early childhood education during Penn State Berks commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 6.  
Lestine Paye

Penn State Berks Senior Spotlight: Lestine Paye

Penn State Berks senior Lestine Paye has had quite the journey to get to where she is today. From the outside looking in, it seems as though she’s done it all with ease. In just a few weeks, she’ll graduate with her bachelor’s degree in business with a focus on marketing and management, and a minor in entrepreneurship and innovation. For her, the challenges she’s faced have deeply influenced her personal and professional development.  
Victor Ortiz

Penn State Berks Senior Spotlight: Victor Ortiz

When Victor Ortiz emigrated from Mexico to the United States at age 13, he couldn’t have imagined what his future would hold. Ortiz will earn his Penn State Berks baccalaureate degree in organizational leadership on May 6, 2023, during the college’s commencement ceremony. Then he will be commissioned as an officer in the United States Marine Corps during a pinning ceremony, which will be held at Reading Senior High School on June 2.  
Huy Trong

Penn State Berks Senior Spotlight: Huy Truong

Born and raised in Vietnam, Huy Truong was 10 years old when his family immigrated to the United States in 2011. He did not know any English and had to take English as a Second Language courses from fourth through seventh grade. On Saturday, May 6, he will graduate with a baccalaureate degree in biology as the Penn State Berks student marshal, the student with the highest grade-point average.
Amy Lista

Penn State Berks Senior Spotlight: Amy Lista

As a Reading native, Amy Lista always felt right at home with Penn State Berks, literally and figuratively. On May 6, Lista will conclude her time at Penn State Berks as she graduates with her bachelor’s degree in kinesiology and a minor in psychological sciences.
Hagar Abdelaal (left) and Alyonna Vitulli (right), Penn State Harrisburg

Women In Engineering Competition winners announced

The final round of Penn State Altoona’s fourth Women in Engineering Design Competition took place April 15 and 16. This year's theme was "Horseshoe Curve," held in collaboration with the Altoona Railroaders Memorial Museum. Teams from Penn State's Altoona, Berks and Lehigh Valley campuses placed in the competition.