Samiha Choudhury, who graduated in May with a Political Science degree, was the recipient of the 2024 Ralph Dorn Hetzel Memorial Award. Named for Penn State’s tenth president, the Hetzel Award recognizes high scholastic attainment coupled with good citizenship and leadership in student activities.
Nominators said Choudhury set herself apart by seeking opportunities to apply her knowledge in practical settings, displaying an ability to address real-world challenges. While at Behrend, Choudhury founded an organization dedicated to supporting first-generation college students.
Grace Mumo, a senior majoring in Elementary and Early Childhood Education, was the recipient of the 2024 Jackson Lethbridge Tolerance Award. The award recognizes a student for outstanding efforts to enhance the understanding of diverse cultures and create a community where all individuals are valued equally.
Mumo, the programming director for the Student Government Association, is also a global ambassador and an executive board member of both the Multi-Cultural Council and the Black Student Union.
Jenna Seigworth, who graduated in May with a degree in English, was a recipient of Penn State's Rock Ethics Institute’s 2024 Stand Up Award for Undergraduate Ethical Leadership. The award recognizes a student who has demonstrated ethical leadership by standing up for a cause, idea, or belief.
While at Behrend, Seigworth dedicated herself to addressing food insecurity on campus and in the community. She joined the Sustainable Food Systems Program at Behrend as an intern in 2022. In this role, she spearheaded efforts to distribute produce grown on campus to both students and community members who face barriers to accessing fresh food. Seigworth was also chosen to receive a 2024 John Roe Sustainability Impact Award.
While at Behrend, Eric Oelhaf, senior Political Science major, has been able to add something to his résumé that few college students can claim: His work has been published in The Wall Street Journal.
Three of his pieces were chosen for WSJ’s “Future View” column, which features students offering their opinion on current topics. Oelhaf’s essays address the topics of American support for aid to Ukraine, the U.S. border crisis, and why people don’t trust scientists anymore.
Read more about Oelhaf and get links to his work at behrendblog.com.