LEMONT FURNACE, Pa. — Joshua Krause graduated from Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus in May 2024 with a bachelor of science in electro-mechanical engineering technology and a minor in business. Now pursuing a second degree in project and supply chain management, Krause has cemented himself as a prominent student leader.

In April 2021, Maria Catalina and Jacob Levendosky were voted president- and vice president-elect of Penn State Fayette’s Student Government Association. Their administration sought to advocate for academic policy improvements and promote educational resources available to those on campus.

“Maria and Jacob thought I would be a good fit for Academic Affairs,” Krause said. “I didn’t know much about student government, but we talked about the role over dinner, and they saw potential in me. Deciding to join changed my life’s trajectory. From that point on, I became a leader and made some of my closest friends.”

Krause chaired the Penn State Fayette Student Government Association's Academic Affairs Committee for two years, a role that led to his involvement with the Council of Commonwealth Student Governments (CCSG), which advocates for students’ interests across Penn State’s campuses. Working with Clayton Groves of Penn State New Kensington and Julia Hoffmann of Penn State Harrisburg, he co-authored C.R. 22.23.08, advocating for a standardized common hour to boost student engagement and ease scheduling conflicts. Krause presented the resolution to more than 100 student government association leaders from across the Commonwealth Campuses, securing a vote of 35-2 in favor from council representatives.

In 2022, Krause ran for speaker of the commonwealth, an executive role within CCSG that leads council meetings and serves as a liaison to University leadership. Although he lost to Erick Vetovich, Krause spent the following year preparing for a second bid. He was then elected speaker in 2023 and re-elected in 2024.

In addition, Krause currently serves on the Commonwealth Fee Board, where he helps oversee the allocation of student fees across Penn State’s campuses. He also is the commonwealth student representative on the Academic Portfolio and Program Review (APPR) Steering Committee, a role focused on enhancing communication between Penn State leadership and student leaders. Through these positions, he advocates for initiatives that directly impact the student body, working to bridge the gap between administration and students, especially amid recent institutional changes.

As he finishes his degree in project and supply chain management, Krause works part time at Crown Cork and Seal in Connellsville. He attributes much of his success to the Fayette campus and the support of colleagues around him.

“I’m someone that learns best through hands-on experiences, so the Electro-Mechanical Engineering Technology program was wonderful,” Krause said. “Smaller classes made me feel comfortable asking questions on subjects I didn’t understand right off the bat, and the professors always knew how to connect with me. They taught me how to operate robotics, test a material’s tensile strength, and work with programmable logic controllers. Where this program taught me how things are made, the Project and Supply Chain Management program is teaching me why things are made. They complement each other. Penn State Fayette offers a wide range of degrees that appeal to the area’s local employers, and prospective students may not realize that opportunities for high-quality education exist in their very own backyard.”