Kelly O’Donnell was selected as the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences student marshal for Penn State's summer commencement, which was held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 15., in the Bryce Jordan Center on the University Park campus.
O’Donnell graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor of science degree in geobiology and minors in astrobiology and biology.
“I was surprised and excited to learn I was selected as the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences’ student marshal for the summer 2021 graduation ceremony,” O’Donnell said. “Achieving this honor recognizes the hard work I have put into obtaining my degree, even with the additional challenges faced in adjusting to online learning.”
James Kasting, Evan Pugh University Professor of Geosciences, served as her academic adviser.
“I conducted research with Dr. James Kasting and his graduate student Ben Hayworth on modeling the possible conditions of early Earth and understanding its connections to the origin of life,” O’Donnell said.
O’Donnell had the opportunity through one of her geobiology courses to travel to Denver to visit the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. In addition to the education benefits, she said the camaraderie made a lasting impact on her.
“One of the most important experiences I had at Penn State was the trip to Denver for my geobiology class during my sophomore year,” said O’Donnell. “On the last night of the trip, after two days of hiking around the area and touring the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, a large group of students decided to go out for a nice dinner together. Even though many of us had never talked before in class and came from different states or countries, we all connected over our shared experience of the trip during the meal. This feeling of community after a shared experience like the Denver trip is what I hope to keep with me after Penn State and pursue again in the future. These experiences have become even more special to me with the events of the last couple years where even the simple joy of sharing a meal with others became out of reach.”
O’Donnell received numerous scholarships and awards during her time at Penn State including the Presidents Freshman Award, Provost’s Award, Matthew J. Wilson Honors Scholarship, John and Elizabeth Holmes Teas Scholarship, Griffiths Scholarship in Geosciences, Edwin L. Drake Memorial Scholarship and Michigan Chapter of the Alumni Association Scholarship. She was also a member of the Critically Acclaimed Films Club and the Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society.
A native of Rochester, Michigan, O’Donnell is the daughter of Jane Saro and John O’Donnell. After graduation, O’Donnell plans to attend graduate school.