Year: Second

Major: Business

Involvement: Resident assistant (RA); student-athlete, Brandywine baseball team; Lion Ambassador

Brandywine: What was your deciding factor in coming to Penn State Brandywine?

Hess: I really wanted to continue playing baseball, and I was able to do that at Penn State Brandywine. I loved the area and thought the campus was beautiful. Everything fell into place here.

Brandywine: How did you choose your major?

Hess: My dad majored in business when he was in college, and after talking with him about it, I felt that it was an area I would succeed in.

Brandywine: What challenges have you faced at Brandywine if any?

Hess: A challenge I faced during my time at Brandywine was balancing my personal life with my academics. I’ve had to learn how to manage my time efficiently with my schoolwork while also enjoying my life.

Brandywine: Who at Brandywine has supported you, and how?

Hess: A lot of my friends have supported me. We study together a lot and just talk to each other about everything. My fellow RAs have also supported me, even before I got the position. It’s great having people to lean on and talk to.

Brandywine: What made you interested in joining Brandywine’s baseball team? What do you enjoy most about it?

Hess: I played baseball as a kid. It’s something I loved and wanted to have the opportunity to play after graduating from high school. What I enjoy most about being on the baseball team is the competition. I love the adrenaline rush it gives me.

Brandywine: What made you interested in becoming an RA? What do you enjoy most about it?

Hess: I talked with the RAs from last year and learned about the great benefits of it. Also, I really wanted to get more involved on campus, and I felt that being an RA was a way to do that. I’ve gotten to learn more people skills and problem-solving skills, which I feel will really benefit me as a business major. I really like having my own room and my own space as an RA, too.

Brandywine: What advice do you have for students who are looking to get involved?

Hess: Do it. There are so many opportunities on this campus that people can get involved with. You can even make a club if you want to. There are video-game clubs, athletic clubs, videography clubs, and more that you could get involved with on campus.

Brandywine: With your involvement at Brandywine, how has your time on campus been impacted?

Hess: Since I’m living on campus, I’m here a lot. I spend a lot of my time doing things; I don’t want to keep still. I’m usually somewhere around campus, whether I’m at a club meeting, talking with friends in the cafeteria, at baseball practice, or something like that. I like having something to do and not sitting around doing nothing. 

Brandywine: What's your favorite memory you've made at Brandywine?

Hess: My favorite memory I’ve made here was the first snowfall of last academic year. It was the first time I had seen snow since I was in first grade. A lot of us from the residence hall were outside sledding and having snowball fights. It was so much fun.

Brandywine: What has been the most valuable lesson you've learned at Brandywine?

Hess: Do your own thing. Try your best not to get involved in something because your friend is interested in it, because what if that’s something you’re not interested in? Get involved in things that pique your interest. You’ll enjoy your time so much more.