Year: Third
Major: Psychology
Minor: Biology
Involvement: Captain and founder, Brandywine Hype Squad
Brandywine: What was your deciding factor in coming to Penn State Brandywine?
Pitcher: I chose to attend Penn State Brandywine because I’m able to get a Penn State degree while being so close to home.
Brandywine: How did you choose your major?
Pitcher: I want to go to medical school, and I felt that a psychology degree with a biology minor would take me there. Also, if I decided to pivot my career path later on, I can still do so much with a psychology degree.
Brandywine: What challenges have you faced at Brandywine, if any?
Pitcher: This past January, I was in a pretty bad car accident that left me with a concussion that took me out of school; I had to withdraw for the semester. My adviser, Valerie Mendez-Gallardo (associate professor of psychology), was fantastic in helping me get back on track. When I came back this semester, the Brandywine Hype Squad adviser, Michael Sturm (assistant teaching professor of human development and family studies), was a great helping hand as well.
Brandywine: Who at Brandywine has supported you, and how?
Pitcher: Dr. Mendez-Gallardo and Mr. Sturm have definitely supported me. I had him as a professor, too, so he knew me before the Hype Squad. My co-captain of the Hype Squad has also been really helpful since I wasn’t able to dance last year.
Brandywine: What made you interested in creating the Brandywine Hype Squad? What do you enjoy most about it?
Pitcher: When I first toured Brandywine, I was told we had a dance team, but when I started school, I found out it wasn’t active. I danced for 10 years before coming here and didn’t really think too much about dancing after high school, but I realized I’m not the same person without it. I thought creating the Brandywine Hype Squad would be a fun way to involve myself on campus.
What I enjoy most about the Hype Squad are my teammates. They are wonderful. I’ve made such strong relationships in such a short amount of time. Also, just being able to dance again is so much fun.
Brandywine: What advice do you have for students who are looking to get involved?
Pitcher: It’s cliché, but just get yourself out there. You never know you like something unless you try, and you don’t want to ponder on the “what ifs” later down the line. If you never put yourself out there, you’ll never know the possibilities. The dance team has taken me so far and it’s given me a bunch of different opportunities. If I never made it, I might not have met my teammates.
Brandywine: With your involvement at Brandywine, how has your time on campus been impacted?
Pitcher: The Hype Squad does take up a lot of my time. We’re a club sport, so not only does that involve choreography and practices, but I also have to attend the Council of Club Presidents meetings and different involvement fairs so people on campus know about us. It all comes down to time management.
Brandywine: What's your favorite memory you've made at Brandywine?
Pitcher: Any memory with the Hype Squad is my favorite. The team is so fun to be around, whether we’re on or off the court. The sporting events we attend are really fun, too.