CENTER VALLEY, Pa. — Anna Kerns wanted a career in health sciences but wasn’t sure what path she wanted to pursue. As the end of her second year at Northampton Community College (NCC) approached, Kerns started researching colleges that would accept her NCC credits. She had a list of “nice to haves” — affordable, close to home, and with a program that piqued her interest. Penn State Lehigh Valley (PSU-LV) checked each box.

“Cost was a big aspect of [choosing a school]. It was local so I didn’t have to pay for housing. I could still work. I liked that I could get a Penn State degree so close to home. I looked into colleges around me, and when I found out about Penn State Lehigh Valley’s [biobehavioral health, or BBH] program, I liked that it was so open,” Kerns said. 

The versatile BBH program integrates biological, behavioral, psychological, socio-cultural and environmental approaches to the study of the “science of health,” preparing students to work as health promotion professionals, research assistants, laboratory managers, and biomedical product and technical support representatives.  

Penn State’s RaiseMe Transfer scholarship made PSU-LV even more appealing, Kerns said.

RaiseMe Transfer is a financial award for students transferring from a 2-year community college in Pennsylvania with an associate’s degree to a Penn State Commonwealth Campus to earn their bachelor’s degree. By completing a simple application, Kerns and her family saw significant savings on tuition.

“It saved me from having to take out private loans,” Kerns said. “It was a really easy process to apply. All I had to do was download the RaiseMe Transfer app, input my grades, and you’d get a certain amount of money for the letter grade. I got the award when I submitted my [transfer] application to Penn State.” 

Students who are currently enrolled in a Pennsylvania Community College and planning to attend one of Penn State's Commonwealth Campuses are eligible to apply to the Dual Admission program, which allows students to seamlessly transition from their community college to a Penn State Commonwealth Campus. These students may be eligible to receive the RaiseMe Transfer scholarship during their full-time enrollment up to a two-year period. Students must meet a set of criteria to be considered for a RaiseMe Transfer scholarship, including completion of the FAFSA. The RaiseMe Transfer award bridges a gap, allowing students with high need to be awarded as much as $3,500 per academic year. 

Ashanty Rivera was about to graduate from Lehigh Carbon Community College (LCCC) and had a short list of schools she was considering.

“Penn State Lehigh Valley was the only college I applied to,” she said. “I chose it because of the distance from home and it is a good school with a good reputation. Plus, the alumni network is strong. I thought I’d finish my college career here.”

Rivera’s credits from her LCCC general studies Associate’s degree transferred seamlessly; she is now a third year corporate communications major at PSU-LV with plans to go to law school.

“[The scholarship] helped me a lot — I got around $2,000. Without it I’d be paying something like $5,000 per semester,” Rivera said. “This is essentially the only financial aid I received.”

The award has been a tremendous boost to Rivera, who juggles working with taking six classes, she said.

“It’s technically free money, and it would help students out so much. I’m from a lower income family, so every expense comes out of my pocket," Rivera said. “Coming to Penn State Lehigh Valley was 100% the right decision. I knew I belonged here, and everyone I’ve met has just reinforced my decision.” 

Now a supply chain and project management major at PSU-LV, Tyler Keightley said he always “had PSU-LV on my radar. I always wanted to go to LCCC and either transfer to PSU-LV or Kutztown. PSU-LV seemed to have more opportunities, and more networking.”

He applied for the RaiseMe Transfer scholarship after completing his studies at LCCC and said the award has been “extremely helpful," he said. "Just getting that extra $1,000 each semester has allowed me to pay off a lot of my tuition without taking out extra loans. It’s been really great.”

Keightley is exploring careers in the supply chain field: “There are so many opportunities in this area, and my dad works in supply chain, so it’s an area I’ve always been exposed to.” 

Kristy Hove, PSU-LV director of enrollment management and campus strategy, said PSU-LV is the most affordable 4-year institution in the Lehigh Valley; financial awards like the RaiseMe Transfer scholarship lower the cost even more.

“To come to PSU-LV, there might be a slightly higher tuition than a community college, but it’s still more affordable than other institutions [in the area]," Hove said. "And all of our programs align with local job opportunities, so students can expect to find gainful employment after graduation.” 

All three students have flourished in their time at PSU-LV, and each have taken advantage of learning experiences they may not have received otherwise. Kerns will spend her spring break 2025 in Serbia with a group of fellow students collaborating with the country’s major hospital that is active with medical tourism.

“We’ll be talking with the Red Cross, FEMA, and getting a global health perspective,” Kerns said, adding that “it’s much cheaper to get medical procedures done in Serbia than in other parts of the world, so people will travel there for procedures.”

Keightley chose PSU-LV because of the many campus networking opportunities, and has not been disappointed, he said: “I don’t think I would have the relationships I’ve built with professors or even the friends I’ve made at PSU-LV without the networking. I think I made the right choice.” 

The RaiseMe Transfer scholarship and dual admissions program helps students reach their educational goals and without much of the financial burden today’s college students might bear.

“We have a long-standing partnership with LCCC and other community colleges in the area,” Hove said. “This is focused on our land grant mission — 80% of our students are from Lehigh or Northampton counties. This gives us the opportunity to form a strong partnership and serve those students who wish to pursue a college degree.” 

For more information on the RaiseMe Transfer scholarship and dual admissions opportunities at Penn State, visit the scholarship’s website.