Faculty Senate honors six graduating seniors with John W. White Fellowship

UNIVERSITY PARK — The Faculty Senate Committee on Student Life recently awarded six graduating Penn State seniors who will be pursuing graduate-level education with the John W. White Graduate Fellowship.  

This purpose of the fellowship, considered one of the oldest continuing fellowships at the University, is to recognize and support outstanding students enrolled or planning to enroll in graduate degree programs. Students considered for this award are full-time seniors who have exhibited academic excellence, are graduating summa cum laude and intend to engage in graduate study.  

The students were each recognized during the April meeting of the University Faculty Senate.  

“Not only do these students demonstrate excellence in academics, but they also have deeply rooted and multifaceted stories about how they have achieved their graduate study goals,” said Jennelle Malcos, chair of the Senate Committee on Student Life, while introducing the students. “Saying these stories are inspirational barely does them justice." 

Malcos also thanked the members of the Student Life committee for helping her with the process of reviewing the 40 applicants and selecting the finalists. Those committee members are: Heather Parziek, Scott Roths, Jacob Levendosky, Namiko Yamamoto and Shane Johnson. 

The rubric the committee used to select the six recipients emphasized post-graduation plans, strength in leadership, service to discipline or community, and effective communication. 

The 2024 award recipients are: 

Gabriella Achampong 

Gabriella Achampong is an education and policy major with a minor in English. She will be attending Harvard Law School this fall with a focus on civil rights in education, with the goal of advocating for minority communities. Achampong was an active researcher during her time at Penn State, working with Maria Lewis, associate professor of education and Erica Frankenberg, professor of education, to publish three academic papers and present at two different conferences. She also examined voluntary integration of school districts in the U.S. through her work as a research intern with the Center for Education and Civil Rights at Penn State. Outside of the classroom, Achampong served as vice president then later as president of the United Christian Campus Ministry. In addition to leading weekly Bible studies, singing in the choir and playing piano during worship services, Achampong led an effort to partner with churches in the community to support basic student needs.  

“Thank you to the Senate Committee on Student Life both for the opportunity to apply for this graduate fellowship and for the fact that I am one of the recipients. The impact that Penn State, specifically Penn State faculty, has had on my life and on the trajectory of my future cannot be overstated,” Achampong said. “I came in thinking I was going to be an English teacher in a high school but through the dedicated work of professors such as Dr. Maria Lewis, I figured out that I had a strong passion and bent for the law. And with Dr. Erica Frankenberg, I figured out I could build a strong foundation in civil rights and that I have the tools I need to become a civil rights attorney.” 

Megan Conklin 

Megan Conklin is a biology major and Schreyer Scholar who earned honors for her thesis work in kinesiology. She will be enrolling in the Physician Assistant (PA) Program at DeSales University in the fall, with the goal of working in pediatrics. As an undergraduate researcher in the Women’s Health and Exercise Lab, Conklin investigated the relationships between nutrition, reproductive health and sleep. Conklin honed her patient care skills by clocking more than 1,000 hours as an emergency department technician. She also gave back to the State College community by volunteering as a certified domestic violence and sexual assault counselor through Centre Safe. During her time at Penn State, Conklin also served as the vice president for the Pre-Physician Assistant Club, where she helped fellow students learn more about the PA career path.  

“Throughout my time at Penn State and in State College, I developed within me a value of community that I will take with me through physician assistant school and also throughout my career as a PA, as I work with families and children and watch them grow up from infancy all the way through young adulthood,” Conklin said. “Thank you, so much, for this great honor.” 

Lindsay Conrad

Lindsay Conrad will be graduating with a concurrent major in labor and human resources, human resources option, and Spanish, applied Spanish option, in the Integrated Undergraduate-Graduate Program for Human Resources. She will be continuing her studies as a full-time graduate student at Penn State this fall, completing her master’s degree in human resources. During her time at the University, Conrad participated in two study-abroad opportunities in Spain to develop her fluency in Spanish. She also worked as a peer career intern at the Bank of America, where she practiced and applied her interview skills, as well as mentored and trained new coworkers. Under her leadership as president of the Penn State Chapter of the Society for Human Resources Management organization, Conrad oversaw significant increases in membership and participation. She also served as a Liberal Arts ambassador, welcoming new students to the college.  

“Thank you all for selecting me for this fellowship. I’m incredibly grateful for all the amazing experiences I’ve had at Penn State and for all the amazing faculty from the school of Labor and Employment Relations (LER) and the Spanish Department,” Conrad said. “I will be working on completing a graduate assistantship with Penn State HR, during which I hope to develop my skills and knowledge in the field of HR. I’m excited to continue my studies at Penn State and to prepare myself for a rewarding career.” 

Katelyn Farrar 

Katelyn Farrar is a veterinary and biomedical sciences major, with a poultry and avian sciences minor and honors in animal science. She will pursue her graduate work in veterinary medicine this fall at Ohio State, with the goal of uplifting both the lives of the animals and the people who care for them. She has extensive experience working in the Penn State Poultry Education and Research Center on campus, as well as at several animal clinics in the community. During her time at the University, Farrar served as the College of Agricultural Sciences’ representative for the University Park Undergraduate Association (UPUA), Penn State’s student government, while also serving in leadership positions for the Agriculture Student Council. She also served her fellow students as a teaching assistant and as a Schreyer Honor College Arrival Committee Liaison.  

“Thank you, so much, for selecting me for this award and supporting me in these pursuits. I intend to go on and help many people and animals throughout my career and you’ve helped make that possible,” Farrar said. “I’m extremely grateful for Penn State’s background in agriculture and how that has shaped my view on animal welfare. And I know that the pillars of Penn State and the Schreyer Honors College will guide me in my future.” 

Alyssa Lynch 

Alyssa Lynch is a communication sciences and disorders major, with a minor in special education. She will continue her education focusing on graduate work in speech-language pathology at Seton Hall with the goal of pursuing a career working with elementary school-aged children who are deaf and hard-of-hearing, as well as those who use Augmentative and Alternative Communication. Lynch developed this interest while working for three years as an undergraduate research assistant in the Laboratory for the Study of Visual Supports in Communication and Education. In this position, she worked under the direction of Distinguished Professor Krista Wilkinson on projects relating to augmentative and alternative communication and mental health, and the underrepresentation in diagnoses for women with autism.  

“Thank you to the Senate Committee on Student Life for selecting me as a recipient for this award. I’m so grateful, and I couldn’t have done it without all the support from my family, my friends and especially the outstanding professors in the Communication Sciences and Disorders department here at Penn State,” Lynch said. “I’d like to specifically shout out my American Sign Language (ASL) professors for encouraging me and motivating me to get involved in earning ASL, especially Dr. Krista Wilkinson and Karla Armendariz, my research mentors, who have encouraged me to grow as a learner and get involved in research.” 

Suzuka Yamane 

Suzuka Yamane is a psychology major, graduating with honors. She will be pursuing her master’s degree in counseling at Penn State, with an emphasis in clinical mental health and rehabilitation counseling in schools and communities. Her career goal is to provide one-on-one, evidence-based counseling in hospital settings, working closely with chronically and terminally ill patients and impacted family members. During her time at the University, Yamane was actively involved in research, including working with Alicia Grandey, professor of psychology, in the Workplace Emotional Labor and Diversity Lab and as a research assistant in the Healthy-Inclusive-Productive Workplace Initiative. Outside the classroom, Yamane expanded her interest in well-being and mindfulness by leading Penn State Yoga and Meditation for two years, working with students to promote holistic well-being through weekly yoga and meditation practice. She also coordinated community events such as healthy cooking and journaling sessions and served as an orientation mentor for new College of the Liberal Arts students in the Schreyer Honors College.  

“I feel incredibly honored and grateful to receive this fellowship. The past four years, I have been blessed with incredible research and leadership opportunities that have cultivated my passion and purpose in psychology,” Yamane said. “None of this would be possible without faculty who believe in our potential and commit to our growth.”