MONACA, Pa. — Figuring out where you belong and what you want your future to be is a big decision for college students. Philip Betz III — "Phil" to those who know him — discovered he belonged at Penn State Beaver. Through his experience on campus and a goal to carry on a family legacy, he said, he has figured out the next step of his future.
Betz, a native of Murrieta, California, said he started at a different school in Pennsylvania, but quickly realized it wasn’t the right fit for him. A baseball player, he began reaching out to other universities looking to transfer and decided on Penn State Beaver. He said he liked the idea of not only earning a Penn State degree, but having the option of staying at the campus for all four years or doing the 2+2 program.
Betz said he got involved on campus, made connections and realized Beaver was where he wanted to stay.
He became a catcher for the baseball team — he’s now a first baseman and the team captain — a member of the golf team, a resident assistant, a member of the Student Fee Committee, and treasurer of Club Potential, and he’s also working in the Health Services office this semester.
A business marketing and management major, Betz said he also found his future career path as a United States Marine following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather who served.
Betz spent the summer in the U.S. Marine Corps Platoon Leaders Class in Quantico, Virginia. The program allows college students to train to become Marine Corps officers during the summer so they can focus on their studies full time during the school year.
“It was challenging to say the least, but it’s supposed to be challenging. Once it was completed, it was very rewarding because of the consistent grind of it all,” Betz said of the Platoon Leaders Class. “Even still, it puts into perspective the Marines who are or were in combat. You’re trying to lead Marines, and if you fail you could be handing someone’s child a crisp flag and that’s on you.”
Family is important to the soon-to-be college graduate and Marine.
"I would attribute a lot of my success to the support from my parents and my sister, Emmie," Betz said.
For Betz, the decision is not just about his family’s history, but about his future family as well.
“I wanted to do something a little bit more,” he said, “When I have children, they will ask what I did with the prime years of my life I can say I was a U.S. Marine, and I did something that not everyone is willing to do.”
Leadership on campus
Betz said his own on-campus leadership experience and the connections he created with his teammates, faculty and staff provided a foundation for his future in the military.
“There are a lot of things I’ve learned as far as leadership, and in basic training I will learn other ways to lead,” Betz said.
Betz cited Amy Gartley, associated director of student affairs and engagement, as a staff member at Beaver campus who comes to mind when he thinks of leadership. He said Gartley always offers praise when a student has been successful and has something to celebrate.
“She cares about her people, and it motivates you for sure,” Betz said. “You could be the ‘Pencil Sharpener of the Month,’ and she’s going to congratulate you on that.”
He said his role as a resident assistant in Harmony Hall also helped prepare him for future leadership. “I learned presence and how to take the helm, and that was magnified in the Platoon Leaders Class,” he said.
Campus Nurse Jessica Judy hired Betz to work in her department after seeing his dedication and leadership on campus.
“Phil is a respected student on campus," Judy said. "We are all so proud of the many accomplishments he has had while here at Beaver and now with the Marine Corps."
Betz will go to the Basic School in 2027 to begin his four-year contract with the Marines as a second lieutenant.