Road to Commencement: Shirley Yang

MEDIA, Pa. — As biology student Shirley Yang prepared to graduate on May 9, she reflected on her time at Penn State Brandywine and the unique experiences she had.

“When looking at colleges, I remember people always talking about how Penn State has a huge alumni network, and that always stood out to me,” she said. “I chose Brandywine because it was the closest Penn State campus to where I live, and I was able to get involved with Penn State without being three hours away.”

A first-generation college student, Yang was very involved during her time at Brandywine. She was a member of the Anime Club and was the founder and president of the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Club.

“I joined a lot of clubs when I first started here at Brandywine. One of the most notable was Anime Club, because I made so many friends in that organization who were also the club’s officers. They gave me insights to create my own club,” she said.

“I created the AAPI Club to promote Asian representation on campus, because I feel there wasn’t much before,” she continued. “It’s not hard to make a club on campus and to get involved. As a first- or second-year student, it feels intimidating to do, but there is so much support on this campus. Creating your own club also gives you leadership opportunities you might not get otherwise and make so many connections.”

Yang also participated in research with Anna Sigmon, assistant professor of chemistry, for her honors thesis. Being a member of both the Cooper Honors Program at Brandywine and Schreyer Honors College at the University level, she completed her thesis on how to use electrochemistry to make medicine development more eco-friendly.

“The research we’re doing has never been done on the chemicals we’re using,” she said. “I’m doing novel research, which is amazing, but I’ve also learned so many skills along the way. I’ve developed my own experimental design and have grown in my problem-solving abilities. It’s been a great experience.”

Upon graduating in May, Yang will head to the University of Pennsylvania to earn her master’s degree through an accelerated Master of Professional Nursing program.

Yang said her greatest accomplishment during her time at Brandywine was coming out of her shell.

“When I first started school here, I was so shy. I would be so nervous to talk to my professors or even raise my hand in class. When I did raise my hand, I would have panic attacks,” she recalled. “Brandywine really helped me develop my communication skills and gave me the confidence to get out of my shell and speak up. It helped me become more comfortable in a classroom setting.”

When reflecting on her favorite memory at Brandywine, Yang said she always thinks back to the times she would stay late on campus.

“Staying on campus late, whether it’s to study or just hang out with friends, is what I remember the most,” she said. “The things you remember are the times you studied hard for that exam with your friends or watched a movie with your friends on campus.”

One piece of advice Yang has for incoming Penn State students is to stay disciplined.

“I noticed that I’m very prone to procrastinating, and I realized that at the end of the day, I’m only hurting myself by doing that,” she said. “You don’t fall behind in one day, but you can fall behind in one habit. You’ll have good days and bad days, but what really defines your future is how you proceed, what habits you develop and how you stay disciplined.”