MIDDLETOWN, Pa. — A Penn State Harrisburg student took inspiration from her coursework and applied it on the path to victory as a campaign coordinator for a local judge.
Ellie Krebs, a health policy and administration major at Penn State Harrisburg, served as campaign coordinator for Katy Kennedy-McShane, who was elected in November 2025 as Dauphin County Court of Common Pleas judge.
Krebs began her college education at University Park, planning to major in human development and family studies — now her minor. But the COVID-19 pandemic shifted Krebs’ interest, she said, to the ways that fields like social work and healthcare were impacted by policy.
“I'm definitely a healthcare-oriented policy person, but I see that healthcare policy is influenced by more than just insurance subsidy,” Krebs said. “It has to do with the way that local government sets programs into place. It's so much more than that, and that's kind of where I've gotten into the political sphere with it.”
She transferred to the Harrisburg campus, where classes with Seth Wright, assistant teaching professor of political science and public policy, and Earl Crown, an adjunct faculty member teaching history, influenced her. Their courses made her think about the ways history repeats itself, she said, and the ways student movements have made change.
She also volunteered with Project 26, a non-partisan group aimed at encouraging college students to understand the importance of voting. Through that work, she found and applied for the job with Kennedy-McShane’s campaign.
She jumped right into the campaign, coordinating events, fundraising and working not just to reach voters, but to register new voters, too. In the weeks leading up to the election, she walked several miles each day, knocking on doors. At the same time she juggled her classwork.
Her courses in health policy and administration, where she learned about different cultures and worldviews, also helped her connect in conversations with local residents, she said.
She remembered attending a fundraiser for another local candidate, connecting with state lawmakers and noticing she was the youngest person in the room.
“It was phenomenal and none of this would have happened if I didn't attend Penn State Harrisburg. Truly, it would not,” Krebs said. “It all has to do with this area, and the opportunities, and the way that my classes inspired me.”
Election night in November was a memorable one for Krebs, she said.
“Through this experience, and everything I felt on election night, I learned that when you believe in yourself and the people around you, you can always dig deeper than you think,” she said.
Krebs is now working as campaign manager for a candidate for state representative. She expects to graduate in summer 2026 and plans to attend law school.