UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State student Kyle Sebelin’s academic journey began with a faded handprint on the wall of a prison cell.
A fourth-year student majoring in history with an enhanced minor in sociology who intends to go to law school, Sebelin said his passion for history eventually led him and his "Pop" — his grandfather — to the Old Jail Museum in Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania. On the trip, Sebelin learned the story of a prisoner who had occupied cell No. 17: He had been condemned to the gallows and placed his handprint on the wall as proof of his innocence. The handprint remains there to this day.
“My Pop began to explain the history and mystery surrounding this ghostly hand,” Sebelin said. “With goosebumps on my arm and a tremble in my voice, I asked my Pop if the prisoner was in fact innocent. To answer my question, he gave me a book on the prisoner, which I immediately began to read.”
After finishing the book later that night, the Palmerton, Pennsylvania, native said he began writing about why he believed the prisoner was innocent. At that moment, he said, he knew that history and law were at the top of his academic interests.
“When it was time to come to college, to me, it was a no-brainer that I would continue this passion of mine and major in history,” Sebelin said.
Sociology, meanwhile, started out as an interesting course for Sebelin, who said he quickly realized it paired well with his history major, as they both chiefly deal with humans and how we interact with one another. History provides many of the facts, he added, while sociology takes a unique approach to interpreting them.
Sebelin serves as a Paterno Fellow in the College of the Liberal Arts, which he credited with providing him with a richer, more rewarding college experience.
“Becoming a Paterno Fellow has been one of the best things that has happened to me here at Penn State,” Sebelin said. “I can confidently say that I would not be in the current position I am in now without the Paterno Fellows Program.”
Associate Professor of History Daniel Letwin and Teaching Professor in Communication Arts and Sciences Jessica O’Hara were major influences in Sebelin’s academic journey as well, he said, providing teaching and guidance that has allowed him to become a better learner and student.
In the fall of his first year, Sebelin took Letwin's HIST 150: America in the 1960s course and knew he wanted to take another one of his classes again in the future.
"Professor Letwin’s natural curiosity, genuine enthusiasm and passion for history were palpable in every lecture," said Sebelin, noting what stood out most was Letwin’s genuine kindness and friendliness.
Sebelin had O’Hara for CAS 137: Rhetoric and Civic Life I, a course he said significantly influenced and improved his writing abilities.
“Her kindness and patience gave me the encouragement and confidence I needed to take on longer writing assignments,” Sebelin said.
Letwin and O’Hara were big contributors to Sebelin’s law school applications, he said, with both writing letters of recommendation for him. Sebelin said he feels forever indebted to them for shaping and influencing his time at the University.
Beyond his professors, the greater Liberal Arts community has provided Sebelin with endless opportunities and friendships, he said. He credited his peers, the professional staff and the Career Enrichment Network for being so dedicated to helping him succeed.
He specifically cited Director of Academic Advising Greg Nolan and Recruitment Coordinator Jordan Seifert as two steady sources of support.
Sebelin spent two years working alongside Nolan as a Liberal Arts peer adviser, an experience he said showed him what dedicated, student-first leadership looks like in practice.
"Not a day goes by that Greg does not make a stressed student's life better," Sebelin said. "His kindness, dedication and care for students are beyond amazing."
Seifert brought that same energy to her work with students, and, Sebelin said, her enthusiasm made the college feel like a place where people genuinely had his back.
“It is so comforting to know that there are people like Jordan within the college who are there in your corner to support you,” he said. “This is my Liberal Arts community. This is my family. And these relationships are something that I will eternally be grateful for.”
Even though academics are highly important to Sebelin, he said he makes sure to remember that what he hopes people remember him by is not a test grade, but how he made them feel.
“My faith always puts things in perspective with my academic life,” he said. “As part of my faith, I always try to love like Jesus and be there to help others.”
He said this sense of faith has followed him since he was a child volunteering at his hometown church, something he made sure to continue when he got to college. Now, he serves as a hospitality minister, an act of giving back that he believes is what life is all about.
Sebelin also serves as vice president and treasurer of the History Roundtable, a club that provides students with the opportunity to share their passion for history. Sebelin said that by expanding their knowledge through guest lectures, historical trips and general body meetings, the club has created a tight-knit and close community.