Schreyer Scholar pursues passions and builds community at Penn State Abington

ABINGTON, Pa. — While the phrase “We Are” powerfully reflects the unity and shared identity within the Penn State community, it also celebrates the diversity that shapes it. Each student across the university’s commonwealth campuses possesses distinct backgrounds, aspirations, and reasons for choosing Penn State.  

Third-year Schreyer Scholar and computer science major Jonathan Alavez Reyes is a prime example of how there is no one-size-fits-all model for being a Penn State student. Spending most of his childhood in Mexico, Alavez Reyes returned to the U.S. as a teenager and became the first in his family to apply to college.  

With interests in undergraduate research and computer science, Alavez Reyes said he felt that Penn State’s renowned academics and expansive resources would support him in pursuing his passions further.  

“Being the first from my family to apply to college, I had no one to help me guide me through that process, and I had to figure it out all on my own,” Alavez Reyes explained. “I chose Penn State because it felt like it was a great opportunity for me, because the University has a lot of resources that they offer to their students, and the computer science program is very impressive.” 

Instead of attending Penn State directly after high school, Alavez Reyes deferred his acceptance and took a gap year to serve in the United States National Guard. Throughout his 7 months of training, Alavez Reyes said, he pushed the boundaries of his physical and mental strength and mastered how to lead in a high-intensity setting. In accordance with Alavez Reyes' six-year contract, he still serves for the National Guard and reports to his assigned unit a few days each month. 

“I was always interested in doing some kind of service to the country, especially when it comes to the uniformed service. I realized that the National Guard was a good path because it allowed me to do the service that I wanted to do, while also helping to pay for my college education,” Alavez Reyes explained. “When I went through training, it allowed me to get out of my comfort zone. I started doing things I would have never done before, like leading a team. So, coming into college, I was more comfortable just getting out there and really making the most out of my experience.” 

Living close to Philadelphia, Alavez Reyes decided to start his education at Penn State Abington, with plans to finish his degree at University Park. This decision to stay close to home helped ease Alavez Reyes’ transition into college, providing more flexibility between his school and home life. Despite his original intention to participate in the Penn State 2+2 program, Alavez Reyes said his plans shifted as he grew accustomed to the unique, close-knit community of the Abington campus.  

“I ended up deciding to stay here at Abington because I really enjoy the campus and the community,” Alavez Reyes shared. “The classes are smaller, and I enjoy the atmosphere here. You can really get to know a lot of people just by walking around campus, going to events, and being a part of clubs.”  

For Alavez Reyes, getting involved at Abington was not instantaneous, as his hour-long commute to campus initially deterred him from joining any extracurricular activities. In an effort to push himself beyond his comfort zone, Alavez Reyes joined the Penn State Abington Latin Student Organization. Through this club, he formed new relationships with like-minded students and learned about unique opportunities for further involvement across campus.  

Alavez Reyes now fulfills leadership roles in a diverse array of organizations, serving as the Vice President of the Computer Science Club, the event coordinator for the Abington Latin Student Organization, and the Director of Educational Equity for the Penn State Abington Student Government Association (SGA).  

One of the most meaningful involvements for Alavez Reyes thus far has been his peer mentor role for the Penn State Abington Global Programs Office. Here, Alavez Reyes helped welcome international students to Penn State, providing students with the resources, connections, and support they needed to find success at Abington.  

“As a peer mentor for the Global Program Office, I would mentor international students who were coming from other countries to Penn State Abington. I loved the job. As someone who can relate to international students, I understand the feeling of coming to a new country and not knowing the language or the culture or anything,” Alavez Reyes explained. “So, I really wanted to help them in that sense, and it just brought a lot of joy to my life.”  

Despite his experience in the National Guard, Alavez Reyes said he believed he still had room to build upon his leadership skills while at Penn State. Through his role as an SGA director, Alavez Reyes applied the delegation techniques he learned during his National Guard training to successfully lead his team and enhance student accessibility resources on campus.  

“I really got to develop my leadership skills the most in my position as a director for educational equity in SGA. I had to lead a team of six senators, and we were working to create legislation and improve student accessibility on campus. I had to figure out how I could work with my entire team without overloading the senators. So, I divided the senators into two groups, with one leader from each group selected to report to me,” Alavez Reyes said. “That is a concept that drew from when I was in the National Guard, because we had an overall leader, as well as squad leaders. So that was a time where I actually applied my leadership from the military.” 

In addition to growing his leadership skills and social connections at Penn State Abington, Alavez Reyes has also been indulging in his passion for research. He said his desire to conduct undergraduate research motivated him to apply to the Schreyer Honors College during his first year, due to the honors college’s emphasis on supporting student curiosity, exploration, and innovation.  

During the 2024-2025 academic school year, Alavez Reyes had the opportunity to participate in the Abington College Undergraduate Research Activities (ACURA) program, where he conducted undergraduate research on the usefulness of AI in enhancing verbal communication skills.  

“Schreyer is dedicated to supporting students’ research, which is something that I really liked. During my second year I wanted to start pursuing undergraduate research, and I knew that my recent acceptance into the Schreyer Honors College was going to be a great way for me to achieve that goal. Understanding that Schreyer is there to fully support me if I take on research opportunities, or knowing that I can reach out to them for resources, is so valuable,” Alavez Reyes highlighted. “I am excited to get this opportunity through Schreyer to continue this research for my thesis. Writing a thesis is going to open a lot of doors for me in the future.” 

Terri Stiles, a lecturer at Penn State Abington in the Human Humanities department, was Alavez Reyes’ research mentor throughout the ACURA program. She shared how Alavez Reyes’ diligent work ethic, steadfast curiosity, and ability to swiftly overcome obstacles will set him up for success in his future research endeavors at Penn State.  

“Jonathan is an exceptional individual with a rare combination of academic talent and research acumen. He approached complex topics with a natural curiosity and an impressive ability to grasp and apply difficult concepts. Beyond the classroom, Jonathan's skills truly shone in his role as an ACURA Researcher,” said Stiles. “His analytical abilities, meticulous attention to detail, and dedication to finding accurate information make him a natural researcher.” 

While Alavez Reyes may have been hesitant to get involved at Penn State originally, he now leads campus-wide events, helps orient new students to Abington, and conducts compelling research alongside acclaimed faculty, he said. He highlighted that pushing himself out of his comfort zone to follow his passions was a key theme in transforming and enhancing his Penn State experience.  

“My first semester at Penn State, I would just commute to class and come back home to do my work,” Alavez Reyes explained. “It really took something from within me to want to put myself out there, and reach out to students and clubs, and finally start meeting new people. If there is any piece of advice I could give to a current Penn State student, it would be to get involved in any way you can. This will open so many doors for you at Penn State.”