Student leadership opportunities bring growth to Schreyer Scholar

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Third-year Schreyer Scholar Morgan Dawkins has been unwavering in her childhood dream of designing buildings and her enthusiasm for innovation. Now, she said, she’s realizing that goal as part of the Integrated Undergraduate-Graduate Program (IUG) in Architectural Engineering. 

“Truthfully, all I really wanted to do growing up was build buildings, and I specifically wanted to do residential construction and design my very own dream house. I also grew up liking the DIY channel and always being hands-on,” Dawkins explained. “That's how I got into engineering at an early age, and from that point on, everything I did was setting up my life to pursue a career in architectural engineering.” 

Dawkins’ decision to pursue her engineering interests at Penn State was ultimately bittersweet, as she had to move away from her close-knit community in Raleigh, North Carolina. The initial hesitation Dawkins felt toward leaving her hometown was remedied, she said, through her participation in the Schreyer Honors College Excelerator Summer Program. 

“Moving from the south to the north is a whole new experience, and I don't even think I could have prepared myself for it, because I never lived away from home,” Dawkins explained. “The Excelerator Program was a great opportunity to acclimate to Penn State culture, to acclimate to Schreyer culture, and to meet new people, who are still my closest friends here today. I feel as though I would not be at Penn State if it were not for this program.” 

Staying true to her “hands-on” attitude, Dawkins immediately dove headfirst into getting involved with clubs and organizations that piqued both her engineering and community interests. She currently serves as the Treasurer for the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), the co-executive director of Schreyer Scholar Ambassadors, and is also a member of the Presidential Leadership Academy (PLA). 

Dawkins credited PLA as a major source of her current leadership growth and expertise at Penn State. She highlighted how the academy has provided her with unparalleled opportunities and valuable connections, while also giving her the space to reflect and grow as a budding student leader. 

“The main takeaway from PLA is learning more about myself and my leadership style, and being able to see my growth all the way through. That was really what drew me to PLA, in addition to being able to speak to industry and Penn State leaders,” Dawkins said. “For example, I got the unique opportunity to talk to the Penn State Board of Trustees. I was recommended by Schreyer Honors College Dean Patrick Mather, as well as President Neeli Bendapudi, and got to share my Schreyer story with the entire board.” 

Leadership does not have to be loud or large-scale to create a meaningful impact, as Dawkins discovered when she became a leadership intern with Matt Ishler, director of career development for the Schreyer Honors College. She found that being a leader can be as simple as listening to those around you.  

“During my internship, I got to sit in, listen to students, understand what their goals are, and help tailor programs to better fit their needs. We created a lot of new initiatives, including the Schreyer Engineering Connect event. We specifically wanted to create a community among engineering students within Schreyer,” Dawkins said. “Ultimately, what I did as a leadership intern was learn how to best serve students from a student perspective.”  

While creating enriching events for Scholars is rewarding work, Dawkins said, she shared how building personal, lasting connections with students is the true motivator behind her on-campus involvement. One example of this is seen in her role as co-executive director of the Scholar Ambassador Program, where she helps run events that welcome prospective and accepted Scholars into the Schreyer community.  

“One student who I met at a past prospective informational session became a Scholar. She walked up to me at the end of the accepted student event and said that I was one of the reasons she decided to come to Penn State,” said Dawkins. “I didn't realize my Schreyer story would be that impactful on someone else. That was such a full-circle moment, and was one of the reasons why I decided to stay with the Scholar Ambassador program.” 

Dawkins’ strength of inspiring and connecting with students at Penn State is not exclusive to her work with the honors college. In August 2024, Dawkins served as a design assistant for the Penn State Multicultural Engineering Program Orientation (MEPO), helping to create and facilitate themed design challenges for incoming first-year students. Building on that experience, she returned in 2025 as a Design Lead, where she introduced new innovations to the program, including biomimicry-based engineering challenges and an artificial intelligence training series for the next generation of engineers.  

Lauren Griggs, the director of the program, highlighted Dawkins’ unwavering dedication and enthusiasm for helping students feel a sense of belonging at Penn State. 

“Upon meeting Morgan, I instantly knew that she was an extremely dedicated student with exemplary insight. As a student leader, Morgan has successfully balanced her academic pursuits with her commitment to creating a welcoming environment within the Multicultural Engineering Program community and beyond,” Griggs said. “Her phenomenal leadership skills, genuine desire to invest in the success of others, and deep-rooted love for her community will propel her future success.”  

Possessing the skills to listen, innovate and formulate creative solutions is not only foundational to Dawkins' leadership roles on campus, but also to her honors thesis research. After witnessing the tragic aftermath of a storm in her home state of North Carolina, Dawkins said she was inspired to focus her honors research on what she calls “proactive engineering.”  

This type of engineering stresses the importance of designing buildings and infrastructure with resilience, sustainability and climate change in mind. Dawkins said she plans to explore how grassroots partnerships coupled with strategic planning can help prevent these disasters from damaging more communities across the United States. 

For her honors thesis project she wants to focus on being proactive, she said. "There’s a lot of flooding where I’m from in North Carolina. There was a big hurricane that came through the mountains, and we typically don't get hurricanes, so it was very obvious how poorly we were prepared,” Dawkins said. “Seeing that aftermath is what pushed me to focus on this, because climate change is not going anywhere.” 

Following her graduation from Penn State, Dawkins said she aspires to work for a company that also shares her proactive mindset and emphasis on building for the future. Her varied involvements on campus and extensive leadership experience, she said, will help support her success in any role she fulfills in the years ahead.  

While technical skills are important when building physical infrastructure, Dawkins emphasized that possessing the skills to lead and inspire are vital for building something equally as important: community.  

“In life, you can do your work, but it's about understanding how you can help other people by supporting and motivating them. Being able to meet people where they're at, and being able to foster that community, is so important,” Dawkins said. “What is really important to me during my time at Penn State is fostering community to make sure everyone is successful, and that everyone wants to work together.”