UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Five current and former students in the Division of Undergraduate Studies, or DUS, earned a minimum $1,000 scholarship in recognition of their efforts in discovering where their passions lie and forging an academic path.
Shanin Drucquer, Joyce Buck Award, University Park campus
Drucquer said he originally considered skipping college altogether to focus on his landscaping company. By testing the waters in both engineering and business, he said, he realized that he enjoyed engineering more.
“Meeting regularly with my adviser, asking questions and exploring options taught me the value of patience in decision-making,” Drucquer wrote. “When I would stress over finding the best plan, he would remind me, ‘You don’t need to make these decisions now.’ That advice helped me see exploration as a dynamic process and that the perfect plan doesn’t come in a single day.”
Drucquer is now pursuing a mechanical engineering major and an entrepreneurship and innovation minor.
Ali-Abbas Bhimji, Penn State Lehigh Valley
Bhimji said he used his time in DUS to sample courses in economics, management and technology before an accounting class crystallized his passion for finance. As the founder of the Allentown Youth Soccer League and an intern at Olympus Corporation, he said he saw how budgeting, management and operations were applied in real life, and how finance skills can empower and uplift others.
“My time in DUS also taught me the importance of mentorship and reflection,” Bhimji said. “Early on, I tried to figure everything out alone, but connecting with my academic adviser, Ms. Tara Koller, changed that. She helped me see that exploration isn’t a sign of uncertainty and it’s a process of guided curiosity. With her advice, I began setting goals, seeking internships and connecting each new experience to what I was learning in class. Looking back, I’ve realized that exploration is not about rushing to declare a major. It’s about understanding yourself, your values, and your ambitions.”
Victoria Davi, University Park campus
Like many undergraduates, Davi said, she was unsure of her major and felt as though she was falling behind her peers. And also like many others, events outside the classroom helped lead her to her intended major. She said after losing her grandfather following his open-heart surgery, she felt a personal connection to others in similar circumstances. She said she now hopes to provide the warmth and understanding others might need, and plans now to pursue a major in biobehavioral health. She added that her experiences in Greek life and the course HPA 57: Customer Choices in Health Care helped to solidify her major decision.
“Some advice I would give a first-year exploratory student is this: Don’t let other people’s defined majors and goals intimidate you,” Davi said. “There is a lot of pressure among us, as students, to know exactly what we are here for. It took me a while to realize that it is okay to not have it figured out yet. As a DUS student, you are not ‘behind’ — everyone is on their own timeline. It is a privilege to be an undergraduate at this University and have access to countless opportunities. My advice is to embrace that and trust that everything else will align itself.”
Jesse Johnson, Penn State Behrend
Johnson said he spent a lot of time early on in his college career talking to people: employers at career fairs, his academic adviser, professors, and upper-level students enrolled in majors he was interested in. After an eye-opening internship with the Regional Science Consortium at Presque Isle, Johnson said he will pursue a major in environmental systems engineering with a business minor.
“One of the most valuable things I did and still do is talk to people,” Johnson said. “Everyone has different experiences, opportunities and ideas. I learned about a lot of opportunities that sparked my interest by word of mouth, things that I would never have known about otherwise. The same thing goes with professors. The more you talk with your professors (go to office hours, talk after class, even just participate in class — word gets around), the more opportunities you learn about that you can explore. What advice would I give to a first-year exploratory student? Go do stuff. Luck is when planning and practice meets opportunity, so work on your skills that give you a little value and talk to people. Say yes to opportunities, because either you enjoy it and it was worth the time, or you hate it and it was worth the experience. There’s not really a way you lose.”
Molly Keegan, University Park campus
Keegan began her time at Penn State focused on selecting a business major and minoring in psychology, but after a semester of courses realized she should focus on majoring in psychology and explore minors in the College of the Liberal Arts. She said she tried to keep an open mind during the exploration process and have the confidence to accept what she really wants to do with her career.
“It was through [the course] PSU 6 that it became very clear to me I was not meant to be a Smeal student,” Keegan said. “This was a hard reality for me to accept, and I knew I could be successful in Smeal if I wanted to, but I saw the absolute passion and drive the other students had in the business world that I didn’t share. While coming to these realizations, I leaned heavily on my adviser. She helped me form my thoughts into a plan, and we discussed the possibility of embracing psychology as my major. She also showed me that I could keep business involved in my academic path by making it my concentration. It was from here that I let myself embrace the idea of being a psychology major and feel hopeful about following my dream of graduate school to become a licensed mental health counselor.”
How to apply for a DUS Scholarship
DUS Scholarships are open to students enrolled in the Division of Undergraduate Studies from any campus. Applications typically open in October each year. Questions can be directed to Biran Petrosky, undergraduate studies adviser, at bjp157@psu.edu; or Emily Herr, administrative coordinator, at ely107@psu.edu.