Liberal Arts Students Making a Difference
Students in the College of the Liberal Arts are Change Makers and Rock Ethics Stand Up Award recipients. They recognize problems, create solutions, and utilize their liberal arts education and enriching out-of-class experiences to make it happen. Our students are entrepreneurs, campus leaders, activists, founders, creators, inventors, and more. They are creative problem-solvers tackling society’s biggest challenges even before they graduate. Learn about these passionate and innovative students below, and encourage your student(s) to get involved and start making a difference too.
Genevievre Miller
Bachelor of Arts in African Studies
Bachelor of Arts in Political Science
Rock Ethics Stand Up Award recipient for groundbreaking work on the State College Borough Council to serve underrepresented populations and promote a more welcoming community.
Sarabeth Bowmaster
Bachelor of Arts in Women’s Studies
Recognized as a Liberal Arts Change Maker for founding the first collegiate chapter of the national League of Women Voters at Penn State. Sarabeth, a Paterno Fellow and president of the organization, is passionate about getting students to vote and credits her major with influencing the decision to start the new chapter at Penn State.
Awaly Diallo
Bachelor of Arts in African American Studies
Bachelor of Arts in Sociology
Rock Ethics Stand Up Award recipient for investigating the history of racial violence in the United States and promoting healing through education and dialogue.
Ethan Liebross
Bachelor of Science in Psychology
Recognized as a Liberal Arts Change Maker for creating Professor Owl, an organization that helps high school students with the college and scholarship application process. Ethan, a Schreyer scholar, has always dreamed of starting an organization while being a college student but has been waiting for the right idea. As COVID-19 struck the United States this spring, he noticed the strains that the pandemic had on higher education and took action.
Erin Brown
Bachelor of Arts in Communication Arts and Sciences
Bachelor of Arts in Women’s Studies
Rock Ethics Stand Up Award recipient for courage in bringing attention to the problem of sexual violence on campus and fighting for institutional change to prevent it and support survivors.
Josie Krieger
Bachelor of Science in Economics
Bachelor of Arts in History
Recognized as a Liberal Arts Change Maker for launching a new program called Students Teaching Students. The core of the program is simple: students can teach. Josie, a Paterno Fellow, put this idea into action, and Students Teaching Students now provides undergraduate students with the opportunity to teach official courses that count towards the minimum credit requirement for graduation a Penn State.
Rabiyatu Jalloh
Bachelor of Arts in African American Studies
Bachelor of Science in Education and Public Policy
Rock Ethics Stand Up Award recipient for combating racism and xenophobia through poetry and educating others on the power of art to advance social justice.
Nic Birosik
Bachelor of Science in Political Science
Bachelor of Science in Social Data Analytics
Recognized as a Liberal Arts Change Maker for founding NicNac Charities, a nonprofit dedicated to providing tools for education to students in need. Founded in 2016 when Nic was still in high school, NicNac Charities started out as a way for Nic to capitalize on what he saw as his own privilege to obtain an education and give that opportunity to those who were less fortunate. Nic, a Paterno Fellow and Schreyer scholar, now serves as president of the nonprofit.
Alexandre Bourcier
Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy
Bachelor of Science in Biology
Rock Ethics Stand Up Award recipient for providing healthcare to low-income, rural communities and developing technologies to lower healthcare costs.