Alumni News
Penn State World Campus graduate student Daisy Young found her calling in mathematics at an early age. When Young was 13, her family had the opportunity to move from their home in Indonesia to the United States. After the family settled in Virginia, Young quickly learned that she had a knack for the STEM field.…
Dionne R. Wiggins has had a successful career working in human resources and is currently the vice president for people and culture at American Jewish World Service in New York City. But she didn’t start her professional career in human resources. She was a lawyer, and when she earned a degree online in 2013 from…
A Penn State World Campus alumnus and current student was among the thousands of cybersecurity professionals who attended an international security conference in San Francisco in April. Joshua D’Ottavio received the special designation of a Security Scholar at the RSA Conference (RSAC). He is studying homeland security online through Penn State World Campus and serves…
After working for 25 years in the patient revenue cycle and practice management side of the health care industry, Jackie Velilla decided it was time to go out on her own. She saw that the industry had changed. Personalized patient experiences were being outsourced, which was eroding client satisfaction. Having recently graduated with a Master…
Years ago, Shane Hale would never have imagined that he’d be attending graduate school online through Penn State while working for a large private research university to help student veterans like himself. He took the long road to get his bachelor’s degree, joining the Army in August 2001 to use the GI Bill® to help…
Many military service members who are on active duty with the U.S. armed forces choose to go back to school online to finish their bachelor’s degree or start a master’s degree. Veterans who have completed their service or retired from the military may also make the same decision to seek out an online institution. Penn…
Three students and a student organization have been recognized by Penn State World Campus for their leadership during the 2022–23 academic year. The awards, first established in 2021, are coordinated by Penn State World Campus Student Affairs. Leadership development has long been a priority of the student affairs office. “We are proud to see our…
As a boy growing up in Sri Lanka, Pavara Ranatunga was intrigued by airplanes. When he’d hear the whir of a jet engine from inside his house, he’d run outside to see the plane flying overhead. The way those large metal objects could fly like birds fascinated him. Because of a life-changing decision his parents…
Morgan Blake grew up a self-described military brat. Her father served in the Army, leading to multiple moves and living outside of the United States. She now lives with her own family in Germany, where her husband is stationed with the U.S. Air Force. After homeschooling her son during the pandemic, Blake decided education was…
Penn State World Campus is now accepting applications for a new doctoral degree program in education that focuses on helping students to influence and shape the future of education. The Doctor of Education (D.Ed.) can be completed in as few as 36 credits. This program aims to prepare those who want to work in leadership…