Class Act: Achievements distinguish Class of 2016 Schreyer Scholars
8/29/2012
During the Schreyer Honors College’s orientation program last week, Schreyer Scholars were asked to complete this phrase: We Are …
Scholars were given paper footprints on which to write words to describe themselves and the other members of the Class of 2016. The footprints filled a 12-foot paper banner and included words such as "motivated," "original," "inspired," "ambitious," "proud," "happy," and "excited."
But over the summer, Dr. Michele "Mitch" Kirsch, the Honors College’s associate dean for student affairs, dug through the applications of the 295 Schreyer Scholars who have entered Penn State and the Honors College this fall, and she uncovered some specifics that further describe who these new students—and Penn Staters—are. Among her findings:
- Balance of Power: Females make up 56% of this incoming class
- Made in PA: 83% of the class members are from Pennsylvania
- Best in Class: 13 of the class members were the valedictorian of their high school class
- Seeing Double: Two sets of twins are enrolled
- Hail to the Chief: 23 of these Scholars served as president of their senior class in high school
- Ready, Mr. Music?: Instruments listed among those that class members play include trumpet, saxophone, violin, French horn, piano, tuba, harmonica, cello, drums, flute, piccolo, guitar, clarinet, viola, trombone, baritone, ukulele, and banjo
- Take to the Field: Sports these students have been involved in include soccer, lacrosse, track, cross country, cycling, softball, rugby, basketball, tennis, swimming and diving, volleyball, football, baseball, ice hockey, field hockey, fencing, ultimate Frisbee, gymnastics, crew, wrestling, water polo, equestrian, karate, golf, roller hockey, water polo, figure skating and a competitive jump rope team
- Having a Ball: One first-year Scholar will be competing on Penn State’s Division I women’s soccer squad
- College Prep: Many of the new Scholars have already taken college courses, attended conferences or done research at campuses across the country—the applications showed classes that had been taken at 49 different colleges and universities, including Stanford, Johns Hopkins, Princeton, Harvard, Cornell, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Columbia, Yale and Georgetown
- It’s a Small World: "Building a global perspective" is a hallmark of the Schreyer Honors College, and a number of members of the incoming class have already been abroad with 54 different countries listed in their applications
- Karate Kids: At least two class members have earned martial arts black belts
- World Champ: The 2011 American Morgan Horse Association’s Gold Medalist is a member of this incoming class
- Up, Up and Away: One class member has earned a private pilot’s license
- The Write Stuff: A new Scholar is already an author, having written a nonfiction account of her experiences training service dogs for the disabled
- Good Ideas: One student has already completed internships at the Department of Agriculture on projects that have resulted in his name being included on a patent, and finally …
- Timing is Everything: One Scholar’s claim to fame is that he is able to solve the 3x3x3 Rubik’s Cub in under 90 seconds and says he can solve the 5x5x5 version in less than 15 minutes.
In the coming years, as the members of the Schreyer Honors College Class of 2016 succeed and achieve during their time at Penn State, watch for news of their accomplishments. We expect this list will get a lot longer in the years ahead.