Nine students selected as latest class of Bellisario College Fellows

Nine Penn State students have been selected as Bellisario College Fellows in the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications.

The students, with representation from each of the Bellisario College’s five majors, were selected after initial faculty recommendations and by completing a rigorous application process that included reviews by alumni and faculty, as well as personal interviews.

Nearly six dozen high-achieving students were nominated for the program.

Those selected were:

Advertising/Public Relations: Rasheedah Chester, from Philadelphia, and Kaitlin Jean-Noel, from East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania

Film Production: Chris Alderfer, from Schwenksville, Pennsylvania

Journalism: Jade Campos, from Caroline County, Virginia, and Kira Mohr, from Boston

Media Studies: Daryle Watkins, from Manahawkin, New Jersey

Telecommunications and Media Studies: Jason Schwartz, from Richboro, Pennsylvania

Pre-Journalism: Isabella Granada, from Stanhope, New Jersey, and Luke Vargas, from Covington, Louisiana

All students selected as Bellisario Fellows were evaluated on their academic performance, demonstrated interest in career development, involvement in campus media opportunities, and potential to become notable stewards to the Bellisario College.

Those nine newcomers join five students who were selected last year, completing a group of 14 active Bellisario Fellows. The holdovers are: Nina Trach, an advertising/public relations major from South Brunswick, New Jersey; Jake Jurich, a film production major from Ashburn, Virginia, and Jacob Saar, a film production major from Etters, Pennsylvania; Josh Starr, a journalism major from Broomall, Pennsylvania; and Dominika Brice, a media studies major from Stamford, Connecticut.

The Bellisario College Fellows program is an effort to provide a transformational learning experience for students, helping them network and meet with alumni and friends while also engaging them to serve as ambassadors for the Bellisario College and Penn State. The program is designed to offer special opportunities for students, provide them with exclusive access to on-campus events, and even participate in field trips to meet with key alumni in nearby major media markets.

Alumni reviewers for the process were: Jayne Jamison, 1978, Joanne Ryder, 1996, and Jackie Szafara, 1983, who are members of the Dean’s Advancement Council, which helps drive philanthropy and donor engagement in the Bellisario College.