The 12th class of Sheetz Fellows was inducted during a formal ceremony on Saturday, Feb. 25. Inductees posed for a photo with benefactors Steve and Nancy Sheetz and program director Donna Bon. Front row, left to right: Kassidy Duclos, Katie Cook, Kiera Berkheimer, Hailey Alwine, Kyra Pittman, Emily Smith, Lainie Heuston, Maggie Erickson. Back row, left to right: Jackson Boyer, Geoffrey Biddle, Case Donaldson, Blaise Pierce, Donna Bon, Steve Sheetz, Jadie Pensyl, Kenneth Nguyen, Dominic Corrado, Michael Jackson and Chris Jarosz.
ALTOONA, Pa. — The 12th class of Sheetz Fellows was inducted during a formal ceremony on Saturday, Feb. 25.
A competitive academic program, the Sheetz Fellows program offers unique opportunities that ignite and inspire the entrepreneurial mindset of students at Penn State Altoona by fostering critical thinking, ingenuity, leadership, and problem-solving skills.
Seventeen students were inducted into the program: Hailey Alwine of Altoona; Kiera Berkheimer of Duncansville; Geoffrey Biddle of Severna Park, Maryland; Jackson Boyer of Bellwood; Katie Cook of Cairnbrook; Dominic Corrado of Philadelphia; Case Donaldson of Martinsburg; Kassidy Duclos of Altoona; Maggie Erickson of Bellwood; Lainie Heuston of Roaring Spring; Michael Jackson of Philadelphia; Chris Jarosz of Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Kenneth Nguyen of Huntingdon; Jadie Pensyl of Altoona; Blaise Pierce of Hollidaysburg; Kyra Pittman of Schellsburg; and Emily Smith of Williamsburg.
The Sheetz Fellows program was established in 2009 as part of a historic gift to Penn State Altoona by Steve and Nancy Sheetz and has proven to be a visionary initiative that prepares students for professional, educational, personal and social success.
“We want to support you, we want to help you grow and ultimately, we want to help you lead fulfilling lives” shared Steve Sheetz during his program remarks. “My wife and I are very proud of the Sheetz Fellows program and are especially proud of the Fellows.”
Other remarks during the ceremony were given by Ron W. Darbeau, chancellor and dean at Penn State Altoona, Donna Bon, director of the Sheetz Fellows program, and Alauna Feathers, president of the Sheetz Fellows.
All Sheetz Fellows are required to maintain at least a 3.25 in-major GPA, in addition to completing an option in entrepreneurship or an entrepreneurship minor, a minimum of 80 hours of servant leadership, a mentor program, a study away experience, an internship or research initiative, and an ethics course.
Sheetz Fellows receive a $5,000 scholarship during their junior year and a $10,000 scholarship during their senior year, fully paid travel, lodging, and events for a 10-day Sheetz Fellows study away experience, participation in a national conference, in addition to other numerous leadership and travel opportunities.
All students graduating Penn State Altoona as a Sheetz Fellow receive a medallion and special recognition at commencement.
