UPPER BURRELL, Pa. — Penn State New Kensington students Yasmin Ray and Brandon Burchette were named recipients of scholarships March 4 at the Pennsylvania Black Conference on Higher Education in Philadelphia.
Ray, a senior in the psychology program, earned the $1,000 K. Leroy Irvis Undergraduate Scholarship. The award is based on scholarship, interpersonal skills, leadership, writing, speaking and computational skills, extracurricular activities, and a grade-point average above 3.0. In addition, she was judged on her essay, “Why I Should Receive a K. Leroy Irvis Scholarship Award." Ray’s essay highlighted her career choice.
“The main point of my essay spoke of wanting to be a counselor as my profession,” said Ray, who will earn her bachelor’s degree in May. “After graduation, I plan to go to graduate school or enter the workforce.”
Burchette, a sophomore communications major, was awarded the $1,000 Robert D. Lynch Leadership Scholarship. The Lynch award is based on the same criteria as the Irvis scholarship with a special emphasis on leadership skills. Burchette also was judged on an essay, “Why I Should Receive a Robert D. Lynch Scholarship." His essay focused on his development as a college student. He transferred to the campus in the fall from Morehouse College in Georgia.
“I described the significant changes that I've undergone since my freshman year of college, and how these changes made me a good candidate to be the recipient of the Robert D. Lynch scholarship,” Burchette said.
The Black Conference comprises professionals from the public and private sectors — education, business, social services, law and government — who are committed to improving and ensuring the education of blacks and other underrepresented groups at Pennsylvania colleges and universities. The organization awarded $9,000 in scholarships to nine African-American students across the Commonwealth. Burchette reveled in the experience.
“Being in a positive social environment was just as refreshing as it was informational,” Burchette said. “I could network and learn from young individuals like myself.”
Burchette's journey to the campus took a circuitous route that weaved its way through Atlanta. His interest in Penn State New Kensington was piqued when he attended a campus mentoring program with Chet Howell, a security guard at the campus. Howell has mentored Burchette since the student attended Highlands High School. After enrolling last year for a summer course, a chance meeting with Lou Payne, senior information sciences and technology major and captain of the campus basketball team, cemented Burchette’s decision to transfer from Morehouse.
“Lou referred me to head basketball coach Art McCray,” said Burchette, a 6-foot-5-inch forward. “I enrolled, tried out for the team and made it.”
Since matriculating at the campus, the Tarentum native has thrived both in and out of the classroom. He was selected to the dean’s list in fall 2015, his first semester on campus. Membership on the dean’s list is reserved for students who achieve a grade-point average of 3.5 or higher. He also serves as an orientation leader and holds memberships in the Multicultural Club, a student group, and Student Activity Fee board, a campus committee.
A Penn State New Kensington student receiving the Irvis or Lynch scholarship at the conference is becoming an annual tradition, especially for Ray. She is the first campus student to win back-to-back Irvis awards. Hannah McBean, an adult student who earned her bachelor’s degree in organization leadership in December 2014, won the Irvis scholarship in 2012 and the Lynch scholarship 2014.
Ray’s connection to the Pennsylvania Black Conference on Higher Education began in 2014 when she participated in the annual Robert D. Lynch Student Leadership Development Institute in Lancaster. Sponsored by the Pennsylvania Black Conference on Higher Education, the three-day event was designed to address topics essential to developing leadership skills for African-American, Latino-American, and other multicultural college students. The event gave Ray an opportunity to participate in workshops that examined cross-cultural communication, interpersonal relations, inclusive environments, and cultural awareness.
“To be perfectly honest, the experience changed my entire outlook on my future,” said Ray, a member of the dean’s list with a 3.75 grade-point average. “Sometimes having big dreams in a small town can alienate a person, but at this conference, I was surrounded by like minds with a vision for success not unlike my own. I appreciated the diversity among African-Americans, who are usually the minority in collegiate settings. There were many non-African-Americans in attendance receiving the same wonderful messages, resources and suggestions on how to be successful.”
When she is not focused on her studies, Ray juggles her responsibilities as a mother of two children, and a volunteer for activities on campus and in the community. She is an active member in the Multicultural Club, serves as the student representative on the campus Diversity Team committee, and works as the student marketing manager for the athletic department. Off-campus, she serves as a mentor to two students in the Pittsburgh Job Corps.
“I am having a wonderful experience at Penn State New Kensington,” Ray said. “I am able to reach my goals knowing that I have a wonderful support system, not only in my personal life, but at school, too.”