UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Andrew Doberstein, of Horsham, Pennsylvania, will be honored as the student marshal for the Eberly College of Science during Penn State's fall 2017 commencement ceremonies on Saturday, Dec. 16, at University Park. Doberstein’s faculty escort for the commencement exercises will be Stephen Van Hook, lecturer in physics at Penn State.
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Doberstein will graduate with a 3.99 grade-point average and a bachelor’s degree in biology. He was a Schreyer Honors College Scholar and a member of the dean's list for every semester at Penn State. His honors and awards at Penn State include the Evan Pugh Scholar Award in 2017; the R. Metz, Jr., Betty and Dennis Lynn Headings Scholarship in 2017; the Edward C. Hammond Jr. Memorial Scholarship in Biology in 2016; and the President’s Freshman Award in 2015. He also received an Award of Excellence from the Federal Employee Education and Assistance Fund in 2017.
“I was incredibly humbled to find out that I had been selected to represent the Eberly College of Science as the student marshal,” said Doberstein. “I have dreamed of being a Penn Stater my entire life, and for my hard work to have been recognized by the university that I love so dearly is an absolute honor. I am thrilled to represent the college that played such a large role in facilitating my intellectual and personal development.”
While at Penn State, Doberstein conducted research in the laboratory of Timothy Ryan, associate professor of anthropology. For his honors thesis, he studied the effects of age and tooth loss on the structure and biomechanics of the human mandible — the jawbone. His results may provide insights into how dental professionals provide care to preserve jaw structure and quality of life in the aging population. After graduation, Doberstein will attend dental school.
In addition to his academic achievements, Doberstein was the founder and president of the Current Events Club, secretary of the Pre-Dental Society, a learning assistant for an introductory physics course, and a volunteer at the Suzanne Pholand Paterno Catholic Student Faith Center.
“Once I started at Penn State, I realized that success is measured by more than GPA,” said Doberstein. “The multitude of opportunities that Penn State provides outside of the classroom combined with the support that it offers its students have had a huge impact on the person I am today. Penn State not only prepared me academically, but has exposed me to many different cultures and perspectives which has allowed me to grow as an individual, and be better prepared to work in the diverse world that we live in.”
Doberstein, a graduate of Hatboro-Horsham High School, will be accompanied at commencement by his father, Tom Doberstein (Penn State class of 1981); his mother, Rosemary Doberstein (Penn State class of 1981); his sisters Joan Doberstein and Lauren Doberstein (Penn State class of 2016); and his brother Thomas Doberstein (Penn State class of 2017).