UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Noorein Ahmed, a senior and Schreyer Honors Scholar in health policy and administration in the College of Health and Human Development at Penn State, has been awarded the 2019 Ardeth and Norman Frisbey International Student Award for undergraduates.
The award recognizes undergraduate students who have contributed significantly to furthering international understanding. The student’s contributions could consist of academic, athletic or extracurricular campus activity and/or community involvement in school or civic group programs or service projects.
Ahmed made numerous contributions to Penn State and the community.
As a Women’s Leadership Initiative student -- a program that focuses on improving leadership skills through workshops, field trip and assessments -- Ahmed completed a local community service project.
As communications captain for the Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon, known as THON, she highlighted ways that the international community can contribute to helping families affected by pediatric cancer.
Ahmed served as team director for Fresh Start at Penn State in 2017-18, leading a team of 90 members for a day of service on campus. One of Ahmed’s initiatives was training new leaders to be more effective in their roles. Ahmed also volunteered with Leadershape Institute as its onsite coordinator, helping students with diverse backgrounds earn leadership opportunities and volunteered with the Mid-State Literacy Program, leading a book club for women learning English and teaching English to international students.
Ahmed was one of two inaugural Guide State Forward recipients for Penn State Homecoming in 2018. The Guide State Forward award replaces the homecoming king and queen.
Last year, Ahmed interned at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center’s Department of Medicine, collecting and analyzing data for nursing administration projects. Previously, she interned at the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, developing an interdepartmental mentoring program for employees. Ahmed is interested in the effects of employee development on hospital culture, and she is exploring how mentors impact women’s ascension to executive positions in health care.
“It is difficult to quantify the many volunteer hours that Noorein has contributed to Penn State as a student leader,” a nominator said. “She continues to grow in confidence, competence and leadership capacity with each new experience. She is goal-oriented and driven, and functions in servant leadership with those with whom she interacts. She is a role model and now a mentor to others who serve under her leadership.”