UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State World Campus is recognizing three students and a service sorority with its first leadership awards.
Zeta Mu Phi was named Student Organization of the 2020–21 academic year and three students were chosen as Student Leaders of the Year as part of the first leadership awards given by Penn State World Campus Student Affairs.
Ashley Adams, senior director of student affairs, said developing the skills of students to be leaders in their education, their communities, and their careers is a top priority for World Campus.
“We applaud these students and Zeta Mu Phi for going the extra mile to use their leadership roles to serve the University and their communities,” she said.
Zeta Mu Phi, which was founded in August 2020 and now has 30 members, has sponsored activities and philanthropic events including an Acts of Kindness month in members’ communities and a campaign to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion. The group also raised more than $2,000 to help bring awareness to and stop child trafficking and abuse.
The students recognized as Leaders of the Year are:
- Rachel Foster, Student Affairs chair for the World Campus Student Government Association, president of the Society for Collegiate Social Science Researchers, and a member of Zeta Mu Phi. Foster was selected because of her leadership of several different initiatives to promote community and inclusion among World Campus students, including collaboration with student leaders from the Council of Commonwealth Student Governments, according to the Student Affairs Office. She is from Nescopeck, Pennsylvania, and studying criminal justice.
- Briana Blackwell, a member of the World Campus Student Advisory Board. Blackwell’s advocacy “helped lead to the creation of identity-based affinity groups for World Campus students and increased training opportunities for student advisory board leaders," according to the award. She is from Pittsburgh and working toward a master’s in public administration.
- Paula Coellar, a peer leader for the One Lion Squad program, which created peer-led learning communities for new World Campus students. Coellar “helped to identify several new strategies to share content and build connection among new World Campus students enrolled in the program,” according to the award. Coellar, who is from St. Charles, Illinois, graduated in May with a bachelor’s degree in international politics.
Visit the Penn State World Campus Student Affairs web page for more information about leadership opportunities.