Kate Harley - Trip to London with the International Finance Class

This past week has been pretty hectic so far!  In all, I have written an eight-page paper, done a lot of work for my risk management class, and am starting to prepare for finals week.  Tonight I am starting my final paper for my international finance class.  I am not too worried about that paper because it’s all about the trip to London I went on with my class over Thanksgiving Break. 

We visited Lloyd’s of London, the London Metal Exchange, Barclay’s, Sotheby’s, and so many more destinations! It was such an eye-opening experience and it really showed me all the different things I could do with my major after I graduate.  So you might be wondering how I got to go on this trip, or how a college student could afford a trip to London. 

This was the first year that the International Finance Class was lucky enough to have a trip like this.  Dr. Abdou set up so many wonderful visits for us to go on.  I cannot thank him enough for the amazing experience that this trip has given me, along with some new friends as well!  And how did I pay for this trip?  I was lucky enough to receive $1,200 in scholarships for a trip that only cost $1,500! 

Dr. Esqueda, Sr. Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, and his wife also joined us on the trip.  Dr. Esqueda studied in London, so it was great to have someone around that knew the area.  

Our flight was a little rough getting there, after it had been delayed and cancelled a couple times, but we finally got there, even though we were a day late.  During our free time in London we got to see Big Ben, the London Eye, the London Bridge, and so many other places.  I am a huge Harry Potter fan myself, so I made sure that I saved time to see a couple Harry Potter sites.  I got to see the theatre where all the movies premiered, a few areas from scenes in the movie, and my favorite platform 9 ¾! 

Overall it was an amazing trip and I thank Penn State for giving me this opportunity! 

Meet Kate Harley

My name is Kate Harley.  I am a junior at Penn State Berks majoring in Business with a focus in Finance. I am highly involved on campus, holding the position of Merchandise Chair for Berks THON, part of the Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon, the world's largest student-run philanthropy dedicated to supporting children with pediatric cancer and their families. I am also the Social Director for the Lion Ambassadors, a peer mentor, and an orientation leader. I played softball for Berks for two years, and I was also the Ice Hockey Manager.

James McCarty - Internships

Being an Applied Psychology major I feel will give me a huge benefit in finding a job for the future because of all of the internship experience I have/will gain throughout my college education. This past week really opened my eyes as to how beneficial it is to have good work experience, leadership characteristics, and most importantly the Penn State name backing me.

I have been in the process of looking for my last internship, and was interested in a local organization that specializes in working with geriatrics. I kept trying to get in contact with the head of the organization, and was not having any luck. Finally, after a few days I spoke with someone but it was not the director whom I was intending to speak to. This person told me that this site was not the best fit for what I was looking for, and that I should try somewhere else. Confused and peeved with what had happened I call the organization one more time. Luckily, I spoke with a lady and she told me to e-mail the director of operations, but she warned me that the likelihood of me obtaining a position was slim to none.

I sent out the e-mail, and to my surprise heard back very quickly and we set up an interview for the following day. I went into the interview and all seemed to go very well. At the conclusion, to my surprise, the Director of Operations said that he has never in his career taken any intern because he felt that they were all unqualified and weren’t there for the right reasons. However, he said that the only reason he considered me for an interview was because in the signature of my email he saw that I was a Penn State student. Then once we met, he was sold because of the leadership and experience I obtained throughout my education thus far. It was amazing to know that the sole reason for getting this internship for next semester was because of my experience I gained from Penn State, but also having that name to back me.  

Meet Justin Fiorillo

My name is Justin Fiorillo. I’m a freshman Kinesiology major at Penn State Berks. I want to get a degree in Kinesiology and one day become a personal trainer. My hobbies include exercise, playing video games, writing, and hanging out with my friends. I chose Penn State Berks because when I took a tour the first time, I fell in love with the campus, how it was set up, and the people here.

Meet Darrell Marrow

Open House, October 2012

Hello world! My name is Darrell Marrow, I’m a junior, Communication Arts & Sciences major here at Penn State Berks. I live in the residence halls, and I absolutely love it. I am involved a many different things on campus and because of this, I have got to meet so many other students. I am a Lion Ambassador, Orientation Leader assistant captain, peer mentor, multicultural mentor, teaching assistant, student library aid, and dedicated THONer (THON is the largest student-run philanthropy in the world which helps raise money for pediatric cancer treatment and supportive services for families). I was also a rider for the Penn State Berks Equestrian Team.

I am also an ASPIRE student. ASPIRE is an educational opportunity program that familiarizes incoming freshmen with the campus and available community resources. This past summer, I was able to work as a mentor for the ASPIRE program; assisting students in the same program that had a positive impact on my college success thus far.

THON 2012

Katie Eggert - Commuting

The other day, I had a fellow Lion Ambassador ask me where I live on campus.  To her surprise, I responded by saying, “I commute from home!”  Most people come up to me thinking that I live on campus because of how involved I am, and it is one of the greatest feelings!  My mom will often say to me, “Are you ever going to be home?”  Most days I feel like I should bring a pillow in the library and just stay here.  Lately, some of my closest friends have even let me stay with them over night or over the weekend. 

When I first came to Berks, I was a little nervous about making friends because I am a commuter.  For the first few weeks of my first semester, I was always by myself and would leave campus as soon as classes were over.  As soon as I decided to get more involved with campus, I made many friends and became a part of the campus.  Now when I walk to class, I pass by at least 5 people that I know.  I feel so proud to be a part of the campus, I am proud to be a Penn State student, and I am proud to bleed blue and white! 

James McCarty - Homecoming 2012

This year has seemed almost like a dream for me, and this past weekend was the icing on the cake in a sense. I was asked by Chancellor Hillkirk of Penn State Berks to represent our campus during a halftime ceremony this past weekend during the Penn State vs. Ohio State football game. The ceremony was intended to highlight the academic achievement of our students throughout the University. Having played football for the majority of my life, it has always been a dream of mine to hear my name being announced, echoing from the speakers at Beaver stadium, and I can now say that my dream has now become a reality. It was a breathtaking sight to walk down the Penn State sideline and hear the roar of the crowds. The stadium seemed to be packed to its brim with a sea of white. I was truly left speechless. I stopped a few times just to focus on my surroundings and take everything in. It was truly an honor to be able to represent Penn State Berks to the University as a whole. Once back inside the pathway under the stadium, I stopped to thank Chancellor Hillkirk, and as I turned around President Rodney Erickson was standing next to me. I also had my picture taken with him. This weekend was truly a highlight of my life.

One of the best parts about everything was that I was chosen because of how hard I have worked in the classroom as well as around campus, but I feel as though I was undeserving of such an honor. I have been driven to do well academically in order to achieve my goals, which I personally set for my education. I have also done extra-curricular activities because I have enjoyed helping other people, and I believe that I got as much from helping others as they have. I feel as though I was rewarded for doing nothing more than achieving my goals and doing what I set my mind to do. I am truly appreciative and humbled from this event and my experiences. Thank you Chancellor Hillkirk!!! 

Meet Katie Eggert & James McCarty

Katie Eggert

Hi, my name is Katie and I am a sophomore, Applied Psychology major from Reading, PA. I commute from home, and am very involved in campus activities, serving as an Orientation Leader and a Lion Ambassador, a student representative for the campus that gives tours, and many other duties. 

I am also very involved in THON. Short for the Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon, THON is a year-long effort to raise funds and awareness for the fight against pediatric cancer. THON's fundraising helps offset the cost of a child's cancer treatment and helps establish research endowments aimed at increasing the cure rates of pediatric cancer treatments.


I am also a member of the Campus Activities Board which organizes campus events. Even though I am an Applied Psychology major, I'm also a member of the Hotel Restaurant Society, which helps to serve events on campus. I was asked to join because I love baking!

James McCarty

Hi, my name is James and I am a senior here at Penn State Berks, majoring in Applied Psychology with a minor in Business. I've commuted from home for all four years, and am extremely involved on campus. For example, I am the president of the Lion Ambassadors, a group that gives campus tours, assists with open houses, and performs many other duties. 

I was also an Orientation Leader Captain this past fall, assisting and welcoming the incoming freshman class. I am also a member of the Honors program at Berks. I work in both the Admissions Office, as well as the Campus Life Office, and also serve on many student committees.

When I graduated high school, I looked at a lot of colleges, but I fell in love with Penn State Berks. Here I’m earning the big University degree, and still enjoying one-on-one interaction with my professors. The Applied Psychology degree program includes multiple internships, giving students a lot of real-world experience. The college has given me so many leadership opportunities. Choosing Penn State Berks is the best decision I ever made.