香农马修斯
媒体,爸爸. -校友香农·马修斯, 2016届毕业生, is connecting her hometown community and her college community to help students follow in her footsteps and receive a Penn State education. 通过25美元,000年奖学金, 马修斯将支持切斯特的居民, 宾西法尼亚, 谁在bck体育官网注册. 的支持, 在未来五年内等额发放, 会给谁的学生, 比如马修斯本人, 以成人学生的身份攻读学位.
Matthews said she hopes that her support will help more of these students to choose college and choose 宾州州立大学白兰地酒. 只有13.切斯特市6%的人, 距离白兰地酒市只有6英里, have obtained a bachelor’s degree or higher according to the U.S. 人口普查局. 除了, less than 1% of 白兰地酒’s student body comes from Chester, 根据校园登记员的说法.
“Our community mantra is ‘What Chester Makes, Makes Chester,’” said Matthews. “我从小就想实现这句箴言. Being helpful, sharing and supporting others is a staple in Chester. 分享是我一直坚信要做的事情.”
我想实现我年轻时的梦想. Being helpful, sharing and supporting others is a staple in Chester. 分享是我一直坚信要做的事情.——香农·马修斯，bck体育官网2016届毕业生
Matthews describes Chester as a small city rich with traditions, 对彼此的爱和对社区的自豪感. 一年一度的班级日颁奖典礼就是这样一个传统, where alumni return to award scholarships to graduating seniors,马修斯说. 带着同样的奉献精神, 我想扩大我的范围，包括下一步, 他在宾州州立大学白兰地酒分校上学. I also hope that students who receive this support will take advantage of all the opportunities on campus. 这可以真正改变他们的生活.”
Matthews said she intends for this scholarship to benefit recent graduates and adult learners from the City of Chester who wish to continue their education. The goal of the scholarship is to eliminate barriers for people seeking a degree from 宾州州立大学白兰地酒, and it will be awarded to those with demonstrated financial need.
长期以来，支持学生一直是马修斯生活的一部分. She comes from a family deeply rooted in community service and remains active with several civic and community organizations in Chester. 与, she plans to work with students where needed to ensure they are successful in obtaining their degrees, especially leveraging the mentorship program from the 校友 Society that Shannon started.
Matthews did not have a traditional journey to her degree; she attended college straight out of high school and later returned to college as an adult learner, beginning her Penn State journey after raising her children. Majoring in communication arts and sciences and double minoring in international studies and civic and community engagement, she took advantage of the study abroad options and the Blue and White Society on campus.
“获得大学学位是改变人生的时刻. 它会改变你的财务机会, 这也会改变你的社交机会,马修斯说. “The only way you can change your life is if you are willing to take steps needed to chart your path forward, 做出牺牲去追求你的梦想, 最重要的是, 相信自己.”
从bck体育官网毕业后, 马修斯立即加入了白兰地酒校友会, where she has been a very active member for the past eight years.
“I wanted to find ways to utilize the alumni society as a tool,”她说。. “I wasn’t necessarily looking to switch careers or seek a new job opportunity because I was settled into a school community, 但我想找到一种方法来扩大我的网络, expand my reach in service and share experiences and ideas to make an impact on the 白兰地酒 community.”
目前, Matthews works with the Delaware County Intermediate Unit at Delaware County Technical Schools where she is the community resource developer/Perkins Grant coordinator.
给bck体育官网的学生提供建议时, Matthews urges them to become involved with the activities on campus and create their own network of friends and collaborators.
During your time in college, you want to capitalize on the opportunities on campus. 当有机会与校友见面时, 和别人谈谈你的专业或目标, 好好利用它.——香农·马修斯，2016届毕业生
“During your time in college, you want to capitalize on the opportunities on campus. 当有机会与校友见面时, 和别人谈谈你的专业或目标, 好好利用它,”她说。. “Networking has many benefits; utilize those opportunities to learn and grow. 这将会有所不同.”
Donors like 香农马修斯 advance the University’s historic land-grant mission to serve and lead. 通过慈善事业, alumni and friends are helping students to join the Penn State family and prepare for lifelong success; driving research, outreach and economic development that grow our shared strength and readiness for the future; and increasing the University’s impact for families, patients and communities across the commonwealth and around the world. 欲知详情，请浏览 提高.事业单位.edu.
