Jamie Hall and Afua Antwi-Boasiako return from a successful Open House at Penn State
According to Alcorn State University seniors Jamie Hall and Afua Antwi-Boasiako, attending the 2016 Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Open House at Pennsylvania State University was a significant moment in their educational journeys.
The students enjoyed their time mingling with STEM majors from other parts of the country, getting familiar with the school’s accomplishments and gaining important educational and career advice from Penn State’s most seasoned STEM professors.
“It was amazing,” said Jamie. “I really enjoyed the students that were able to travel and discover the university. I believe I networked like never before and can’t wait to see the results from the seeds I planted. Penn State has plenty of interdisciplinary research that has been praised globally. To be able to witness the different accomplishments first hand was truly amazing.”
“I had a great experience,” said Afua. “The hospitality from both the faculty and staff was remarkable. They were very warm and welcoming. I also enjoyed interacting with the other students who attended the program. It is always good to know that students from other colleges are experiencing the same challenges as you. I also enjoyed getting to hear about the interesting research projects that others are involved in.”
Jamie and Afua both agreed that the Open House taught them valuable lessons. Jamie said that he learned about African-Americans and STEM careers. Afua learned what she has to do in order to get into the program she desires to pursue.
“I used to think that African-American scholars had a hard time getting into STEM programs and careers, but after my Penn State visit, I found out that isn’t true. That encourages me to stay grounded and take advantage of the great opportunities that STEM provides,” said Jamie.
“I learned so much from interacting with faculty, staff and students. It also helped me make decisions about graduate school. I now know which programs I want to apply to and what I need to do to apply to my program of choice.”
