In the past few years, Timothy John has finished high school, immigrated to the United States with his family, enrolled as a biology/pre-med major at PennWest Clarion, joined the Navy Reserve, and has become an American citizen.

His most recent achievement is being confirmed as the Clarion student representative on the Pennsylvania Western University Council of Trustees. That happened Feb. 6 during the quarterly meeting of Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education Board of Governors. The position was left vacant in December when previous Clarion representative Rachel Kister graduated.

Student Trustees are full voting members of the council; the trustees are charged with reviewing the administration, fiscal management and physical plant of the university.

John, a sophomore biology/pre-med major from Rochester Mills, sought the position to be a conduit between PennWest students and administration. Among his primary goals as a trustee is cultivating and encouraging student success by helping students identify their potential and providing opportunities for them to excel.

He makes decisions about his own education in just that way – recognizing, seizing and maximizing every opportunity.

“Growing up, I wasn’t the greatest student,” John said. “I knew I had the potential, but I never tried. I had no motivation, and no purpose.”

When he enrolled in the biology/pre-med program at PennWest Clarion, he knew that he would need self-discipline to navigate the challenging path to a career in medicine. While working at Starbucks, he served a customer who was a recruiter for the U.S. Navy, and they began a conversation about military service and how it could align with John’s career goals.

“Hearing that opportunity, I felt like that was what I needed to strengthen my discipline. It would be challenging, and it would help me with my career in the medical field,” John said.

He joined the Navy Reserve with an eight-year contract. He completed boot camp at Naval Reserve Great Lakes in summer 2022 and went to Fort Sam Houston to become a Navy Hospital corpsman. He reported for a week in early January, and he’ll report for another week for his reserve duty during spring break. Through his service, he is certified in Basic Life Support and phlebotomy.

The Navy Reserve provides a small scholarship to John each month, but it has provided something even more rewarding. In 2021, John’s family emigrated from Chennai, India,

where he was born and raised. He entered the military with a Green Card and earned his U.S. citizenship through his service.

“I knew this was God’s purpose,” John said. “I’m going to give my best to this country. It was a solidifying moment to realize that this is where I belong.”

After he completes his undergraduate degree at Clarion, he can enroll in one of the commissioning options, and the Navy will pay for him to go either to the Uniformed Services University or to a medical school of John’s choosing, or he can continue in the reserves and pay for medical school on his own.

On campus, John enjoys organizing study groups with friends and classmates. He is involved with the Christian student group BASIC, for whom he leads Sunday worship at a local church. He plays keyboard, guitar and drums in the group’s worship band.

He makes time to run several days a week and enjoys shopping for fashion bargains in thrift stores. A self-described coffee enthusiast, John shares his knowledge with friends and family, and with customers at Clarion’s Canyon Coffee, where he works part time.