Every member of the PennWest community has a story—stories of ambition, resilience, and impact.
People of PennWest amplifies these voices, from students and faculty to alumni making a difference.
Discover their journeys, be inspired by their experiences, and see what it truly means
to be part of PennWest.
Showing 15 of 43 results
Whenever they called my name [for NCAA Woman of the Year], that was moment I'll never forget... it was humbling, and it was fantastic.
Kristin Day Shute
Alumni
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Being a coach has been more rewarding than being a player just because you get to see that growth and you get to be a part of it.
Mikaylah "Miki" Glenn
Alumni
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Don't be afraid to fail at something because the growth happens in the failure. The growth happens and you learn the most when the failure occurs.
Dr. Korey Kilburn
Faculty
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The bottom of my boots melted, and I got to cook marshmallows over open lava. That combination of the scenery and the intense physical experience really hooked me.
Aaron Barnes
Student
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I'm very enthusiastic about geology. I love it all, and I try to share that enthusiasm with my students in those classes that are lecture driven, but many of our classes have labs, and that's really where a lot of the learning comes in. And my philosophy there is let's get our hands dirty.
Dr. Kyle Frederick
Faculty
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I got to be very up close and personal with these venomous snakes that oftentimes get a really bad rap, and I got to see them for what they were—quite docile creatures... the type of work that can be done directly within wildlife is what steered me towards this degree.
Jesse Lewis
Student
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Oftentimes when I advise students and I tell them about the classes that I teach, they're like, 'You can get a degree in that?'
Dr. Candice Riley
Faculty
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A Grammy is pretty universal, like I think most people know what a Grammy is... you have been acknowledged... that you are pretty good at this thing.
Matt Poirier
Alumni
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I took an intro to theater class, did this production and that was it. Ever since then, I've been performing
Dr. J.P. Staszel
Faculty
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There hasn't been a year where I haven't been in a show or multiple shows. I just can't get enough of it. I love the stage.
M.J. Jerdan
Student
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We went out one night in Denmark to an Irish pub, karaoke bar, and then we got to go to hotdog stands and food tours, hang out in libraries, which was the coolest thing to me.
Allison Dobrinski
Student
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I went for three months, most incredible months of my life. Definitely a life-changing experience.
Mattie Carey
Student
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I think that being able to help students to see other parts of the world, it changes them in terms of how they experience the world, how they look at our own country and our own history and culture and communication patterns.
Dr. Melissa Gibson
Faculty
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I’m going to give my best to this country. It was a solidifying moment to realize that this is where I belong.
Timothy John
Student
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I want to emphasize the community and people we have at PennWest... I had the pleasure to be in a smaller size classroom throughout my time here. I got to personally get to know my classmates and professors and it really helped with the learning experience.
Morgan Wissner
Student
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