Sean Kelly, an intern in the Penn State Abington Office of Strategic Communications and Community Engagement, will graduate from Penn State Abington on May 4 with a bachelor's degree in corporate communication. Below, Kelly shares his thoughts about his decision to attend Penn State.

Being a senior in high school is a fun but stressful time for everyone. We’re enjoying our last few months with the classmates who we grew close with over the last four years, and we’re also deciding what we are going to do with the next years of our lives.

However, some of us don’t find that to be easy. We procrastinate because we are scared, don’t feel ready, or a million other reasons. I was one of these people. I was ready to leave high school, but not entirely ready to decide what college I wanted to attend for the next four years.

After procrastinating and missing all of the acceptance deadlines for the universities that accepted me, I ended up at my local community college. The plan was to go to community college for one year, two semesters, and then transfer to a school in the city and live with my friends where I would spend the next three years of my life.

I was all set to go. I was accepted and about to sign the lease for an apartment with my friends, and then one morning I woke up and decided against it. I’m not entirely sure why, but I knew that I wasn’t going to be fully comfortable there.

So there I was, back at my local community college for another year, not knowing where I was going to attend after the year was up. Basically, I was stuck where I was as a senior in high school.

First semester goes by, didn’t know where I was going to go. The winter break comes, and I talked with a relative who mentioned Penn State Abington. It wasn’t on my radar at all. Right after that night, it was the only place on my radar.

As soon as I got home, I researched the school to learn more about the programs, the cost, etc. I fell in love with Abington and applied immediately.

The process went smoothly. Transfer admissions contacted me not long after to set up a meeting to determine my transfer credits, and I was pleasantly surprised. Abington accepted more credits than all of the other universities I had applied to.

I attended my transfer orientation that spring, chose my courses, and spent the summer anxiously awaiting the beginning of classes. I am not a huge fan of school to begin with, so to get me excited it had to be something special.

I got there on my first day, and — I won't lie — I was a little lost. I was a 20-year-old stepping onto a four-year college campus for the first time. It was nerve-racking, but immediately I felt at home when I saw my first professor. He gave off such a friendly, helpful and kind notion. It didn’t hurt that he cracked a few one-liners within the first five minutes to relax everyone. 

From there on every person, professor, faculty and staff member I met gave me the same feeling. A helpful, kind and welcoming feeling that made you feel like no matter what, they were going to help you get where you needed to go.

Graduation is a few weeks away, and I am extremely excited to get out in the real world, however, there is a part of me that is sad to leave. Abington has brought me countless memories and opportunities for which I will forever be grateful.

If you’re reading this and are wondering whether or not to attend Abington, as a transfer or not, stop what you’re doing and apply. If you’ve already applied and have been accepted, stop what you’re doing and accept that offer. You will not regret it. I know I don’t.

About Penn State Abington

Penn State Abington provides an affordable, accessible, and high-impact education resulting in the success of a diverse student body. It is committed to student success through innovative approaches to 21st century public higher education within a world-class research university. With nearly 4,000 students, Penn State Abington is a residential campus that offers baccalaureate degrees in 19 majors, undergraduate research, the Schreyer honors program, NCAA Division III athletics, and more.