ABINGTON, Pa. — Penn State Abington valedictorian Rachel Katz celebrated the campus' extraordinary sense of community and collaboration in her remarks to the Class of 2019 on Saturday, May 4.
Katz told the 330 graduates that the "warm, close-knit community ... is unique in that its environment is one that stresses collaboration and cooperation rather than competition.”
“This can be seen in the Campus Leaders Activities Workroom, where our student organizations gather together to co-sponsor and plan activities. It can be seen in the classrooms as faculty encourage students to work in teams and students assist one another with group projects. And it can be seen in The Learning Center, as peer tutors mentor other students to help them achieve their academic goals,” she told the audience in the Athletics Building.
Personally, Katz said, the best example of community and collaboration occurred last fall when she helped organize a candlelight vigil in the aftermath of the Tree of Life synagogue shootings in Pittsburgh.
“We were all there as a community, supporting one another, standing together against hate,” the Schreyer Honors College Scholar said.
“We know from the lessons we learned from Penn State Abington about the importance of teamwork and community that we will not be facing challenges alone. We carry with us the support of our mentors, friends and family wherever we go. And with this powerful network, we can achieve anything.”