Layna Henry honored with 2026 Walker Award at Penn State Altoona

ALTOONA, Pa. — In mid-April, Ivyside Dance Ensemble, in conjunction with Allied Motion Dance Company, held its last performance of “Amor Fati (Love of Fate).”

At curtain call, Layna Henry took her final bow as a member of the ensemble, one of many conclusions to her Penn State Altoona college career.

Henry, a psychology major from Hollidaysburg, has left her mark across much of the campus during her four years as an undergraduate — and earned Penn State Altoona’s 2026 Eric A. and Josephine S. Walker Award in return.

The Walker Award recognizes students from across the University whose outstanding qualities of character, scholarship, leadership and citizenship have been directed toward student programs and services. Scholarship is a primary criterion for selection, alongside a record of outstanding service to the campus.

Henry fits the bill in every regard.

An exemplary student, Henry found further success in undergraduate research at Penn State Altoona.

She credited several faculty members with helping her to develop her research interests. An introductory psychology course with Danielle DelPriore led to more specialized courses with Lindsay Lilienthal and Robert Matchock, who became her thesis adviser. Doug Page’s interdomain general education course, History of Madness, Mental Illness and Psychiatry, is where Henry first learned about premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), which became the topic of her Schreyer Honors College thesis.

She presented that research at this year’s Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities Fair (URCAF) on campus and took first place in the social sciences category for the second time. She said she hopes to continue this research by pursuing graduate school in neuropsychology.

Henry also served as an undergraduate research assistant to Lilienthal, who specializes in cognitive psychology. Lilienthal was quick to praise Henry’s strengths as a researcher, citing her ability to explain complex ideas and procedures to non-experts while highlighting real-world implications. She also recognized Henry’s scholarly aptitude and her character.

“Layna is always prepared, picks up new concepts quickly, and is constantly thinking about the bigger picture and working to find connections between the current topic and things she has previously learned and experienced,” Lilienthal said. “She’s one of those standout students whose name you are always excited to see on your course roster at the start of a new semester.”

With a smile, she added, “Layna’s just so poised and confident. I want to be more like Layna when I grow up.”

Praise for Henry’s maturity extends beyond the classroom and research lab into her co- and extracurricular activities.

Among them is her service on the Chancellor’s Student Advisory Council, a diverse group of students who share perspectives, ideas and concerns about the student experience with Chancellor and Dean Ron Darbeau.

It was in this capacity that Darbeau came to know Henry personally and see her growth first-hand.

“It has been a special joy to witness Layna find her power and step into it, as disciplined, aspirational talent found its voice and confidence and blossomed into its own,” he said. “She is that rare student blessed with a wide range of interests and talents which she chooses to share with all around her.”

The stage was another space Henry used to push her edges and grow her self-assurance, she said. She was a member of the Ivyside Dance Ensemble for two years and branched out in fall 2025 to take on a lead role as Dolores in “Working: A Musical.”

“Acting was one of the ways I challenged myself to get out of my comfort zone,” Henry said. “This campus has allowed me to grow with opportunities to try different things. That growth is never comfortable, and the challenges are never just academic. As a college student, life isn’t stagnant. I wouldn’t want it that way.”

“Working” castmate Adria “Jay” Schmidt, a colleague of Henry’s at Penn State Altoona’s Writing Commons, complimented Henry’s ability to encourage and motivate her friends.

“Layna is quite possibly one of the most kind, compassionate and honest people I have ever known,” Schmidt wrote in a letter of recommendation for Henry. “She makes me want to be a better person. I wish for everyone to find someone who can laugh and make you laugh the way that Layna does.”

KT Huckabee, teaching professor, dance coordinator and director of Allied Motion, has known Henry since she was a child, first working with her in the Children’s Dance Theatre Workshop, a branch of Allied Motion for youth. Huckabee said she has enjoyed watching Henry develop as a dancer and person over the last few years.

“I can always count on Layna to be a model for other students, take responsibility when things did not go as expected, and lead from her place of quiet confidence,” Huckabee said. “She always challenges herself to be better, do better and achieve more while enjoying what she is doing. Although she is quiet, her presence speaks volumes through strength of character, ethics and concern for those around her.”

Those qualities extended internationally during her time at Penn State Altoona. Henry took part in two alternative spring break trips to Puerto Rico and in coursework-related trips to Costa Rica and London.

“Layna possesses a graceful, quiet and calming presence that consistently uplifted those around her,” said Victoria Hesser, the Student Success Center’s student services program assistant, who led both spring break trips. “Through her study away trips, she showed up with a positive attitude, a strong work ethic, and genuine care for both the people and places she encountered. She had a natural way of stepping in wherever she was needed, always with steady encouragement and grace. Her growth across these trips is evident in how she connects service to long-term responsibility and personal values, making her a strong example of the impact study away and service-learning experiences can have.”

Henry was held in a similar regard for her poise on a study away trip to London by Laura Rotunno, associate professor of English and associate dean for academic affairs at the Schreyer Honors College.

“Layna’s curiosity is one of her most distinguishing traits and pushes her to take intellectual risks and challenges,” Rotunno said. “She matches that curiosity with kindness. She carefully listens to others and is present for others, and we have been made the better for it.”

With such complimentary and positive ways people across campus view and describe Henry, it’s not a surprise that she is this year’s Walker Award recipient. She accepted the award from Darbeau during a ceremony held on April 27.

“Truly, what a blessing and privilege it is to be recognized with this award,” Henry said. “I’m so grateful to be able to have made an impact on campus. If this award shows anything to other students, I hope it’s that hard work, kindness, respect, accountability and especially saying yes to opportunities will pay off.”