UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Six Penn State graduating seniors who excelled in the classroom and complemented their educations with a variety of co-curricular and hands-on opportunities were selected to serve as student marshals during commencement exercises for the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications.
The student marshals are: Jamie Nguyen, overall; Emily Eng, advertising/public relations; Ryan Manuud, film production; Julia Mertes, journalism; Shannon Cain, media studies; and Mitchell Scordo, telecommunications and media industries.
Commencement exercises will be conducted at 1 p.m. May 4 at the Bryce Jordan Center.
Overall marshal
Jamie Nguyen — Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania
Jamie Nguyen, a consistent Dean’s List student with a 4.0 grade-point average, earned a degree in film production while completing several internships and honing her skills with numerous hands-on, on-campus opportunities. Last summer she worked with Monkeypaw Productions as a development intern and was recognized in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Gold Rising Class of 2023.
Nguyen, a first-generation college student, also completed a double major in sociology. She worked on five different undergraduate film projects, serving in roles such as producer, editor and director. She also served as a producer and editor for CommAgency, an editing lab adviser in the Bellisario College, and as a videographer for 46LIVE’s streaming coverage of the Penn State Dance Marathon (THON).
A Schreyer Honors Scholar and a Paterno Fellow, Nguyen plans to move to California after graduation where she will be working as the inaugural production studio intern for Clorox Company in its in-house studio in Oakland. Her long-term career goal is to create narrative social commentary films about the Asian American diaspora, particularly focusing on the wealth and education disparity faced by Vietnamese refugees and second-generation immigrants.
Advertising/Public Relations Marshal
Emily Eng — South Brunswick, New Jersey
Emily Eng was selected as the advertising/public relations student marshal. Along with success in the classroom, she was extremely active in clubs and organizations, and completed several internships.
Eng, a Bellisario College Fellow, served as vice president of exploration for the Public Relations Student Society of America, vice president of the Bellisario Alliance for Multicultural Students, a Penn State News Literacy Ambassador and as a crew member for 46LIVE.
She also served as an undergraduate student representative on the Bellisario College DE&I Committee and on the Ad/PR Alumni Board as well as the Academic Integrity Committee.
Eng is passionate about diversity, equity and inclusion, healthcare, education and community. She said she hopes to continue making positive impacts on others’ lives through those areas during her career. She was one of 50 students nationally selected for the American Advertising Federation’s Most Promising Multicultural Students Class of 2024, and will begin work with 120/80 MKTG in New York City after graduation.
Film Production Marshal
Ryan Manuud — Centereach, New York
Ryan Manuud, a Bunton-Waller Fellow, Bellisario College Fellow and Schreyer Honors Scholar, was selected as the film production marshal.
In 2023, he spent a semester in Los Angeles in the Penn State Hollywood Program. Manuud completed two internships in L.A., and numerous internships and professional experiences overall — including roles with increasing responsibility for CommAgency. He also serves as director and editor of his own film company.
After graduation he’ll be the primary videographer/editor and a live production camera operator for the Revolution Talent Competition. He’s also pursuing a position with Madison Square Garden Entertainment and will continue his entertainment pursuits as a professional dancer and stunt performer.
Journalism Marshal
Julia Mertes — Montoursville, Pennsylvania
Julia Mertes was selected as the journalism student marshal. A Schreyer Honor Scholar, she completed her degree — as well as a double major in English and a minor in technical writing — with a 4.0 grade-point average.
Along with that classroom success and numerous academic honors, including acceptance as a Paterno Fellow and a Public Humanities Fellow, Mertes served as the primary presidential election reporter and East Palestine train derailment reporter for The News Lab, housed in the Bellisario College. She previously worked news features and as an investigative reporter for The Daily Collegian.
Mertes also served as communications director for the Lion’s Pantry, Penn State’s student-run food pantry, and led donor relations and fundraising efforts benefitting Relay for Life at Penn State.
After graduation, she plans to pursue opportunities to write long-form features and conduct investigative reporting. Her passion for nonprofit organizations will shape her career as well.
Media Studies Marshal
Shannon Cain — Westchester, New York
Shannon Cain was selected as the media studies student marshal and completed a double major by earning a bachelor’s degree in marketing.
She completed a handful of internships, with experiences in brand marketing, marketing and sales, and public relations. She also worked as a production assistant for WPSU-TV and served in roles of increasing responsibility, most recently as executive director, for Penn State Network News.
Her varied experiences also include an active role with the Penn State American Marketing Association and as a teaching assistant for the math department in the Eberly College of Science.
After graduation she plans to move to Philadelphia and work as a risk analyst for Guy Carpenter, a reinsurance broker.
Telecommunications Marshal
Mitchell Scordo — Mount Joy, Pennsylvania
Mitch Scordo was selected as the telecommunications and media industries student marshal, and completed a double major in political science with minors in economics and global security.
A Bellisario College Fellow, Scordo also served as president of Lion Caucus, programming director of campus operations for the University Park Undergraduate Association and completed internships for a government strategies company and for a digital fundraising platform.
After graduation, he plans to move to Washington, D.C., to gain more experience with the legislative process by working on Capitol Hill. His goal is to become a communications policy specialist and advise lawmakers on telecommunications regulations.