Road to Commencement: Ava Clements

Major: Communications

Graduation Date: May 9, 2026

MEDIA, Pa. — As Ava Clements prepares to graduate on May 9 and take the stage as a student speaker at commencement, she reflects on her time at Penn State Brandywine and the unique experiences that shaped her journey.

“I originally wanted to attend University Park after community college, but I got into Brandywine, not knowing too much about the campus or what Commonwealth Campuses were,” she said. “Once I started taking classes here, I became more inclined to stay at Brandywine.”

Clements was very involved during her time at Brandywine, writing for the Lion’s Eye, taking courses through the Cooper Honors Program, serving as a teaching assistant for First-Year Seminar and working as a part-time marketing and communications specialist in the Office of Strategic Communications. She was also a member of the Academic Integrity Committee and the Brandywine Events and Activities Student Team (BEAST).

“My involvement, especially in BEAST, gave me a way to meet people and attend events, especially as a transfer student,” she said. “Through the Cooper Honors Program, I was able to connect with other honors students and have some really intellectual conversations and take my learning beyond just our coursework. Writing for the Lion’s Eye gave me a firm understanding of newspaper writing and journalism, which then really helped when it came to my part-time position in Strategic Communications.”

While working for the Office of Strategic Communications, Clements wrote numerous news stories about students, faculty, staff and alumni, as well as campus accolades. She also was one of the two faces of Penn State Brandywine’s social media and was co-star of "We Are Chattin’," Penn State Brandywine’s official podcast.

“This internship really took my experience to the next level. I got to learn more about myself in the process, and I really did learn so much about the field,” she said. “I feel like this opportunity was like a lemon I could squeeze all the juice out of. I feel like I’ve been able to squeeze everything out of this internship, and I’ve excelled in so many ways and have grown so much as a person.

“I can walk away from this internship feeling happy, feeling accomplished and feeling like I learned so much,” she continued. “I will forever be grateful for my experience.”

Her time in the Office of Strategic Communications was also one of her favorite memories at Brandywine. She said getting out of her comfort zone, walking around campus to film YouTube videos was her favorite memory.

“My favorite memory was walking around in a corn costume while filming a Thanksgiving video with Natalie DiMario, my co-worker in Strategic Communications, who was dressed in a turkey costume,” she said. “My confidence was through the roof while we were filming that. Everything I’ve done with the department, especially where I was able to dress up as Hannah Montana, an ear of corn and an Elf on the Shelf, gave me such fond memories.”

In order to complete the Cooper Honors Program, Clements had to develop and defend her thesis at the Honors Symposium on April 21. Her thesis, which examined social media’s contribution to political polarization, stemmed from her interest in the political field.

“During any kind of election season, whether presidential or small, local elections, we are flooded constantly with advertisements and content on our social media feed. Also, a lot of the aggressive tension we see online is rooted in politics,” she explained. “When writing my thesis, I was curious to see if algorithms and echo chambers from different platforms contribute to this polarization we see and how certain interactions lead to getting stuck in echo chambers.”

Clements said that her greatest accomplishment during her time at Brandywine was participating in a Maymester study abroad experience in 2024, going to southern France and Monaco.

“I didn’t know a single person going on that trip, and I had never been out of the country before. It was a really big opportunity for me to step outside of my comfort zone and see how I could integrate the experience with my course materials,” she said. “I got to learn new things about a different culture while also using my honors option. The Cooper Honors Program supported me through the whole process, which was really nice.”

Upon graduating from Penn State, Clements will be working full-time for Pennsylvania State Rep. Craig Williams as a district legislative aide and communications specialist. In this role, she will be running Williams’ social media channels and answering constituents’ phone calls.

When asked what advice she would give future Penn State students, Clements said, “Stop and smell the roses and soak up every moment while you can, even if it’s gruesome and tears are streaming down your face from an essay that’s due soon, appreciate the opportunity that you have to receive an education and be on a campus with a community that is here to support you and guide you."