DuBOIS, Pa. – Penn State DuBois was well represented at the 2022 Student Engagement Expo at the University Park campus. Anna Raffeinner and Brook Grove, both seniors, as well as Brianna Shaw, who transferred from DuBois to University Park recently, took part with presentations in the day’s events.

The annual Student Engagement Expo gives Penn State students a forum where they share impactful experiences they’ve had through clubs, internships, research, travel and other ventures. Raffeinner, Grove and Shaw all highlighted special trips that they completed for an alternative spring break (ASB).

Students participating in the Student Engagement Expo have the option of presenting their unique endeavors in one of three ways; a poster exhibit, a performance, or a lightning talk, a six-minute, TED talk format.

Grove shared her ASB experience in Pittsburgh via a lightening talk. She highlighted her visits to both men’s and women's shelters in the area, learning what programs they offered and what volunteer efforts were like for the shelters. When reflecting on her endeavor, she shared a quote from Maya Angelou, who said “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people never forget how you made them feel.”

Raffeinner and Shaw each highlighted their adventure within the Navajo reservation in Arizona and presented their experiences during the poster session of the expo. “I’m so glad we had the opportunity to talk about our experiences,” said Raffeinner. “ASB trips are a life changing experience, I encourage everyone to go on at least one.”

“Participating in the Student Engagement Expo was yet another experience that put me out of my comfort zone, just like ASB in 2020,” Shaw shared. “Reflecting back on the work we did at the Navajo reservation in Arizona with people from University Park was really eye opening and they were so impressed with our campus, our involvement and our dedication to community and service.”

The Student Engagement Expo also offers a great opportunity for students to connect with individuals, share their experiences, and show others why they should take part in events like ASB opportunities. “It was great to network with so many great individuals while boasting about how amazing alternative spring breaks are at Penn State DuBois and, of course, I would do it again.” Shaw said.