Liberal Arts college marshal seeks to leave democratic impact on Penn State

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Led by their love of learning and knowledge, Taran Samarth has used the last four years to get engaged in a wealth of opportunities at Penn State. This — in addition to their outstanding academic achievement — is why Samarth was selected to represent the College of the Liberal Arts as its spring 2023 college marshal at the commencement ceremony on May 6. 

The Paterno Fellow and Schreyer Scholar decided to pursue four majors during their time at Penn State and will graduate with bachelor of arts degrees in philosophy, political science and sociology and a bachelor of science degree in mathematics. The State College, Pennsylvania, native was also selected as the philosophy major marshal for the College of the Liberal Arts.

“I came in wanting to do political science and sociology with the intent of graduating and becoming a community organizer to work on social movements that I believed in,” Samarth said. “I realized pretty quickly that I wanted a lot more. A lot of social science is based in quantification, so math gave me a grounding and the comprehensive skills I needed to do social analysis. At the same time, a lot of that quantification left out social theory, so I became interested in philosophy to think critically about what the world is beyond what we draw down to a survey question.”

While they had always been interested in political science and social organizing, it was their experiences at Penn State and in the College of the Liberal Arts that introduced Samarth to a multitude of knowledge and opportunities that would shape their educational career.

“I took a 400-level philosophy class my second semester at Penn State,” Samarth said. “I had never taken a philosophy class before, and I didn’t realize until it was too late that this class was made up of seniors and graduate students. Despite being in this situation, I found that the professors and students all wanted to build a very collaborative environment and always filled us in on background information of what we didn’t know. I realized philosophy could be a place where you didn’t have to have a massive wealth of knowledge to come in and succeed, and it helped me realize the academic environment that I wanted to be in.”

Along with courses like these, it was also the faculty within the College of the Liberal Arts who helped Samarth succeed and allowed them to explore their passions within numerous fields of study.

“Dr. Michael Nelson in political science has been my closest mentor and adviser throughout the past four years,” Samarth said. “He has allowed me to help with the research and studies that he does but also allowed me to pursue projects of my own. His support is probably the reason why I got into grad school. Additionally, Dr. Ray Block, who is also in political science, is the reason that I saw political science research as the way to achieve the goals I had surrounding community organizing.”

Samarth was selected as a 2023 Stand Up Award winner by the Rock Ethics Institute this spring. The Stand Up Awards recognize undergraduate students at Penn State who have demonstrated ethical leadership by standing up for a cause, idea or belief. 

Samarth was nominated by Nora Van Horn, a 2022 Stand Up Award winner and the spring 2022 College of the Liberal Arts student marshal, for being an ethical leader who “unlocks opportunities for others to participate in creating a better world and grow into ethical leaders themselves.”

Samarth was selected for their commitments to democracy and accountability, which have guided their advocacy at Penn State related to promoting democratic practices, sustainability and a more inclusive environment at the University.

Samarth’s numerous involvements outside the classroom have helped build their professional skills and enrich their passions. They have completed research for the departments of political science, communications arts and sciences and philosophy. Additionally, they have served as a member of Penn State’s Model UN, research and policy lead for Penn State Forward, vice president for finances for the Penn State International Affairs and Debate Association and an undergraduate research ambassador, where they used their knowledge to help other students find resources for research in the humanities.

Their time and experiences at Penn State have ultimately shaped them both personally and professionally. From the time they first stepped foot on campus to now graduating as the college marshal, their education has taught them about their passions, as well as the person they are today.

“I would tell my first-year self to take more bold stances,” Samarth said. “I’ve learned that the real way to be a student leader isn’t by taking difficult classes or by joining a high-ranking club — it’s taking a stand for something you are passionate about. That’s how you can be recognized for making change at Penn State and succeeding civically and socially.” 

Following graduation, Samarth will attend Yale University as a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow, pursuing a doctorate in political science. They hope to produce work both for the academic and activism communities.

“Being this year’s college marshal means a lot because it recognizes all of the people who have made me, me,” Samarth said. “All of my mentors, professors, friends, club leaders and folks leading change on this campus have built my capacity to do this work. To me, this is a broad recognition of this community at Penn State and in State College, that in part is mine, and I’m very grateful for that.”

Learn more about the College of the Liberal Arts’ spring 2023 commencement activities.