Paterno Fellow Owen Perry embraces family legacy of helping others

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — For Owen Chios Perry, a third-year student double-majoring in global and international studies and finance, Penn State is more than just a university — it is a family tradition rooted in education, hard work and a shared commitment to excellence.

“Both of my parents are academic advisers here at Penn State but have had very different experiences between the two of them,” said Perry, a State College, Pennsylvania, native. “My mom is third-generation Penn Stater, while my dad is a first-generation Penn Stater. It just goes to show that it doesn’t matter what your background is, everyone is able to connect over the shared love for Penn State.”

His mom, Katelyn Perry, is an academic adviser in the College of the Liberal Arts, while his dad, Jamey Perry, is the assistant dean for academic services in the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications.

“The passion both of my parents have for the University is evident in their concern and attention to detail when they work with students — it was a major factor in why I fell in love with Penn State,” Perry said.

Perry has been a lifelong Penn State fan. His first memory of Penn State was tailgating with his family before the 2011 football game between Penn State and the University of Alabama.

Even though the Paterno Fellow and Schreyer Scholar was always positive he wanted to attend Penn State, Perry’s academic areas of focus were not as clear cut. After considering an engineering major throughout high school, he eventually realized he wanted to pursue a more people-oriented focus and entered Penn State with the intent to major in business administration and political science. After taking numerous liberal arts classes and exploring different fields, he selected his two current majors that combine his love for math and working with people. He also added a French and Francophone studies minor.

“I started taking liberal arts classes and immediately knew I was in the right place,” Perry said. “I enjoyed reading the news every day and learning about different parts of the world. I loved learning about the intersection of culture, economy, politics and everything, for that matter, so the global and international studies major just felt perfect.”

Even though both of Perry’s parents are academic advisers at the University, they have taken a step back when it comes to guiding their son’s academic journey. Rather than acting as his personal advisers, they trust him to navigate his own path while always being there for support when needed. 

“They’ve always made it clear that they’re here if I need advice, but they also know I’m capable of figuring things out on my own,” Perry said. “It’s the perfect balance of support and independence.”

This summer, Perry intends to combine the skills he has gained in both majors as a global markets sales and trading analyst intern for Bank of America in New York City. He explained that leaning on the soft skills he learned in the College of the Liberal Arts will be incredibly helpful with building relationships and maintaining cultural sensitivity.

“Finance built the hard skills necessary for the internship, but Liberal Arts allowed me to hone in on the necessary soft skills, such as understanding how to interpret research, communicate effectively and be curious,” Perry said.

Within the College of the Liberal Arts, Perry works as a peer adviser in the Office of Academic Advising, an experience he said has been fundamental in his college career. In this role, he meets with Liberal Arts students to help them schedule courses, find ways to get involved at Penn State and connect with resources in the college and University. Through this experience, he has gained immense leadership experience, as well as communication and collaboration skills.

“All of us peer advisers are very close,” Perry said. “Having this community makes all of our work so effective. We all have such unique backgrounds but share a love for the College of the Liberal Arts and a passion for education and helping others.”

Perry explained that it is easy to share his love for the College of the Liberal Arts with other students due to the unmatched experiences he has gained through his major and through Liberal Arts Student Services. He said the flexibility and unique programs within the college have elevated his education and have sparked a love for learning.

“You’re able to have such a wide area of study while still being able to specialize in something you love,” Perry said. “The College of the Liberal Arts really encourages you to be a learner rather than just studying to pass an exam.”

Perry is currently studying abroad in Paris. He originally chose Paris simply because it felt like the best fit for gaining fluency in French.

“I will say I have since fallen in love with the atmosphere, quality of life and definitely the food,” Perry said. “The experience so far has been amazing, and I just look forward to continuing to integrate myself into the Parisian community.”

Perry received enrichment funding through the Liberal Arts Career Enrichment Network to support his education abroad experience this semester, as well as his fall 2024 internship with the Center for the Business of Sustainability in the Smeal College of Business.

“Enrichment funding in both situations greatly alleviated the financial pressures of taking on each respective out-of-classroom experience, which I believe conveys the college’s commitment to making those opportunities possible for all students within the college.”

Perry has also felt support from the Paterno Fellows Program in the College of the Liberal Arts.

“The great thing about the Paterno Fellows Program is it provides a great backbone and structure that encourages students to excel and push themselves. It can be hard in a regular environment to approach a professor about a research opportunity, apply for that leadership position you’re not sure you’re cut out for or take the more rigorous class at the risk of a higher workload,” Perry said. “With a program like Paterno Fellows, there is a clear, defined goal with the necessary support to reach that goal, which makes it that much easier to take those risks and strive to succeed.”

In addition to the Center for the Business of Sustainability, Perry’s involvements in the Smeal College of Business include the Penn State Asset Management Group and Sapphire Leadership Academic Program. Perry is also in the University’s Presidential Leadership Academy.

As he moves through his college career, Perry explained that the people within Penn State have taught him the most important lessons. He said his former Little League coach, a Penn State employee, gave him one of the most valuable pieces of advice that he still adheres to. 

“He told me that the greatest gift that Penn State offers is the unique opportunity to try something new on any given day,” Perry said. “I’ve really tried to lean into that and push myself out of my comfort zone. I’ve found a way to shake things up and connect with different communities and people each day.”