Isabella Romig, a Penn State Berks psychology major with a minor in Spanish and a certificate in Spanish for healthcare, was selected as this year’s student marshal. She will deliver a speech titled “The Horrors Persist but So Do I” at the college’s commencement ceremony at 10 a.m., Saturday, May 10, 2025 at the Santander Arena.
The Leesport, Pa. native explained that her natural curiosity about how people think and her proclivity for language led her to her major in psychology and minor in Spanish. But it was her desire to help others that drove her decision to also earn the Certificate in Spanish for Healthcare.
Being born into a Penn State family and wanting to stay close to home were Romig’s motivating factors in choosing Penn State Berks. She explained, “Penn State Berks is a great school and I really enjoyed the community. Staying local was very convenient for me: I was able to commute, which allowed me to save money and keep my part-time job.”
Romig took advantage of all the college had to offer. In addition to excelling academically, she took advantage of the opportunity to conduct research. She worked on a study titled “Sharing spaces: Exploring social interactions in the sensory room” with her faculty adviser Catherine Mello, associate professor of psychology.
The University Libraries, as part of the LibWell initiative, established a Sensory Room within the Penn State Berks Thun Library. The purpose is to assist students with sensory impairments and neurodiversity. The study examined the potential social anxiety that could occur for neurodiverse students if a sensory room were open to multiple students simultaneously.
Romig presented her research at the 2024 Higher Education Council of Berks County (HECBC) Undergraduate Research and Creativity Conference. She also received the University Libraries Undergraduate Research Award.
During the college’s recent Academic Awards presentation, Romig was recognized for her achievements with the Evan Pugh Scholar Award, presented to students in the top 0.5 of their class, and the Academic Excellence Award in Psychology.
Romig explains that her commencement speech, “The Horrors Persist but So Do I” is reflection of her anxiety about the future, and adds that she has “learned and grown so much during her time at Penn State Berks.”
When asked how her experience at Penn State Berks has prepared her for her future, she stated, “The biggest thing was connecting with the professors and hearing their stories and the trajectory of their lives. When you’re a student, it’s comforting to hear these stories. I’ve made great connections during my time at Penn State Berks and had a lot of great opportunities.”
After graduation, Romig plans to find a position in her field and is also interested in investigating law schools, with the ultimate goal of pursuing a career in immigration law and helping others.
