Hi everyone! My name is Jude York, and I am seeking the opportunity to represent the Schreyer Honors College as its Academic Representative for the UPUA’s 20th Assembly. I am a first-year Schreyer student majoring in Political Science and Education and Public Policy. In the previous 19th UPUA Assembly, I served as the Student Liberal Arts Faculty Senator, an At-Large Representative, and a member of the First-Year Council.

During my time in these roles, I have worked on various initiatives to help both Schreyer Scholars and the broader Penn State student body. Some of these initiatives have included advocating for A+ grades to be implemented into Penn State’s grading policy, launching a PR campaign to advance student knowledge of local and statewide politics, ensuring students are aware of their rights regarding final exams and scheduling conflicts, and more. In the 20th Assembly, I plan to continue working on these initiatives and expand on them further.

Some initiatives I intend to pursue in the next assembly include advocating for asynchronous classes the day after THON, reforming the SEEQs and MSEEQs to make them easier for students to complete, encouraging more collaboration between advocacy-related student organizations, facilitating more events that foster Penn State pride—such as a Block Party or another Phone-Free Day—and much more.

Outside of UPUA, I serve on the Lion Caucus Advocacy Committee, where I advocate for greater state funding for the university to ensure tuition remains affordable for students. I have also served on Faculty Senate, where I have addressed issues related to campus quality, general education credits, and other academic policies. These experiences, coupled with my time in UPUA, have given me greater insight into the needs of both the student body and individual Schreyer students, as well as how I can effectively address these issues in the next assembly.

I would be honored to represent you in the 20th Assembly. If these ideas resonate with you, please consider voting for me as the next Schreyer Honors College Representative. Feel free to reach out with any questions at jpy5444@psu.edu—I would love to chat with you!