Hello fellow students! I’m Steven Bernstein, a student of Mathematics and Education. I have committed my life to serving and advocating for students of all different backgrounds, and I hope to use this position to do exactly that for the undergraduate student body.

To the surprise of many, I decided to study Mathematics – and STEM more generally – because I believe the learning experience should be fun and lively. Hence, I approach my chosen field as a puzzle or game. In this way, my goal is to make the college experience joyful and unique, creating an environment where everyone is happy to learn and come home to! Active collaboration and support of student organizations will be a key factor I focus on to foster this sense of engagement and wellness at Penn State, as they are the keystone to outreach in our campus community.

Working in STEAM Education for nearly five years has afforded me many wonderful opportunities to understand the struggles students face. This experience is my inspiration for finding ways to support students through these academic and life challenges. Many face family conflicts, identity crises, and financial struggles during their time in school. These challenges make it difficult for students to find academic success and meaning in their lives. As student advocates, we have a duty to help navigate these hurdles. My experience in this field includes supporting foreign-born individuals to find inspiration and community within their learning environment, tackling abusive home relationships, and developing tools and techniques necessary to support those with disabilities and disadvantages within the typical school system.

As a Penn State tutor since my enrollment, communication and cooperation with our professors has proven key to developing a course of action that ensures the academic success of everyone in our community, and I aim to strengthen these relationships as I continue to serve Penn State.

It has been an honor and a privilege to participate with and serve the students of Penn State, and I hope to continue to do such as YOUR representative. Take care!

Steven

sab7423@psu.edu