Clark Scholars Cohort 3

Aniyah Bunn

Aniyah Bunn is from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She will earn a bachelor of science in computer science and a minor in engineering entrepreneurship and innovation. During her time at Penn State, she served as a Metacognition program assistant for the 2023 Engineering Summer Bridge Program, contributed to the Multicultural Engineering Program Orientation as a Design Assistant in 2023 before advancing to Design Leader in 2025, and served as a technical assistant for the Multicultural Innovators in Computer Science in the spring of 2025. Her technical excellence extends well beyond campus. In the summer of 2024, Aniyah completed a software engineering internship at Meta Platforms in Menlo Park, California, followed by a software engineering internship at Microsoft Corporation in Redmond, Washington in the summer of 2025, where she will be returning full-time as a software engineer II. Looking ahead, Aniyah plans to travel, pursue certifications in cybersecurity and machine learning, and continue building meaningful projects that push the boundaries of her craft. 

Advice for Clark Scholars: "Your authenticity is your competitive advantage; no one else can replicate it."

Kenneth Carter Jr.  

Kenneth Carter Jr. is from Camden, New Jersey. He will earn a bachelor of science degree in materials science and engineering with a minor in engineering design. During his time at Penn State, he has studied abroad in Peru for sustainability and Taiwan for entrepreneurship. He has also done undergraduate research with Dr. Kayyalha in his quantum devices lab and with Dr. J.A. Robinson’s Silicon Caride Initiative Alliance (SCIA). For club involvement, he served as the social media chair for the Quantum Student Society, which discusses quantum science, the newest innovations, and how anyone can enter the quantum science industry. After his time at Penn State, Kenneth plans to pursue a masters in nanoengineering and be able to better material performance through nanofabrication. 

Advice for Clark Scholars: "The book that Dr. Griggs gives you during summer bridge is a secret weapon."

Kiyoshi Dixon

Kiyoshi Dixon is from Allentown, Pennsylvania. He will earn a bachelor of science in mechanical engineering and a minor in entrepreneurship and innovation. During his time at Penn State, he served for two years as a mentor for the Multicultural Engineering Program Orientation. He also served as both the corporate liaison and treasurer for Penn State National Society of Black Engineers during the 2025-2026 academic year. Outside of campus, Kiyoshi has studied abroad in both Lima, Peru and Seoul, South Korea in which he contributed to engineering local environmental solutions and entrepreneurial ventures respectively. In terms of corporate experience, Kiyoshi became a National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering corporate scholar prior to starting his internship at Air Products in which he was able to network with top leaders from across various big-name engineering companies. During this internship, he created a database for the Central Fleet Department containing crucial information regarding their entire fleet of 400+ tube trailers, ultimately helping the company save hundreds of thousands of dollars in retests and rehabilitations. Upon graduating, Kiyoshi will enter a full-time rotational program with ABB under Commercial Sales. 

Advice for Clark Scholars: "Be strategic when approaching any opportunities that come your way. Always make sure that you are better than you were the day before in terms of growth and accomplishments."

Lucie Farrell 

Advice for Clark Scholars: "It's better to admit you walked through the wrong door than to spend your life in the wrong room."

Almila Meng  

Almila Meng is from Maryland, but her ethnicity is half Chinese and half Turkish. She will earn an integrated bachelor’s/master's degree in architectural engineering and a minor in engineering entrepreneurship. She held multiple summer internships, working at low voltage and electrical systems design at engineering consulting firms, and has been doing research under the Sustainable Buildings and Societies lab for four years. She also participated in two study abroad opportunities in Ireland and South Korea to collaborate internationally. At school, she served as the National Electrical Contractors Association’s treasurer in her senior year and attended the National Convention in Chicago. In the future, she hopes to earn a second Graduate degree in Smart Building Technologies. 

Advice for Clark Scholars: "College is probably the time where you would have the freest time and the time to explore any new things you always wanted to try and new hobbies, if you want to visit a new city during an internship, travel to a new country, or serve on a leadership role, try as much as you can, take all of the opportunities."

Bryan Nguyen

Bryan Nguyen is from Charleroi, Pennsylvania. He will earn a bachelor of science in computer science with a minor in entrepreneurship and innovation. At Penn State, he has served as a mentor in the Multicultural Engineering Program, supporting and guiding first-year engineering students as they transition into college life. Bryan has gained valuable industry experience through internships with GE Aerospace, MSA Safety, and Northrop Grumman, where he developed his technical skills and contributed to real-world engineering projects. After graduating, Bryan will return to Baltimore to begin his career as a full-time software engineer with Northrop Grumman. His goals include continuing to grow as a software engineer, exploring opportunities across industries, traveling, and making a meaningful impact through technology. 

Advice for Clark Scholars: "Even if new opportunities can make you uncomfortable go after them becasue they will lead to growth."

Justina Nguyen

Justina Nguyen is from Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania. She will earn a bachelor of science in civil engineering with minors in humanitarian engineering and social entrepreneurship and sustainability leadership. Some of her most notable leadership experiences at Penn State include serving as a program coordinator for the Multicultural Engineering Program Orientation and the Vice President for the Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers. Nguyen has studied abroad in Seoul, South Korea; Lima, Peru; Kisumu, Kenya; and Noord, Aruba. Outside of the classroom, she participated in multiple international research experiences. Her most recent summer research took place in 2025 at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, where she investigated the distribution of emerging contaminants in a dairy-influenced watershed. Following her graduation, she will serve as a mentor for the Clark Scholars global experience to Costa Rica and give back to the Engineering Summer Bridge program as a program coordinator before joining Mortenson Construction as a field engineer. 

Advice for Clark Scholars: "Take the road less traveled! Some of my favorite experiences I have had in college are from deviating from the norm and doing something that no one around me has done before."

Corey Ortiz

Corey Ortiz is from Poconos, Pennsylvania. He will earn a bachelor of science in computer science and a minor in entrepreneurship and innovation. At Penn State, he has served as the conference director and internal vice president for the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers. He served as a design assistant for the Multicultural Engineering Program Orientation. He was a tutor at the Academic Excellence Center supporting undergraduate engineering students. He has participated in a study abroad program in Peru where he explored Machu Picchu, Cuzco, and Lima and learned about engineering in Universidad Nacional de Ingeniería (UNI). He was a software engineer intern at Lockheed Martin for two consecutive years in Manassas, Virginia. After graduating, Corey will be working with Lockheed Martin as a full-time software engineer. His goals are to travel the world, go to culinary school, develop/apply his software engineering in different industries. 

Advice for Clark Scholars: "Find a group of friends that will push you to your limits, those will be your friends for life."

Kason Patterson

Kason Patterson is from Texas and will earn a bachelor of science in computer science from Penn State. During his time at Penn State, he managed more than 100 student staff members at the White Building Gym while also serving for several years as a math learning assistant, grader, and teaching assistant. He has also completed research and internships in artificial intelligence and machine learning. While pursuing a minor in entrepreneurship, studying abroad in four different countries, and managing a large student staff, Kason discovered a strong passion for business and people management. That experience led him to shift away from engineering and pursue a career in consulting. He later completed a summer internship in technology consulting at PwC in New York City and will return after graduation in May 2026 as an associate technology consultant. Looking ahead, Kason hopes to travel the world and launch a business within the next year. 

Advice for Clark Scholars: "It is easy to get caught up in things that do not matter in college and lose sight of what you came here for, so stay true to who you are. Hang out with good people, and do not let bad influences, organizations, or anything else stop you from pursuing your goals and achieving your dreams. Do not worry about what other people are doing. Grind, succeed, and set yourself up for a good life after college. And make some friends along the way."

Kaleah Tuttle

Kaleah Tuttle is from Thorndale, Pennsylvania. She will earn a bachelor of science in biomedical engineering and a minor in engineering leadership development. Tuttle has participated in study abroad programs in Seoul, South Korea and Como, Italy. On campus, Tuttle has served as the treasurer and student advisor for the Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers, marketing director for HackPSU, and a lead mentor for the Multicultural Engineering Program Orientation. Tuttle conducted research in the Crowley lab during the summer of 2024 and the Hayes Lab during the summer of 2025. Following graduation, she plans to study abroad in Pretoria, South Africa before pursuing research and obtaining a master's degree in biomedical engineering. 

Advice for Clark Scholars: "You cannot please everyone, but you can focus on what brings you fulfillment. Take advantage of opportunities that interest you, especially those that are new or unfamiliar, because they often lead to the most meaningful growth."