One response to “How did coming to Mont Alto change your life or shape your future path?”

1. 

   Hannah Bumbaugh

   March 19, 2026 at 3:31 pm

   When I attended my first semester at Penn State Mont Alto, I was not a student who tried to be involved. I would show up to class and then leave as soon as I was done. Since I was a commuter, I felt that I did not need to immerse myself in campus life and that I would get exactly what I needed by simply attending class. However, during the second semester of my freshman year, I started to notice that I was seeing the same students in many of my classes. When I found some of the subjects challenging, it was comforting to talk with those around me and realize that I was not alone.

   Quickly learning that the student body at Mont Alto could be a familiar and supportive resource allowed me to step out of my comfort zone and begin participating in study groups with other students. Over time, I realized that staying on campus between classes not only allowed me to develop deeper connections with other students, but also with the amazing faculty. Because of Mont Alto’s culture, it was easy to run into professors around campus who knew you personally, building closer relationships, answering questions, inviting discussion, and encouraging debate.

   I also discovered many spots across campus that brought me calm and helped me focus, allowing me to be more productive than when I went home to study. The two years I spent at Mont Alto helped me build important social and interpersonal skills that shaped me into the professional I am today well beyond what I learned in the classroom. Additionally, the friends I made at Mont Alto continued on with me to University Park, which helped me feel much more comfortable and confident during that transition. I built lifelong friendships at Mont Alto.

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