Cohen-Hammel Fellows: Cohort 2024-2025
Brynna Bentz
Brynna Bentz grew up in Shillington, Pennsylvania, and attended Governor Mifflin High School (GMHS). At Governor Mifflin, she was very active in the music program and continues to instruct for the GMHS marching band post-graduation. She is currently studying mechanical engineering at Penn State Berks. She holds leadership positions in several clubs and organizations, including the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), the Society of Women Engineers (SWE), Model Rocketry Club, and Honors Club. She also enjoys serving the community on campus and beyond by being an Orientation Leader and student leader (“Lion”) in Futures in Engineering: Role Model Can Empower (FiERCE). Academically, Bentz is a Schreyer Scholar and pursuing research in both wind energy and biomechanics. She looks forward to furthering her academic and service aspirations as a Cohen-Hammel Fellow.
Kira Corrie
Kira Corrie grew up in New Holland, Pennsylvania, and graduated from Garden Spot High School. At Penn State Berks, they are a second-year Electro-Mechanical Engineering Technology major. They currently serve as president of the Penn State Berks Rainbow Alliance club, an organization for LGBTQ+ students to have a supportive community on campus. They continue to volunteer with the program FiERCE, which facilitates STEM activities for grade school students. They are involved in other clubs such as the Campus Activities Board, Society of Women Engineers, and Theater Society.
Over the summer, Corrie participated in the Penn State Multi-Campus Research program, conducting research in testing the tensile strength of a novel 3D printing plastic material known as PolySmooth. They also were an Orientation Leader for New Student Orientation as well as Welcome Weekend for the incoming freshman. Corrie looks forward to continuing their research in 3D printing and wants to continue with FiERCE to mentor younger students towards STEM fields.
Emilie Lawn
Emilie Lawn grew up in Perkiomenville, Pennsylvania. She graduated from Boyertown Area Senior High School. At Penn State Berks, she is a Schreyer Honors College Scholar pursuing a degree in accounting. Emilie is very passionate about her education as well as her community. She often spends her time volunteering at her Church packaging food for Rise Against Hunger during the holidays and being a teaching assistant to elementary children during their Wednesday Nights Program. Through Schreyer and Cohen-Hammel, she intends to explore research in the accounting field to discover better ways to help Berks’ local community. After graduation, Lawn plans to obtain her CPA license.
Joanna Lian
Joanna Lian is a Burmese American born and raised in Bedford, Texas. She graduated from Lawrence D. Bell High School in 2023. During high school, Lian was an AP student scholar, a National Honors Society officer, and the varsity gymnastics team captain. She also worked as a gymnastics coach and participated in her school’s clinical rotations program. Lian is a Sunday school teacher and worship leader at her church in Texas. She has participated in fundraising for the Civil Disobedience Movement in Myanmar, helping to spread awareness of the military dictatorship in Myanmar. Currently, she is a premed student majoring in biology at Penn State Berks. At Berks, she is a learning assistant for Chem 110 and is a member of the Pre-Health Society, the Asian Cultures Club, the Disciplemakers, the Christian Student union, and the Badminton Club. In the future, she hopes to attend medical school and become a physician. As a new Cohen-Hammel Fellow she hopes to expand her experiences and make an impact on her community.
Zoe Macknicki
Zoe Macknicki grew up in Eureka, California, and graduated from Arcata High School. She is currently pursuing a degree in Kinesiology and plays on the Penn State Berks women’s soccer team. At Berks, she is enrolled in the Berks Honors Program and was selected to be a Lion Ambassador in the spring of 2024. After graduation, she plans to obtain her Doctor of Physical Therapy. From a young age, soccer has been a significant part of her everyday life. Her love for soccer and its impact on her life have made her want to give back to her community and inspire and motivate young athletes. For many years, she was a “Big Sister” in her hometown soccer camps, where she dedicated time each week to mentoring and coaching beginning soccer players by assisting the local soccer club’s Director of Coaching. She is passionate about making an impact in her local community and therefore hopes to become involved with the Olivet Boys & Girls Club of Reading & Berks County.
Ashley Musante
Ashley is currently in her junior year pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Business Psychology with a minor in Biology. Her passion for psychology began while volunteering with her Girl Scout Troop for over 11 years, where she supported young girls with special needs. Before college, she was deeply involved in her community in Lancaster, contributing many hours weekly through Anchor Club, National Honor Society, and as vice president of Hempfield National Art Honor Society. In these roles, she organized, implemented, and led several community projects and events over the years. In addition to her academic career, Musante is a proud member of the Penn State Honor Society. She is active on campus as a first-year mentor and a student manager for Berks Housing and Food Services. Currently, he is also in the process of conducting student research projects, another step toward her long-term goal of earning a Ph.D.
J’Kaia Reynolds
J’Kaia Reynolds is a second-year at Penn State Berks, pursuing a double major in biochemistry and communications. A John Jay Senior High School graduate, she actively participated in various extracurricular activities, including the Black Student Union, Students Against Destructive Decisions, and the Debate Club. Her strong commitment to community service has driven her to engage both on and off campus.
In her first year, Reynolds served as a teaching assistant for a biology course, and she continues this role as a sophomore, assisting in chemistry and communications classes. Additionally, she is involved with the Pennsylvania Educational Partnership Program, where she will tutor high school students in the Reading School District.
Reynolds is passionate about making real-world connections to the material she learns in the classroom. This passion has inspired her to pursue skin cancer research under the guidance of her advisor, Dr. Shannon Nowotarski, associate professor biochemistry. After graduating, she plans to combine her love for research and community service into a career as a physician-scientist to make a lasting impact in both fields.