Student Court

About Student Court

As one of 12 individuals on Student and Graduate Court, you have the chance to embrace an opportunity that is steeped in rich history. You will be following in the steps of those individuals before you, who have been recognized for their passion to this University as a leader, scholar and community member. Your time as a Student Court Member will be filled with memories that go beyond just the four years it takes to get a degree. Your cohort of students will have the opportunity to lead a community-wide service project, have personal interactions with the Grand Marshal and ride in the largest student-run parade in the nation. If the possibility of leaving your Nittany Lion mark on this great University interests you, we want you as a member of the Penn State Homecoming Student Court.

Meet the Student Court

Homecoming 2023

Carolyn “Tomi” Oluwaseun-Apo

Tomi (she/her) is a human-centered design and development major in the College of Information Sciences and Technology with a minor in Psychology. She is from Yardville/Hamilton New Jersey, and is in the Millennium Scholars Program, Schreyers Honors College, and is a Bunton Waller. Tomi is the President of WIREDIN, within the College of IST, and is an IST diplomat. She also loves watching and playing soccer, the last World Cup was her favorite to watch, especially here on campus with the community! Tomi also enjoys photography and her favorite Creamery ice cream flavor is BitterSweet mint. The homecoming event Tomi is most excited about is the PRCC pep rally, homecoming parade, and the football game with her family. She applied to Homecoming Court because she thought it would be a cool opportunity and has always envisioned someone who looked like her making it there, so she wanted to be that someone this year.

Conor Kelley

Conor Kelley (he/him), is from Pittsburgh, PA. He is studying Community, Environment, and Development as well as Global and International Studies. Conor holds leadership positions in Student Philanthropy Network as the President and Lion Ambassadors as a Committee Director. Conor is so grateful and honored to be on the Homecoming Court and is by far most excited for the parade!

De’jah Coates

De’jah Coates (she/her/hers) is a fourth-year student from Prince George’s County, Maryland. She is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Biobehavioral Health, with minors in African-American Studies and Neuroscience. She has previously served as the University Park Undergraduate Association Representative for the Penn State Student Black Caucus. Her current involvements include being President of the Penn State National Pan-Hellenic Council, HealthWorks Health Equity Team Lead, Undergraduate Researcher in the Behavioral Neurogenetics Lab, Schreyer Honors College and Millennium Scholar, and a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Her favorite Creamery flavor is WPSU Coffee Break. She chose Penn State for the opportunity to promote and be a part of a community that both supports her and challenges her by exposing her to new people and perspectives. She is excited to participate in Homecoming Court to engage with other students, and the surrounding community and celebrate Penn State pride! WE ARE!!

Elise DuFour

Elise Dufour (She/Her) is a General Science major on a Pre-Med track with a minor in Health Policy and Administration who comes from Clearfield, Pennsylvania. For her first two years at Penn State, she attended Penn State DuBois and is completing her fourth year at Penn State and her second year at University Park. She chose Penn State because of the strong alumni network and family feel of the Penn State Community. Currently, she volunteers at LifeLinkPSU and is the President of the Council of Commonwealth Student Governments (CCSG). She is most excited about the Homecoming Parade, and her favorite creamery flavor is Peanut Butter Cup. She is overjoyed to be on PSU’s homecoming court this year and cannot wait to continue serving her community and the Commonwealth.

Esther Gershenson

Esther Gershenson (She/Her/Hers) is from Clarksville, Maryland, and is double majoring in Psychology and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. She is a student worker with the Gender Equity Center and a Supervisor of Competitive Sports. She is also a member of Ubelong, a student org for Psychology majors and minors, and has been working with the American Psychiatric Association Foundation as an intern for the Center for Workplace Mental Health. Esther is an avid dog lover, traveler, cool aunt, and a Penn State Intramural champion! She’s most excited for the Homecoming football game and her favorite Creamery ice cream flavor is Death by Chocolate! She chose to apply for Homecoming for similar reasons she applied to Penn State. She has a long line of Alumni in her family and State College always felt like home for her even though it meant leaving her hometown and friends behind and starting over. Esther has been able to meet incredible people here and found her passion in reproductive justice and mental health. She feels that being on the student homecoming court is such an honor because she has so much to give back to the University. She has fought for gender equity in every sphere, is involved on campus, and continues to strive to make this university everything she dreams it to be. Esther wants every student, no matter their background, to genuinely feel like they have a place here and can make an impact. This unique position will allow her to lift up voices that are otherwise silenced on campus and throughout the community.

Gabby Harris

Gabby Harris is a fourth-year student majoring in Graphic Design with a Digital Media Trends and Analytics minor. She is from Jersey Shore, Pennsylvania, a small town about 45 minutes from State College. Gabby has served multiple leadership roles in her time at Penn State and is currently the Executive Director of the Student Programming Association (also known as SPA to many on campus) which provides free events (like concerts, lectures, and comedy shows) for the Penn State community. Along with SPA, she is an active member of the Design Association and works part-time as a Design Intern for Dormify. She can’t wait to kick off Homecoming week with SPA and Homecoming’s collaboration event, Rally & Roar, on Sunday evening! Her favorite creamery ice cream flavor is Bittersweet Mint. If she’s not in the studio or attending meetings, you can usually find her hanging out with her family and friends or reading a good book!

Kayla Marrero

Kayla Marrero (she/her) is a fourth-year majoring in Public Relations with minors in Spanish and Entrepreneurship and Innovation. She is also pursuing a certificate in leadership through the Presidential Leadership Academy. Her hometown is Philadelphia, PA, where she spends her time with her younger brothers. She is the Co-Student Executive of CommAgency, Treasury of Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority, Incorporated, an Intern for the Bellisario College of Communications, and a part-time Intern for Hilton. She has given back to the Penn State community through her various leadership positions, specifically by creating a $500 scholarship in order of her cousin’s name through The Penn State Student Black Caucus. Kayla chose Penn State because she wanted to go to a school with an amazing alumni network and a big university with school spirit. Penn State gave her more than networking opportunities, she eventually found her forever home and friends. She was able to live her dream from traveling to Spain and Israel to creating a community that constantly supports her. Her favorite creamery ice cream flavor is Alumni Swirl, because you can never go wrong with the basics: vanilla and chocolate. She is most excited to spend time with everyone during Homecoming week, specifically spending time on court with her best friend/ roommate. She chose to apply to Homecoming Court, because she wanted to show people in her community that Homecoming is for everyone. She hopes that her presence of being a woman of color on the Homecoming Court this year will inspire people to apply for the Court in the coming years.

Kulani Arrington

Kulani Arrington (she/her) is majoring in Criminology with a focus on Legal Studies and a minor in African-American Studies. She is from Arlington, Texas, and is currently the Chair of the Racial Justice Policy and Advocacy Working Group. Her time as a student at Penn State has taught her so much about hard work and working together as a community. Being a student here has opened her eyes to amazing opportunities, students, and a loving community she never could have dreamed of! Kulani chose to go to Penn State because of how close it is to her extended family, and it has been the best decision she has ever made. Her favorite memory here has definitely been finding the Paul Robeson Cultural Center and all the forever friends she has been able to make through the center. Her favorite creamery ice cream flavor is Cookies and Crème. She’s a basic girl, but claims that it is so good!

Macy Miskiewicz

Macy Miskiewicz (she/her) is an Integrated Undergraduate-Graduate (IUG) student who is working simultaneously toward her Bachelor of Science in Biobehavioral Health (’24) and Master of Public Health (’25) while minoring in English and Sustainability Leadership. She works for the Sustainability Institute as the Senior Program Coordinator for the EcoReps Program and as a Stewardship Assistant for the Eberly College of Science Division of Development and Alumni Relations. Macy is a member of the Health and Human Development Honors Society and writes as a recreational journalist for Her Campus at Penn State where she also serves on the executive board. Macy loves Penn State Football and looks forward to experiencing the game as a member of the Student Court. Her favorite Berkey Creamery flavor is Scholars Chip. In her hometown, she worked at an ice cream shop that sold Penn State ice cream! She often says her career at Penn State “all started with a scoop.” Macy is excited to be a part of the age-old tradition of Penn State Homecoming!

Madleen Anes

Madleen Anes (She/Her) is majoring in biology with minors in Psychology, Disability Studies, and Rehabilitation Human Services. Her hometown is Lancaster, PA. Her involvements consist of being a Resident Assistant, Founder, and President of the Disability Alliance, Alpha Epsilon Delta Sub-Chair, THON Captain, Research Assistant, Student worker at the Executive Vice President and Provost Office, Co-Founder and Vice President of the Coptic Student Association, and member of Best Buddies and WorkLink. Beyond School, she enjoys embarking on new adventures, reading, and volunteering in her church community. To Madleen, the Homecoming Theme –
“Illuminate the Lion Within,” means that “We, as the Penn State community, should continue to provide a welcoming space and stand with what the “We Are” chant truly means: embracing diversity and empowering every student to grow and be themselves.” Penn State has given Madleen a Home, and her goal is to ensure that every person she encounters can discover their own sense of belonging and find a home within Penn State. She is thankful to have the chance to be in homecoming court and excited to witness the Penn State community come together during Homecoming Week

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