Resident assistant. Campus tour guide. Community mentor. Juniata Associate for the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI). Student representative on the EDI Council. Participant in the prestigious Newman Civic Fellowship, a year-long national program that recognizes and supports student public problem solvers.

Senior Yoselin Kearney is clearly a Juniata College campus leader—all the more noteworthy because she wasn’t even sure she wanted to attend college four years ago.  

When it came time to apply to college, she was ambivalent. She hadn’t enjoyed the experience at her large Philadelphia area high school, where teachers often didn’t know her and students competed for accolades. With her family’s encouragement, Kearney applied to college, but she didn’t feel invested. 

“I got into everywhere I applied, but I didn’t care about those acceptances. Then I got the notice from Juniata College. This was different; this time I felt something,” said Kearney. “It was an emotional connection, one I knew I couldn’t ignore.” 

Maybe it was the wording of the acceptance, maybe it was the encouragement of a trusted family friend who long ago planted a seed of interest by talking about how wonderful Juniata was. Whatever it was, Kearney went with her instincts and enrolled in the fall of 2020.  

The college has not disappointed.  

“You can individualize your Program of Emphasis (POE) so it is personalized to you and your interests, and still be in this community-driven place with so much support. The people I’ve met here have impacted my whole experience.”  

Kearney originally thought she’d choose a business infotech or accounting POE. Instead, she rekindled her childhood passion for the arts and music, switching her POE to media studies and production.  

Her experience wasn’t perfect; Kearney found studying during COVID-19 difficult, with online courses and masks making it harder to connect with people. She recalls struggling in Professor Jared LaGroue’s “Mass Media and Society” class.

LaGroue helped her through that time and stayed supportive as both Kearney’s communication professor and eventually her adviser. She has since become a teaching assistant (TA) for audio projection, and LaGroue is helping her create an independent study at a recording studio where she can explore her love of music.  

“He was very understanding of how COVID-19 impacted my studies and how hard that year was for me,” said Kearney. “It’s that extra level of care that I’ve been shown by my professors that really sticks out for me; it’s that one-on-one experience.” 

As for community, Juniata’s culture and small size allow for regular exchanges among students, professors, and even administrators.  

“Juniata has given me experiences I couldn’t imagine, things I never knew were possible. I can talk to President Troha here! It’s so different than high school,” said Kearney, who appreciates the many opportunities she’s had at the college.

In her work as the Juniata Associate for the Office of EDI, Kearney conducts outreach, staffs tables at events, hosts education sessions, and supports students as a resident assistant. Along with giving campus tours, it is a major time commitment—but she understands how important it is to make students and prospective students feel welcome at Juniata. 

Her hard work hasn’t ended. Kearney is looking forward to meeting other Newman Civic Fellows at the national conference in Boston this fall, working with a mentor, and developing a meaningful project for her community and those around her. Kearney envisions a project that uses her creativity and music to help others get through hard times. 

“This school has given me opportunities that I’ll forever be grateful for, because I’ve learned and grown so much through them,” she said.