Abby Han selected as 2023 Eberly College of Science Cooperative Education Student of the Year
Abby Han, an undergraduate student in Penn State’s Accelerated B.S. in Science and M.B.A. in Business Administration program, has been selected as the recipient of the 2023 Eberly College of Science Cooperative Education Student of the Year Award. This award is given to a student who excels in their cooperative education activity, goes above and beyond the requirements of the position, and makes a lasting impact on the organization.
Han was nominated by the Eberly college’s Office of Science Engagement for the Pennsylvania Association of Colleges and Employers JoAnne Day Student of the Year Award and for the Cooperative Education and Internship Association Cooperative Education Student Achievement Award. This past summer, she participated in a co-op at Johnson & Johnson’s Pharmaceuticals business. Through this position, she gained valuable skills while impressing her peers with her hard work and determination.
When asked about her experiences at Johnson & Johnson, Han recalled how the support her manager showed her allowed her to grow as an intern and as a student, as she said, “I want to see how my work is actually impacting the company.”
For students hoping to get involved in the same ways she did, Han offered some advice. She remembered the stress that came along with looking for a co-op to participate in, being afraid of “locking myself into pursuing something after the fact that related to the co-op.”
But after completing the six-month co-op, Han found value in all aspects of the experience. Addressing younger students, she said, “Don’t feel like you’re locking yourself into anything. Regardless, you’re going to get something out of it. Full-time work experience was super valuable and super fun.”
Han said she also wanted to recognize B.S./M.B.A. program director Lou Martarano and adviser Beth Johnson, Presidential Leadership Academy staff Melissa Doberstein and Glorie Josephs, former Penn State economics professor Jadrian Wooten, and Penn State football staff Lauren Geppert, Will Flaherty, and John Nelson. She mentioned how every one of these people acted as a great resource for her during her time at Penn State.
As a testament to the quality of Han’s work, one of her peers from the co-op said, “Abby’s work touched the entire organization. Her presentations have become the model for the Account Conversation team, and they provide us with the ability to use data to fuel our company’s growth. Abby’s fingerprints will be on the tools we use for a very long time.”