Nate Carey named 2025 Oswald Award winner
Nate Carey is one of four Penn State students in their respective areas of leadership who have been honored with the 2025 John W. Oswald Award. Awards were given in the following fields: Sukainah Aldarweesh, speech and mass media; Julienne van Bekkum, athletics; Nathaniel Carey, scholarship; and Parth Gosar, social services, religious activity and student government.
The John W. Oswald Award, established in 1983, annually recognizes graduating seniors who have provided outstanding leadership in at least one of several areas of activity at the University. The award consists of a medallion honoring John W. Oswald, president of the University from 1970 to 1983.
Carey is earning both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in biotechnology in the Eberly College of Science. The Schreyer Honors College Scholar has a perfect 4.0 cumulative GPA. Nominators called Carey a compassionate leader, amazing ambassador and “an incredibly accomplished student who represents the best of Penn State.”
Carey conducts cell biology research at the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences under Melissa Rolls, Paul Berg Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and Chair of the Molecular, Cellular and Integrative Biosciences Graduate Program. There, Carey secured more than $9,000 in research funding.
Additionally, he leads a biotechnology bioprocess data management company that he co-founded in 2023.
“Nate is even richer as a person than the individual described by his resume,” a nominator said. “Nate has a life goal to manufacture artificial organs for very personal reasons. His father and role model passed away from pancreatic cancer last year after suffering through complications from the disease and attempts to treat the disease. Nate’s plans for creating and distributing artificial organs stem from his desire to ensure others do not have to go through the pain and suffering that his father and his family experienced.”
Nominators said Carey is a global ambassador for Penn State. He secured two European internships and traveled to Morocco and Japan. He recently became one of 36 students selected by the British government for the Marshall Scholarship, the tenth Penn Stater to earn the distinction since it began 70 years ago.
“Nate embodies all that is great about Penn State: he is a humble individual with big dreams, he works incredibly hard to use his talents to help others and he does so with honor,” a nominator said. “He is a once in-a-decade student who I am confident will continue to bring credit to Penn State in the years to come.”