Student Spotlight

Brenda Arias travels a short distance as a commuter from her home to get to classes at Wilkes. But since entering the University, her higher education journey has taken her much further than she ever imagined. She went to Hawaii as part of the Bonner Leader program, presented research at…

Ashley O’Connor proudly followed in her family’s footsteps and her interest in water works earned her scholarship funding plus a job after graduation. When Ashley O’Connor of Lavelle, Pa., enrolled at Wilkes University, she was a civil engineering major. Before she started high school, O’Connor knew engineering was in her…

John Devereux ‘26 knows he will always have a connection to Wilkes. More than connection, he intentionally forges new opportunities to help others and isn’t afraid to put in the work. Home for John Devereux ‘26, a neuroscience major with psychology and chemistry minors, is a small, rural town in…

For Ashley Gangaware ’24, coming to Wilkes was like coming home — in more ways than one. Gangaware found a home — and multiple families — during her Wilkes career. When Ashley Gangaware first came to the Wilkes campus from her home in Ohio, there was a strong sense of…

If you’ve ever been offered a fist bump while walking across the Greenway or were asked to join in on a selfie during an event, you likely met Saurabh (Shiv) Patel. He strikes up conversations with anyone who crosses his path and can often be found feeding the squirrels on…

Recent grads Hayden ‘24 and Haylee ‘24 Calaman have a lot in common. Career paths aren’t one of them.  Sisters Hayden and Haylee Calaman first found out about Wilkes University as successful softball student-athletes while at Elizabethtown Area High School, south of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. “We met coach Jackie (Wilkes Head…

Historian or Data Analyst? Why Not Both? Hughes found a love for writing, history and data analysis that prepared her perfectly for a master’s degree in history at Duquesne University. At her high school in Great Bend, Pennsylvania, Kaelin Hughes ’24 discovered a love for writing and journalism as her…

Trading the Basketball Court for a Court of Law As a basketball player in high school, Lehigh-Valley native Zachary Gula looked forward to attending Wilkes University after meeting with its men’s basketball coaching staff. “My grandparents are from the Wilkes-Barre area, and I liked the whole small-school feel of Wilkes…

Some people might say that Jack Perna skated his way to success since coming to Wilkes. The junior mechanical engineering has made it look easy, earning a 4.0 grade-point average while playing goaltender for the Colonels Men’s Hockey Team. His hard work and discipline have enabled him to succeed. His…

Brahim Hamid Oudjana came to Wilkes from Oman intending to study for one semester and stayed a year. Now in his second year in the United States, he’s participating in the Disney College Program, which brings students to work at Disney World in Orlando, Florida. He credits Wilkes with making…