Hometown: Los Angeles, California 

High School: Martin Luther King High School 

Major: Rail Transportation Engineering (RTE) 

Year: Freshman 

Sport(s): Cross Country 

What made you want to attend Penn State Altoona? 

Penn State Altoona has the only Rail Transportation Engineering Degree in the world. I was originally going to go to a school in San Francisco, but after thinking about what I wanted to accomplish in life I realized this place was the place to go. 

How did you get your start in your sport? 

My elementary school had this thing called 100 Mile Club where you would run 100 miles over the course of the year. As a kid I just started running because I wanted to beat my friends, but when I got to High School I started to enjoy running as a whole. 

What are some of your favorite memories from your time as a Penn State Altoona student-athlete so far? 

My favorite memory is going to Pittsburgh for the CMU Invite. I had a breakthrough race that day, and it gave me confidence that our team as a whole is improving a lot. At the same time, getting third at conference was pretty cool, that's more than decent for a first-year program. 

Do you have any mentors or role models at Penn State Altoona? If so, how have they helped you improve as a person? 

I do, probably my biggest role models are some of the people in the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association (AREMA) Club. Owen Blumefield and Baileigh Mount embody the people I want to become in the future. They are very driven and goal-oriented; I really look up to them. 

Outside of sports, what do you hope to accomplish during your time at Penn State Altoona? 

Make it through all my calculus classes for one. I really want to promote the RTE program a lot more. I have a background in filmmaking, and I feel my class in particular is driven to get the program noticed more. 

What career role would you like to have in the future? How is Penn State Altoona helping you reach that goal? 

My dream career is to work at the Union Pacific Railroad under Heritage Operations and Mechanics, essentially steam engines. I believe Penn State Altoona is helping me reach my goals because of the amount of networking here for the railroad industry. It's impossible not to land an engineering Job after college if you are a Rail Transportation Engineering Major. 

What advice would you give to a freshman student-athlete? 

Remember, school always comes first. Use your sport as an outlet, and just have fun, don't stress the big stuff. 

Rapid Fire 

-Who is your favorite professional and collegiate sports team? Philadelphia Eagles and Penn State 

-Who is your favorite professional athlete? Yaseen Abdalla 

-Do you have any pregame rituals? I don't, I just sit there.  

-Altoona Pizza: yay or nay? I've never tried it because it takes around an hour when they make it. 

-What is your go-to order at Port Sky? Gotta be the Italian. 

-Outside of playing sports, what are your hobbies? I am a filmmaker, I run a production studio called "Modern Line Studios", check out some of the stuff on YouTube. 

-What would your teammates say you are famous for doing? Winning an Oscar (I asked).