John Petrie is a senior at Penn State majoring in music composition from Bays Head, New Jersey. He is the co-founder and current president of ServeState, an organization serving the greater State College area through service and philanthropy. He is graduating this spring and is excited to pursue his California dreams by combining film, television and music.
HC: What do you plan on doing after graduation?
JP: After graduation, I plan on becoming a music supervisor at companies on the West Coast.
HC: Tell me about your plans after moving to the West Coast.
JP: Apart from loving life in the LA sun, I plan to work with film and television by putting original music to them. LA is the place to be when it comes to film, music and television. I’m excited to finally get there and start working. Once I get my dream job, I plan on being an East Coast tourist and seeing all of the sites and scenes the West Coast has to offer too!
HC: What clubs or organizations are you involved in at Penn State?
JP: I am the co-founder and president of ServeState, which dabbles in pretty much every kind of service you can think of.
HC: What does the job of president entail?
JP: My job as president is to keep track of my 20-person executive board while making sure our goals and deadlines are met. Another part of the job is to make sure that ServeState is growing and on the way to being as great as it can be. Since its start, we’ve gone from 11 people to 105 in just four semesters!
HC: What have you learned being the president of ServeState?
JP: Being president has taught me how to work with people and create amazing projects with the other members of the organizations. I’ve learned that teamwork is essential, and I couldn’t do my job without the help of all of the other members and their incredible motivation.
HC: What is your favorite service event to do as a part of ServeState?
JP: My favorite event is the Birthday Brigade. This is a project that ServeState started with the national Meals on Wheels organization where ServeState members drive around Centre County delivering balloons, homemade cupcakes and homemade cards to the Meals on Wheels clients with birthdays that month. It is one of the most rewarding projects we have created because many of the people we deliver to are home often and really appreciate a visit!
HC: What is something you would like to do before leaving Penn State?
JP: Something I would love to do before leaving Penn State would be to get on the field of Beaver Stadium.
There you have it, collegiettes. There is a real world outside of the bubble that is State College. So, go live it. Go after your dreams, don’t be afraid to leave the nest and do something that scares you. It all starts with how you serve.