Biology, Minor – ENTI New Media Cluster, Class of 2020

Freddy Purnell was born and raised in West Philadelphia, he is a Bunton-Waller Fellow studying Biology, minoring in Entrepreneurship and Innovation: New Media and the Diversity Studies Certificate. After graduation he plans on fusing his passions for science and public advocacy to research equitable solutions to social issues like environmental racism and ecological remediation; and advocate for groups marginalized by race, gender identity, and sexual orientation.

His desire to use his voice to improve the experiences of underrepresented students led to his involvement in organizations designed to help his communities. He is the president of the LGBTQA Student Roundtable,Vice President of Queer and Trans People of Color, and part of Black Caucus and the Caribbean Student Association. He also serves as the Outreach Chair of College Democrats. Furthermore, the issue of sexual assault on Penn State’s campus is very personal and important to him. So he became a peer educator, member of Men Against Violence, and Greeks CARE facilitator to help educate students on enthusiastic consent, bystander intervention and supporting survivors.

He has currently received many accolades for his work as an advocate and student on campus. He has been on the Dean’s List for six semesters, received the LGBTQA advocacy award at Black men on the rise for two years in a row, and was awarded the Paul Robeson Cultural Center’s Identity award last spring. Finally, he has recently been awarded the Guide State Forward homecoming award at the 100th PSU Homecoming, being the first openly queer black man to win that award.

Statement of Aspiration: “I hope to achieve my PhD in zoology while also fighting for the expansion of civil rights for people marginalized on account of their race, sexual orientation, and/or gender identity.”