Major: Information Technology
Focus: Risk and Analysis
Graduation Date: May 4, 2024
As Fallah "Francis" Bockarie prepares to graduate on May 4, he reflects on his time as a student at Penn State Brandywine and the unique experiences he had.
“I chose to come to Penn State Brandywine because of the small-campus feel. It became a safe space for me,” he said. “The small campus feel really fits into my personality. I don’t like big spaces or traveling long distances, and Brandywine had that small space where I got the full experience of college without having to go far from home.”
During his time at Brandywine, Bockarie was involved in the Brandywine Music Association, the Black Student Union and the Student Government Association. He ascended to the role of vice president of the Black Student Union this academic year. Bockarie noted that he enjoyed being involved because it provided him with an escape from the stressful feelings that come with classes.
“When schoolwork got stressful, I knew I could fall back onto the clubs and organizations I was a part of,” he said. “My involvement kind of distracted me from the work and stress load I had when it came to the academic aspects of college. They also kept me busy.”
Bockarie explained how the opportunities he had at Brandywine really helped him succeed throughout his college career, specifically when it came to having hands-on experience in the classroom and forming connections with professors.
“At Brandywine, you get that one-on-one contact with professors, and I made some really good connections with some really amazing people here, especially Andy Landmesser [associate teaching professor of information sciences and technology who passed away this year], may he rest in peace,” he said.
“He helped me a lot with getting my internship and gave me pointers on what paths we can take when it comes to our careers. I also really enjoyed his teaching style — it was a lot of hands-on, direct teaching with fewer exams," Bockarie added. "He made sure we were comfortable with the idea of hands-on learning and finding results on our own. He was really impactful in my life when it came to my career and my choice of majoring in cybersecurity.”
After graduation, Bockarie will take on a full-time position at his current internship site, United States Liability Insurance Company, where he will be an IT infrastructure technician. He also plans to go to graduate school a year after graduating.
Bockarie said one of his greatest accomplishments during his time at Brandywine was helping put together a successful networking event with the Black Student Union. In January, the Black Student Union hosted “Shades of Success,” which featured six alumni talking with students about their experiences after graduating from Penn State.
“I’m really happy the Black Student Union was able to get its name out there and put together more events for students to get involved in,” he said. “When we set up our networking event, we didn’t exactly know what the results would be. We started a staple event that could happen every year, and we’re really proud of that as a group.”
When reflecting on his favorite memory at Penn State Brandywine, returning to campus for in-person learning after the pandemic came to Bockarie’s mind.
“Getting that one-on-one interaction with people again and seeing all my friends in person again was a great feeling,” he recalled. “I think any moment I’m spending with my friends is a memorable moment, so it’s hard to put my finger on one specific memory, but they’ve been the highlight of my Brandywine experience.”
Every once in a while, just pick your head up and have fun. Enjoy college while it lasts. It goes by like a flash.—Fallah "Francis" Bockarie , fourth-year cybersecurity analytics and operations major, Penn State Brandywine
When advising future Brandywine students, Bockarie said to enjoy the moments that college has to offer, because it goes by really fast.
“Just enjoy the moments. Academics are very important because you’re building your career and future, but at the same time, if your head is down in a book for too long, you miss the actual moments you have with your friends and the community you have around you,” he said. “Every once in a while, just pick your head up and have fun. Enjoy college while it lasts. It goes by like a flash.”