College of the Liberal Arts- Awaly Diallo

Highlights
Awaly is the current College of the Liberal Arts College Marshal,
and her picture can be seen hanging in the Sparks building. She is
a proud PSU graduate who aspires to attend law school and work
in civil rights law. She believes that her college best prepared her
to take on the many trials of real life. By going outside of theory,
she could apply real skills that she learned in school to the rest of
her life.

Awaly Diallo graduated from Penn State in May of 2020 with a bachelor of arts degree in
Sociology and African American Studies. She is currently working as a paralegal at a support
center for child advocates in Philadelphia. She plans to apply for and attend law school in the
future.

As a high school student, Awaly was not too familiar with Penn State. After applying and being
accepted, she still did not really feel a part of the PSU community until after starting her
freshman year. Awaly chose Penn State as her home and family in the many personal moments
where she found herself truly happy about her environment and those around her.

Awaly felt that Penn State was a place where she could explore all parts of her identity and
experience so many new opportunities. As she told me,“The name carries itself.”

Awaly knew that she wanted to study sociology and head down the law school route from the
start of her college education. She also chose African American studies because of the 2016
election. It was in this department where she felt that she truly found her PSU family. They
taught her that she could maintain all parts of her being. They taught her about who she was as a
first generation college student, a black woman and a child of immigrants. They taught her to be
proud of who she was. She feels lucky to be able to see the world differently because of these
two programs.

The College of the Liberal Arts is a school that teaches students real skills that can be applied to
everyday life. Awaly says that they teach you concepts “outside of theory because we live in
reality.” She is grateful for the communication skills that this college has helped her build. As a
freshman in this college, Awaly felt that the staff members and professors were always
responsive to students with ambitious ideas. They were willing to hear your ideas and help you
put your dreams into action. Awaly remembers working with one of her professors freshman
year in getting a guest lecturer for one of their classes. This made her feel respected as a both a
student and a future leader.

Some advice that Awaly has for current, incoming and prospective PSU students is to “take
advantage of everything, do not let yourself or anyone else stand in the way of what you want to
accomplish.” It is important to take every opportunity that comes your way because this is the
time where you will learn a lot about yourself. If a class looks interesting to you, take it. Awaly
urges all students to “be ambitious.”

She also tells students to not be afraid to ask for help. It is easier said than done but this is a time
where you are in full control of your education and future. You have the power to manifest
things into your life as Awaly puts it. Go around asking questions and never forget to believe in
yourself even in your lowest moments because that is where you will need confidence the most.

After graduating, Awaly wanted to gain some real-world work experience. She interned at a law
school and at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in D.C. Currently, Awaly is studying for law school
while working a full-time job. She is also part of a collective that seeks to change how stories are
told for marginalized people of all types ranging from race, ethnicity and gender. She deeply
misses being in an environment that fosters education and learning. It was in school where she
learned how to develop her critical thinking and social communication skills that she uses
everyday.

Looking back on her Penn State experience, Awaly would not change a thing. Even though she
made mistakes, she felt that these mistakes made her into the person that she is today. It was
through these mistakes where she learned about her resilience, and she saw how the people who
truly cared for her would always be there to support her. “Accomplishments don’t always affirm
you,” says Awaly. The painful moments can teach you a lot about yourself too. It is in these
times where we develop and grow the most as people. You are more than what others think about
you and more than what you think about yourself.