John Hovenstine
Snyder, who never intended to go to Penn State or come back to the area after graduating, is now a sixth-grade teacher at Mount Nittany Middle School. Jacinda Carey
who are both recent Penn State graduates, coming back to Happy Valley for them meant seeing their college town in a whole new way. “Returning to State College in a capacity not affiliated with the university has certainly been a change,” says Rodman, who returned to the area in 2013 and is an online journalist for AccuWeather Inc., in State College. “At first I found it difficult to find a niche outside of what I
“I think after being here and working in this town and in this school district, I realized that it is unmatched and superior to many others.” — Rose Snyder did in college, but I’ve come to find that I enjoy some of the same things and shy away from others. After living abroad in a large city, readjusting to a small-town atmosphere took some time, but along the way I’ve come to enjoy some of the things the area has to offer like local dairies such as Meyer Dairy, farmers’ markets in the summertime, and multiple hiking trails.” Rodman, 23, grew up in Lansdale, near Philadelphia, and studied public relations and advertising at Penn State. Her family relocated to San Diego while she was in college, and after gradua-
Rodman returned to State College to work for AccuWeather and be closer to her boyfriend.
33 - Town&Gown March 2014