Block studies race, identity, civic engagement, and political participation. In summer 2026, he led a program that trained participants to study civic engagement, organizing, and democratic participation through community-engaged research, bringing academics and community organizations together to address problems and inform public policy.

Gilyard is a poet, scholar, and educator whose work explores African American expressive culture, popular culture, civic discourse, and education. A two-time recipient of an American Book Award, he has written, edited, or co-edited twenty books over the course of his career.

During his time at Penn State, Tyler was involved in student organizations such as BLUEprint, Eminence Modeling Troupe, Minorities in Sports, and the Division of Undergraduate Studies Leadership Council, and worked as a Lead Marketing Intern for Penn State Athletics and Brand Marketing Associate for Fanatics.

Tenorio is an interdisciplinary scholar whose research explores Black political thought and practice, carceral geographies, and Black trans and trans of color critique. His first book, Jump: Black Anarchism and Antiblack Carcerality, examines Black anarchism and the modern carceral state through the history of enslaved people jumping from slave ships during the Middle Passage.

Passionate about creating meaningful change, Serenity found a strong sense of community while pursuing opportunities in mentorship, leadership and advocacy. During her time at Penn State, she was a congressional intern for Representative Dwight Evans and took an active role in community outreach programs.

Brown brought her interests in communication, public service, and leadership to a congressional internship in Washington, D.C., where she supported constituent services, communications, and legislative work. At Penn State, she served as president of the Student Black Caucus and interned with the Center for Black Digital Research.