UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — During her years at Penn State, recent graduate Olivia Karoly did more than complete a degree in community, environment and development (CED). From dancing at THON to presenting research at the Undergraduate Exhibition, Karoly embraced a variety of opportunities.

“The flexibility of CED is one of its greatest strengths,” Karoly said. “It’s a program that truly allows you to shape your path based on your passions. The major rewards curiosity and initiative. I graduated with not just a diploma, but a sense of purpose in my career.”

Karoly, of Alexandria, Virginia, began her studies as an energy, business and finance major. During her first semester, she took a CED class to fulfill a general education requirement.

“I had no idea that one class would change the course of my academic and professional life,” Karoly said. “I love how interdisciplinary and applied the CED curriculum is. The major challenged me to think critically about economic development, community resilience, environmental justice and equity, all through a lens of real-world problem-solving.”

One of Karoly’s academic goals was to get involved in research. She was encouraged to apply for a role as an undergraduate research assistant at the Center for Economic and Community Development by its interim director, Justine Lindemann, who is an assistant professor of community development and resilience.

“Olivia has consistently sought out opportunities to challenge herself and engage more fully in her academic work — from taking honors options in courses to pursuing faculty-mentored research through the Center for Economic and Community Development,” Lindemann said. “She cares deeply about issues impacting communities and has the keen critical thinking and research skills to help make a difference.”

After joining the center, Karoly assisted Ted Alter, professor of agricultural, environmental and regional economics, on research exploring how entrepreneurial ecosystems function in rural Pennsylvania. That project eventually merged with another studying how Penn State’s LaunchBox and Innovation Network support local entrepreneurs.

For three years, Karoly conducted more than 40 in-depth, qualitative interviews with entrepreneurs, ecosystem builders and community leaders. She helped design interview protocols, led thematic analysis, and co-authored reports that condensed complex data. During her senior year, Karoly also began mentoring a new undergraduate researcher who will be continuing the project.

“What stands out most when I reflect on this experience is how much I grew, not just in technical skills, but in confidence and perspective,” Karoly said. “Working at the center taught me how to be a researcher, but more than that, it taught me how to lead with empathy, collaborate across disciplines and stay grounded in the lived realities of the people our work aims to serve. It was one of the most meaningful and rewarding experiences of my undergraduate career.”

In addition to receiving the 2024-25 College of Agricultural Sciences Undergraduate Research Award, Karoly was awarded first place in the Business and Entrepreneurship category for her poster presentation at this year’s Undergraduate Exhibition in May.

Karoly’s poster, “Economic Anchors, Entrepreneurial Ecosystems, and Entrepreneurship in Regional Pennsylvania,” presented some of the central findings of the Center for Economic and Community Development’s long-term research.

“Creating this poster taught me how to translate complex research into an accessible, compelling story,” she said. “Rural communities are often overlooked in conversations about innovation, yet they are filled with entrepreneurs and changemakers building futures rooted in their local identity, culture and values. I designed the poster to reflect that nuance: a mix of regional insight, system-level takeaways and community-rooted examples.”

Karoly added that winning the exhibition was validation of the work that so many people poured into this project.

“The experience deepened my belief in research as a tool for equity, collaboration and systemic change,” she said. “It gave me the confidence to keep telling these stories wherever my career takes me.”

In August, Karoly will begin a master’s degree program in sustainability management at American University’s Kogod School of Business. She said she was honored to receive a Kogod Scholar tuition scholarship and is excited to dive deeper into the intersection of business and sustainability.

After graduate school, Karoly said, she wants to build a career in corporate sustainability strategy, helping companies develop and implement more responsible supply chains, climate action plans and even environmental justice initiatives. She has spent the past three summers interning in consulting, most recently as a commercial sustainability intern at Guidehouse. She supported client projects related to renewable energy procurement, supplier decarbonization and carbon offset strategies.

“Those experiences solidified my interest in using consulting as a tool to drive meaningful environmental and social change in the private sector,” she said. “I can’t wait to see where my career takes me after I finish school.”