Cheyney University News April 30, 2015 Cheyney student's far-flung exploits win state notice Susan Snyder, The Inquirer In fall of her junior year, Travonya Kenly learned from her roommate of a marine biology program at Duke University that offered a full scholarship and gave special consideration to minority students. "Sure, I'll apply for that," responded Kenly, a student at Cheyney University, the historically black school in Chester County. She got in - one of two students in the country to be so honored - and traveled as far as Singapore to study. That wasn't the first time abroad for the student from Allentown. The summer after freshman year, she won a spot to study old and middle English at Oxford, then headed to the Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology in Baltimore to explore the genetics of zebrafish. "If it's going to take me anywhere, I go," said the 21-year-old environmental biology and ecology major. "My main goal is to get to the United Nations, and to do that, you can't stay in one place." Last month, Kenly's resumé made room for another accolade: the top award for students in the system that oversees the 14 state-supported universities, including Cheyney. It was the first time in 15 years that a Cheyney student won the Syed R. Ali-Zaidi Award, named for a founding member of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education's board. Kenly received $1,000 and a medallion. She was surprised at first. But then, as she told a room full of Cheyney dignitaries gathered for an honors-program fund-raiser: "Why would I be surprised when this wonderful school was finally noticed for the work that it does for its kids?" At Cheyney, Kenly has mentored students, represented the honors academy as an officer, served as ambassador for a group seeking to strengthen ties between the United States and China, played volleyball, and sung in the gospel choir, while maintaining a near-perfect GPA (3.91). "She represents the very best of our students," said Cheyney's interim president, Frank Pogue, who recommended Kenly for the award. "I know we are looking forward to being as proud of her as we are of Ed Bradley." The late CBS newsman graduated in 1964. Kenly credited her mother, a public school reading teacher, and grandparents with setting a strong foundation for learning. On vacations, they would visit historic and educational sites rather than the beach. Her life was packed with dancing, art, and theater. "We tried everything from tap to Irish step to ballet," she said. She graduated near the top of her class at William Allen High School. Cheyney offered a free ride. "That's the reason I came here," she said. At first, she felt culture shock. She was used to hanging out with mostly white friends in the high school honors program. "I come here and everyone is African American," she said, "and I don't even know what a weave is." But she quickly felt at home in Cheyney's honors academy, which she credits with giving her many opportunities, such as a summer program at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in San Diego. "You can really find yourself here," she said. "You have all your support where you need it, when you need it." To show her gratitude, Kenly uploaded a YouTube video in which she sang "To Sir With Love" in a deep, warm voice to thank her family, friends, and mentors. Her main interest is biodiversity. In Singapore, she studied the increasingly rare Singapore crab. "It was like a three-day roundtable for one crab," she said. The Duke program largely focused on marine life, which had not been a big interest of hers. "But I still wanted to go, because it's an experience at a university that is very competitive and I just wanted to know what it felt like," she said. She earned a 3.4 that semester, taking courses such as fisheries ecology and catching hermit crabs for a research project. After graduation, Kenly is heading to Ohio State University for her master's in environment and natural resources and plans to apply for a Rhodes scholarship. Christ Church college at Oxford University, where she would study, has a master's in biodiversity conservation and management. "That's where I want to go," she said. Her career interest can be traced to what has been her passion since she visited the National Zoo in Washington in middle school: pandas. She has carried a panda purse since then. (The first one wore out after seven years; she's on the second.) "It was just like an everyday reminder of what I wanted to do with my life," she said. Some tell her she's a little old for stuffed animals. "You can never be too old for motivation," she said. SANDRA M. PHOENIX Executive Director HBCU Library Alliance sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org> www.hbculibraries.org<http://www.hbculibraries.org/> 800-999-8558, ext. 4820 404-702-5854 Skype: sandra.phoenix1 1438 West Peachtree NW Suite 200 Atlanta,GA 30309 Toll Free: 1.800.999.8558 (LYRASIS) Fax: 404.892.7879 www.lyrasis.org<http://www.lyrasis.org/> Honor the ancestors, honor the children.