Nasear Cumberbatch ’27
Hometown: Saint Petersburg, Florida
Major: Business Management
Meet Nasear Cumberbatch, a sophomore business management major and football player from Saint Petersburg, Florida, by way of London. As a wide receiver and the founder of the clothing brand Exquisite Baggerz, Nasear balances athletics, academics, and entrepreneurship with ease. Reflecting on his time at William Penn, he shares, “God put me here for a reason, and I know my Grandaddy is looking down at me proud. I’m going to make the most of it.”
Showalter Johnson II ’25
Hometown: Nassau, Bahamas
Major: New Media
Meet senior New Media major and record-breaking athlete, Showalter Johnson II, from Nassau, Bahamas. As the school record holder in the 60m, 100m, and 200m, he’s made his mark both on and off the track. Reflecting on his journey, Showalter shares, “There’s a reason God directed me here, and I’m happy I fulfilled that purpose.”
Delaney Morrow ’25
Hometown: Moore, Oklahoma
Major: Business Management
Meet Delaney Morrow, a senior business management major and volleyball player from Oklahoma. As President of the Campus Activities Board, she’s helped bring students together through events like Pennstock. Reflecting on her journey, Delaney says, “Going to school at William Penn was a whirlwind of academic growth, embracing adversity, and making memories with friends who became family.”
Kade Dunkin ’25
Hometown: Hamilton, IA
Major: Biology
Meet Kade Dunkin, a senior Biology major at William Penn University with a passion for the outdoors. From small class sizes to hands-on research, Kade’s time at Penn has prepared him for a future in natural resources.
Anna Sporman ’26
Hometown: Flint, MI
Major: Sociology and Human Services
Meet Anna Sporman, a Sociology and Human Services major from Flint, Michigan, who has found both family and purpose at William Penn University through soccer, choir, and her academic journey. Learn how WPU helped her grow personally and professionally as she prepares for a future in social work.
Lauren Sylvester ’24
Hometown: Ollie, IA
Major: Nursing
Upon graduating from Pekin High School, Lauren Sylvester chose to attend William Penn University to pursue her Nursing Degree. With a rich history of healthcare workers in her family, many of whom have served as role models, she has known for a long time that she wanted to be a Nurse. She liked WPU’s small class sizes, the strength of the Nursing program, and the proximity to home.
Kemeron Cooper ’24
Hometown: Seattle, WA
Major: Nursing
Minor: Business Management
Upon arriving on campus from his hometown of Seattle, Washington, Kemeron felt welcomed by staff and the campus community. He is a member of the William Penn University football team and a Nursing major. This requires commitment and hard work, but he wouldn’t have it any other way. He is active on campus, serving as President of the Student Nursing Organization, Vice President of the Black Leadership Initiative, and an RA at Market dormitory. “I believe it’s important to put in the time and effort to become successful.”
Collin Baliva ’24
Hometown: St. Louis, MO
Major: Industrial Technology
Collin Baliva was recently able to combine his experience as a Lacrosse player and Industrial Technology major for a project that directly benefitted students and athletes. Collin was part of the INDU 218 class that created 50 custom lockers for an update to the Lacrosse locker room. As a captain of the team, he was able to recruit fellow teammates to help in various aspects of the project. “It was important to me that the team helped and did not just stand by while others put in countless hours on something that was a benefit to the Lacrosse program.”
Carla La Rosa Valdes
Hometown: Las Vegas, NV
Major: Business Management
Carla La Rosa Valdes’ story began in Cuba where she spent her childhood. Her journey then took her to Las Vegas, Nevada at the age of 13. She attended the College of Southern Nevada where she played softball and received an Associate of Arts degree. As she searched for a college to complete her bachelor’s degree, William Penn University’s small class sizes and helpful faculty and staff appealed to her. Carla came on a softball scholarship and is graduating this spring with a major in Business Management.
Mackenzie Roberts ‘ 22
Hometown: Agency, IA
Major: History & Political Science
Mackenzie Roberts has just completed her bachelor’s degree at William Penn University, but her education will continue at Drake Law School in the fall. A Political Science and History double major from Agency, Iowa, Mackenzie has been awarded the prestigious Dean’s Scholarship at Drake. She credits her professors for guiding her path at WPU and encouraging her to discover a passion for history and social justice. “Dr. Brooke Sherrard especially has made an incredible impact on me as a student and as an individual. She shared with me her love of history and created a safe space for me to grow.”
Louis Debarge ’25
Hometown: Évian-les-Bains, France
Major: Applied Mathematics
Coming from a resort town on the shores of Lake Geneva, Louis Debarge was looking for a small University to attend in America. “I picked the smallest school on the list, it was William Penn University,” says Debarge. Louis is completing his freshman year at WPU and is very happy with his choice. His intention for attending college in America was to better learn English. He came to Oskaloosa with basic English skills, he knew a smaller school would allow more interaction with professors and students.
Alex is proud of his Latino heritage and Hawaiian roots. He came to William Penn University via a junior college in Hayward, California to continue his baseball career. However, he ended up meeting a variety of students, not only through athletics, but through haircuts. Alex began cutting hair for a few friends as a favor and to make some extra money. But it quickly grew into a way for him to meet new people and gain an appreciation for networking.
Lexy Underwood ’23
Hometown: Escalon, CA
Major: Elementary Education
Like many students at William Penn University, sports drew Lexy to Oskaloosa. An Infielder for the Softball team, she has balanced the role of student-athlete as an active Elementary Education major. She is serving as President of the Education Club this year. “It is a close-knit group in the Education Division. I have met a lot of great people and we have experienced so much together.”
From a very young age, Audrey Uwimana knew she wanted to attend school in the United States. This was a bold dream for the a third-grade girl in Rwanda, but she never wavered in making this goal a reality. The opportunity was made available for Audrey to enroll as a student at William Penn University through a relationship that began in 2008 in which WPU partners with the Rwandan Ministry of Education to send students to the University.
While busy with her academic studies and being an athlete at William Penn University, Gabi Evans ’24 added one more project to her plate: a book drive to support the local YMCA.
Gabi is a Psychology and Sociology major, as well as a member of the William Penn University Bowling Team. She also finds time to work in the child care room at the Mahaska County YMCA. When her Quaker Values class asked students to participate in a service project, Gabi immediately thought of the children she works with at the YMCA.
From the beginning, Jaylin Carter ‘20 knew the importance of getting the full #WPexperience.
Jaylin came to William Penn with a goal in mind: to gain real-world experience in the communications field. After researching William Penn’s Communication Research Institute (CRI), Jaylin knew it was the perfect fit to grow professionally.
Being over 8,000 miles from home isn’t easy but Rory Johnson is proving it’s worth it. Rory is a driven international student from New Zealand who has inserted himself into a variety of on-campus leadership roles. As a member of the Soccer team, a tutor, an RA and an active member of the World Club, Rory is taking advantage of every opportunity.
On November 8, colleges and universities celebrate the success of our First-Generation College Students. November 8 was selected as the date for the annual National First-Generation College Celebration to honor the anniversary of the signing of the Higher Education Act (HEA) of 1965. HEA provided federal grants and loan programs to help students finance their educations, and ushered in programs to help with the transition and retention of first-generation college students.
Meet Jose Chavez, a freshman and first-generation college student at William Penn.
Jacob Taylor is proof you don’t need to go far from home to get the full college experience.
With only living a few miles outside of Oskaloosa, Jacob quickly immersed himself in the many activities William Penn offers. From the opportunity to play golf and be part of a team, to his active involvement with Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) and Campus Ministries, Jacob has relished every experience.
Through William Penn’s Education Division, Sydney Katko is making her dream of becoming a teacher a reality.
“I have always wanted to be a teacher,” says Sydney, who joined the Education Club her first year on campus. “I joined Education Club because I wanted to meet and talk to people that were going through the same classes and experiences that I was going through.”
