This Penn State alumna is using her degree to help support THON’s mission
A Pennsylvania woman returned to school hoping to deepen her knowledge of the health science field and make an impact. Now, she is doing exactly that by helping Penn State teams who are doing research on pediatric cancer.
Kate McClain is a research technologist with the Pediatric Oncology Translational Research Laboratory at Penn State College of Medicine, in Hershey, Pennsylvania. The lab’s work is supported in part by Four Diamonds, a Penn State charitable gift fund supported by THON and the broader Penn State community.
Seeking to advance her skills in research, McClain decided to pursue a bachelor’s degree in biobehavioral health online through Penn State World Campus while working full-time and balancing her duties at home. After graduating in 2023, her Penn State education served as a springboard for her career, helping her secure the position she has now.
McClain said her Penn State education strengthened her expertise and gave her a broader perspective on health-related research through course work in statistics, epidemiology, pharmacology and scientific communication.
“The bachelor’s in biobehavioral health from Penn State World Campus has given me the tools to view research topics in a more holistic fashion,” she said.
Those skills shape her work in the pediatric oncology lab where THON-raised funds help provide leading-edge equipment and resources.
“I never imagined I would one day be on this side of THON,” McClain said. “I am truly honored and grateful to be doing this work — it has brought my Penn State experience full circle. What I once knew as a student-run philanthropy is now directly connected to the work I do every day, and it reinforces how powerful the Penn State community can be in creating real change for children and families.”
As the University community looks ahead to THON 2026, McClain’s path illustrates how Penn State’s teaching and research mission reaches directly into the lives of families across Pennsylvania. The online education from Penn State that shaped her, she said, is now what drives her work in pediatric cancer research. That work is supported by Four Diamonds funding for laboratories like hers, which is made possible through Penn State’s THON and other philanthropic gifts.
About Penn State World Campus
Penn State World Campus has been offering a Penn State education online for more than 25 years. The flexibility of its online programs helps make it possible for working adults to earn a Penn State degree to gain new skills and advance their careers from wherever they live.
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