Tamia Johnson

Penn State’s 2+2 plan makes life easier for Greene County sophomore

Fayette offers diversity, acceptance, and an opportunity to start and finish at different campuses.
By: Greg Evanina

Although she encountered resistance from others who thought differently, Tamia Johnson had no desire to move far away from home and family to attend college—at least not for the first couple of years. She also wanted to begin her higher education in a small environment and then finish in a larger one.

“I did not want to follow the crowd of other people for what college they thought was best for me,” said Johnson, who knew she wanted to attend a well-known and academically strong university for her major, which is Childhood and Early Adolescent Education. But she also had other collegiate requirements: diversity, acceptance, and an opportunity to start and finish at different campuses.

Penn State’s 2+2 plan meshed perfectly with Johnson’s educational preferences, and now the Jefferson, Pa., resident is about to enter her second and final year at the Fayette campus, where she has maintained a 3.01 cumulative grade-point average.

Johnson believes Penn State’s 2+2 plan has been a “huge benefit.” She explained, “Not only am I able to take most of my prerequisites here at Fayette, but will be able to enter my major in 2017 at University Park. The 2+2 plan has made my college experience so far more affordable and enjoyable, with not having to stress about financial problems.”

There are many other benefits of enrolling at an intimate community-embedded campus such as Penn State Fayette, according to Johnson, who said, “For my first two years of college, I am able to stay at home with my family while commuting to campus.”

The Jefferson, Pa., resident continued, “Overall, I like the size of the Penn State Fayette. I like the fact that it is a commuter campus because, for the most part in this area, people are able to drive to and from campus easily, with reserved student parking.”

Johnson also noted the academic benefits of the Fayette campus. “Classroom sizes are a perfect fit for myself because you are able to have that one-on-one connection with a professor. To add to that, everyone is assigned an adviser, and that in many ways is helpful with academics, course scheduling, and tutoring, if needed.”

Having to leave home, be independent, and focus on an education just after high school can be too much of a challenge for some people. “But the 2+2 plan,” said Johnson, “allowed me to adjust to college life with additional freedom, while at the same time having support at home to develop into who I am.”