After attending two other colleges, Ashlee decided hands-on was for her. She moved to Williamsport, enrolled at Penn College, and found a community to call her own. Today she's working toward her bachelor's. Law school is on the horizon. And she couldn't be happier with her new life at Penn College.
Ready to start planning your transfer? We're here to help every step of the way.
I graduated high school in 2013. I went to a liberal arts college and from there I took a break and then I went to community college. After that break, when I was in community college, the path that I was on with my psychology degree was to go back to that liberal arts college and further my education that way. But once I took the tour here on campus and I talked with staff and faculty and even students, I fell in love with the college here and then I kind of changed that direction and enrolled here instead and then changed my major and everything.
The approach of the college is what makes the big difference. When you compare my previous major of psychology to my new major of human services and restorative justice, the new one is so hands-on. We get to be in labs every day; we get to do internships that help us get to really know our programs. And our courses are very centered in the things that we would do in our everyday lives, which is a very big difference than what I was experiencing in my psychology major courses.
My program, human services and restorative justice, inspires me to be a better, more well-rounded person. Through this program, I can assist the vulnerable populations that I was once a part of.
What I love about this major is that it's very broad. It's not just psychology. It's psychology, sociology, and human services. It's the criminal justice system. It's all the complex topics that we deal with on a daily basis—in one major. And I think it's amazing.
Yes! The classes here have maybe 12 compared to 20 in the liberal arts college that I was at. Sometimes I was in a class with 50 or 60 students. I didn't get that one-on-one time with my professors the way I do here. I didn't get the one-on-one time with students, either. I have a connection with all the students in my major. At my liberal arts college, I knew one or two people in my classes. The professors here definitely played a big role as well. They are very hands-on with students.
They will push you. They will give you opportunities. At the other college, instructors have way more students to look after. So I think that makes it a bit harder. I love the classroom sizes. And like I said, even in our labs, just that hands-on, knowing that what I'm practicing every day is what I'm going to be doing with my degree, I love that. At other colleges, I did not get that. It was a book, homework, and assignments. Here, it's homework assignments and a lab where you practice what you will be doing. To me, there's no better way.
This semester's favorite class is Legal & Ethical Issues in Human Service & the Criminal Justice System. Since my career goals include becoming a Criminal Defense Attorney, then a Federal Judge, I am partial to any courses involving a legal aspect. Ever since I was younger, I knew that the law was my area of interest, explicitly upholding ALL Americans' rights, as the Constitution granted. I believe becoming a Justice on our Supreme Court can help guarantee that.
The atmosphere here is very helpful with that. My professors are very flexible, even if I have to bring her in with me or if I need to miss class because she is sick. I’ve been able to attend classes remotely in some cases. Also, Penn College has a day care and it's an educational day care. So I know that once she's in there, she’ll be right here. She's getting all the help that I know she's going to need. This place is amazing for students like me who are nontraditional and have children of their own. And I very much appreciate that. And I’m very grateful for that.
I was scared about the transferring process at first. I worried because I had two other institutions under my belt and I wasn’t sure about placement tests and things like that. But the counselors here are awesome. My counselor made the transfer process super easy. It's super simple. I transferred here in a day. It did not take me long to get here. The counselors will give you their phone number and their email. They are available. They will help you in every, every which way they can. So trust me, transferring here is just a matter of you deciding that you want come to Penn College and we will get you here.
I've actually brought my brothers and sisters here for tours already. I always tell people that the best thing is to tour a college before you come to it. When you come, you not only get to see the major that you want, but you get to see how it's run. You get to talk to the actual professors, you get to see the students, you get to see the community that's around and you get to feel the campus. If you don't take that tour, you're not going to really know what it is that you're getting into until your first day of class. And I don't think that benefits anybody if you do it that way.
My primary responsibilities included interviewing and maintaining general contact with clients, conducting investigations and research, and drafting documents, pleadings, and correspondence. While I had many exciting experiences and projects, one that stuck out the most was my first solo project. I was given a case involving a murder, and as I started doing my investigations and due diligence, I began to find inconsistencies and a possible defense for our client. This project was the first time I could investigate, provide evidence, develop a strategy, and make a PowerPoint informing the attorney on the case of everything I had found. I fully immersed myself in preparing for a trial's daily tasks and foundation.
I'm going to go to law school. I'm planning on pursuing a law career. I plan to be a criminal defense attorney. And what I love about my major is that since it's human services and restorative justice, I'm already getting both sides of everything and all the tools that I'm going to need in order to help level me up to where I see myself one day.
Penn College's hands-on educational experience, internships, and leadership options have given me the skills, tools, incentives, and opportunities to do what I see myself doing for the rest of my life.
Penn College is home to standout students, like Ashlee, with the vision to transform tomorrow. Check out her segment in Penn College's episode of The College Tour.
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She’s a Human Services and Restorative Justice major with minors in Psychology and Criminal Justice. Ashlee didn’t come to Penn College right after high school. Her path took some twists and turns, but she ended up exactly where she was meant to be.
"I love it here. I can talk about Penn College for hours. It's not just the hands-on and the courses; it's the faculty. It's the staff. It's the students. It's just the whole atmosphere and the community that we create that it makes it feel like home."
Ashlee Felix
Ashlee is not just active in her program's club. She also served as a presidential student ambassador and vice president for public relations for SGA (Student Government Association) and was selected as an Awesome Women Exemplar.
Ashlee joined fellow SGA members for a reunion at the Community Arts Center, where the group announced that they raised $8,000 in President Davie Jane Gilmour’s name for the “Tomorrow Is in the Making: Legacy Campaign for Penn College.”
Ashlee joined fellow students to celebrate Juneteenth with a mix of educational and entertaining activities arranged by Penn College’s Black Student Union.
Each year, a select group of standout female students is honored as Awesome Women Exemplars.
Prepare for a rewarding career that will allow you to spark meaningful change.
Unsure which major is right for you? See all academic programs at-a-glance.
Meet Ashlee on the road!
Sep 26
Bucks County Transfer Fair
Bucks County Community College
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Newtown, PA
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Freedom High School Visit
Freedom High School
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Bethlehem, PA
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Lehigh Valley Academy Visit
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Notre Dame High School Visit
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Easton, PA
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Wilson Area High School Visit
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Easton, PA
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Bethlehem Catholic High School
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International Baccalaureate Mid-Atlantic College Fair
Gar-Field Senior High School
14000 Smoketown Rd
Woodbridge, VA
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Brentwood High School College Fair
Brentwood High School
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Brentwood, NY
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Pennridge High School College Fair
Pennridge High School
1228 N 5th St
Perkasie, PA
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Easton Area High School College Fair
Easton Area High School
2601 William Penn Hwy
Easton, PA
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Sewanhaka Central High School District College & Career Night
Sewanhaka Central High School
500 Tulip Ave
Floral Park, NY
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NJACAC High Point Regional High School College Fair
High Point Regional High School
299 Pidgeon Hill Rd
Sussex, NJ
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Governor Livingston High School Visit
Governor Livingston HS
175 Watchung Blvd
Berkeley Hts, NJ
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Linden High School's College Night
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121 W Saint Georges Ave
Linden, NJ
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Wallenpaupack Area High School College Fair
Wallenpaupack Area High School
2552 Route 6
Hawley, PA
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Delaware Valley High School College Fair
Delaware Valley High School
252 Route 6 And 209
Milford, PA
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Glen Cove High School College Fair
Glen Cove High School
150 Dosoris Ln
Glen Cove, NY
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PACAC Northampton County College Fair
Northampton Community College
3835 Green Pond Rd
Bethlehem, PA
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Passaic County Communty College Transfer Fair
Passaic County Cmty College
1 College Blvd
Paterson, NJ
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Rahway High School Annual College & Career Fair
Rahway High School
1012 Madison Ave
Rahway, NJ
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Philadelphia High School for Girls College Fair
Philadelphia High School For Girls
1400 W Olney Ave
Philadelphia, PA
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Oct 15
NJACAC Regional College Fair - Monmounth County
Monmouth University
400 Cedar Ave
W Long Branch, NJ
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Oct 17
Multicultural College Fair: Hudson, Essex, Union Counties
Fairleigh Dickinson University
1000 River Rd
H-D H 3-10
Teaneck, NJ
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Cresskill High School Visit
Cresskill High School
1 Lincoln Dr
Cresskill, NJ
1:26 PM - 2:11 PM
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Oct 18
Multicultural College Fair: Middlesex, Union, Monmouth Counties
Woodbridge High School
1 Samuel Lupo Pl
Woodbridge, NJ
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Oct 18
Union High School College & Career Night
Union High School
2350 N 3rd St
Union, NJ
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Oct 19
Northern Valley/Pascack Valley Regional High School District College Fair
Northern Valley Regional High School
150 Knickerbocker Rd
Demarest, NJ
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Oct 23
Sussex County Technical School Visit
Sussex County Technical School
105 N Church Rd
Sparta, NJ
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Oct 23
Vernon Township High School College Fair
Vernon Township High School
1832 County Rd 565
Glenwood, NJ
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EF Academy New York College Fair
Ef International Academy
582 Columbus Ave
Thornwood, NY
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Freeport High School College Fair
Freeport High School
50 S Brookside Ave
Freeport, NY
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Franklin Delano Roosevelt High School College Fair
Franklin Delano Roosevelt High School
5800 20th Ave
Brooklyn, NY
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Deer Park High School College Fair
Deer Park High School
1 Falcon Pl
Deer Park, NY
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Oct 26
NYSACAC: St. Francis College
St. Francis College
179 Livingston St
Brooklyn, NY
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Oct 26
East End Counselors Association Fall College Fair
Riverhead High School
700 Harrison Ave
Riverhead, NY
5 PM - 7 PM
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Oct 29
PA FBLA State Leadership Workshop
Kalahari Resorts & Conventions - Poconos
250 Kalahari Boulevard
Pocono Manor, PA
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Oct 30
West Babylon High School College Fair
West Babylon Senior HS
500 Great East Neck Rd
West Babylon, NY
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Copiague High School College Fair
Walter G O'Connell Copiague High School
1100 Dixon Ave
Copiague, NY
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Babylon High School College Fair
Babylon Jr-Sr High School
50 Railroad Ave
Babylon, NY
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East Islip High School College Fair
East Islip High School
1 Redmen St
Islip Terrace, NY
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Bayport-Blue High School College Fair
Bayport Blue Point High School
200 Snedecor Ave
Bayport, NY
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Center Moriches High School College Fair
Center Moriches High School
311 Frowein Rd
Ctr Moriches, NY
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Nov 1
Islip High School College Fair
Islip High School
2508 Union Blvd
Islip, NY
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Eastport-South Manor High School College Fair
Eastport South Manor Junior-Senior High School
543 Moriches Middle Island Rd
Manorville, NY
11 AM - 12 PM
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Vandermeulen High School College Fair
Earl L Vandermeulen High Sch
350 Old Post Rd
Prt Jefferson, NY
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Wyandanch High School College Fair
Wyandanch Memorial High School
54 S 32nd St
Wyandanch, NY
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Lindenhurst High School College Fair
Lindenhurst High School
300 Charles St
Lindenhurst, NY
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Sussex County Technical School College and Career Fair
Sussex County Technical School
105 N Church Rd
Sparta, NJ
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North Babylon High School College Fair
North Babylon High School
1 Phelps Ln
North Babylon, NY
12 PM - 1:30 PM
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Amityville High School College Fair
Amityville Memorial High School
250 Merrick Rd
Amityville, NY
6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
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Nov 3
College and Career Fair at Bangor High School
Bangor Area Senior High School
187 Five Points Richmond Rd
Bangor, PA
8:15 AM - 11:15 AM
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Nov 6
SUNY Orange Annual Transfer Fair
Orange County Community College (SUNY Orange)
115 South St
Middletown, NY
11 AM - 1:30 PM
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Nov 14
Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School College and Career Night
Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School
667 Westfield Rd
Scotch Plains, NJ
7 PM - 8:30 PM
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Nov 15
MTC Career & College Night
Eastern Suffolk Boces, Milliken Technical Center
375 Locust Ave
Oakdale, NY
6 PM - 8:30 PM
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May 14
Brooklyn STEAM Center Post Secondary Fair
Brooklyn STEAM Center
141 Flushing Avenue Building 77 | Suite 301
Brooklyn, NY
5 PM - 8 PM
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