Plant sciences graduate Charles Colvin has been selected as the recipient of the Outstanding Senior Award for the 2025-26 academic year in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences.
The Outstanding Senior Award, sponsored by the college's Alumni Society and the Coaly Society, honors the senior who best balances outstanding academics, extracurricular activities, work experience and communication skills. Candidates are selected based on resumes, grades, interviews and a short essay.
Colvin, of Malvern, graduated earlier this month and served as the student marshal for the Department of Plant Science at commencement. He will continue his education as a doctoral student at Duke University, and he was recently named a Hertz Foundation Fellow - marking the first time in more than three decades that a Penn Stater has earned one of science's most competitive graduate fellowships. Colvin is the first from the College of Agricultural Sciences.
In addition to the excellent instruction he received in the classroom, Colvin credited the undergraduate research opportunities provided in the college for setting him up for success.
"Agricultural sciences are where biology, genetics and data science converge to address humanity's most urgent challenge: feeding billions sustainably," he said. "The science here is world-class. Research opportunities existed for me from day one."
Three aspects of his Penn State education were transformative in preparing him for a career in plant biology research, he pointed out.
"I received mentorship that fostered genuine independence from day one," he said. "I was offered resources that enabled ambitious exploration, and in the College of Agricultural Sciences, I was part of a community that connected fundamental science to real-world agricultural challenges."
Colvin was involved in undergraduate research in the Maize Genetics Lab of Surinder Chopra, professor of maize genetics, during all four years at Penn State. His work has focused on how plants defend themselves against pests and the role microbes play in those interactions. One of his main projects examines how natural compounds in corn called flavonoids reduce insect pest survival, not just by being toxic to the insects directly, Colvin explained, but by disrupting the microbial communities in their guts.
"This work is helping to develop crop varieties that resist pests naturally, reducing farmers' reliance on synthetic pesticides," Colvin said, adding that he wants to keep his focus on agricultural producers.
"Duke University, where I'll begin my Ph.D. this fall, will provide exceptional molecular biology training - but Penn State Ag Sciences taught me why that training matters and who it should serve," he said. "Penn State prepared me not just to conduct rigorous research, but to pursue research that addresses urgent challenges in food security and agricultural sustainability. That's a foundation I'll build on throughout my career."
Chopra said that Colvin is among the most exceptional undergraduate researchers he has mentored in more than three decades of his academic career.
"Charles Colvin's creativity, independence and leadership in the laboratory rival those of advanced researchers," Chopra said. "And his work has already produced publications and technologies with real impact in life sciences and agricultural sciences."
Colvin was the beneficiary of resources that enabled exploration beyond Penn State. The college provided competitive research funding and a network that enabled him to pursue training experiences at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, University of Florida and through the American Society of Plant Biologists.
"Penn State's support - including the Erickson Discovery Grant, NASA Pennsylvania Space Grant and travel funding to present at the Maize Genetics Conference in Germany - enabled me to learn computational genomics, machine-learning applications and precision agriculture approaches that don't all exist within any single lab," he said.
The College of Agricultural Sciences Alumni Society is honored to recognize the achievements of students in and out of the classroom, said Caleb Wright, president of the group. There was a tremendous slate of candidates for this year's award, he noted, recognizing the high quality of graduates the college is preparing.
"Charlie embodies the Penn State values of discovery and excellence - his curiosity and contributions have enabled him to represent our college and agriculture prominently within the broader scientific community, earning a prestigious Hertz Fellowship among other awards," he said. "His accomplishments are a wonderful reminder of the incredible things Penn Staters are accomplishing. It's a pleasure to welcome him into the alumni family."
After a very successful undergraduate college career, Colvin offered the following advice for incoming first-year students in the college - start research immediately.
"I joined Dr. Chopra's lab in my first semester by simply emailing with questions I found interesting," he said. "Don't wait for formal programs or permission - faculty want to work with curious students regardless of experience level. Research isn't for everyone, but you won't know until you try, and early hands-on experience helps you stand out."
Apply to everything, Colvin advised incoming students. He applied broadly to grants, internships and fellowships, submitting hundreds of applications over his four years at Penn State.
"Each 'yes' I received opened unexpected doors, from computational genomics training at Nebraska to precision agriculture research at Florida, and each rejection provided another great opportunity to improve," he said.
