Bianca Portillo-Maldonado of northeast Philadelphia is a Penn State Philadelphia Chapter scholarship winner.
Bianca Portillo-Maldonado, the daughter of Guatemalan immigrants, was born and raised in northeast Philadelphia. She is a junior at Penn State University, studying broadcast journalism and digital media. She is a scholarship recipient of the Philadelphia Chapter of the Penn State Alumni Association. This weekend, local runners and walkers will participate in the #PSUPHL 5k fundraiser on Sunday, October 30th to raise scholarship money for Philadelphia-area students who attend Penn State University. The chapter has a goal of raising $50k.
The last day to register for the race is tomorrow, Thursday , Oct. 27 up until 12:59 p.m. On race day, bib pick up is 7: 30 a.m. The race will start on Sunday at 9 a.m. by the Philadelphia Museum of Art on the Parkway.
To support other local Penn Staters, consider walking or running in the race or making a donation. To register or donate, visit: To register,visit: https://www.generosityseries.com/events/generosity-philly-5k-run-walk-fairmount-park-philadelphia/
Scholarship donations will continue to be accepted until two weeks after the event, Nov. 13.
Philly Happening recently caught up with Portillo-Maldonado to learn more about her and to hear her Penn State scholarship story.
PH: Why was a Penn State-Philly scholarship so important to you and your family?
BPM: A Penn State scholarship and getting support from a local Penn State chapter means so much to me because Penn State is a big school with 20 different campuses, so the fact that they were able to recognize my family and I shows how much the University cares for its students. It shows that I am not just a number and that there are resources here that can really help make my college experience worthwhile.
PH: Why should people participate in the #PSUPHL5k and consider donating to the PSU-Philly scholarship fund?
BPM: People should participate in this race because college students today are our country’s future. We need as much support and motivation to continue our education and most importantly finish. There are so many people who had to drop out of school because they couldn’t afford it and sometimes people cannot take out loans. There’s nothing like getting a scholarship for your education because not only does being awarded motivates students but it also shows that there is someone out there that cares about the success of that student. It shows that there is a company, organization, foundation etc. out there that truly believes that students will become something meaningful after graduation.
PH: What are your favorite things to do in Philadelphia?
BPM: My favorite things to do in Philadelphia are going salsa dancing in different dance studios, eating at Tierra Colombiana, reading at Barnes and Noble, running on Kelly Drive and taking zumba classes at LA Fitness, along with spending time with my family and going to different festivals in the city.
PH: What are your plans after graduation?
BPM: After my great four years at Penn State, I intend to become a part-time reporter anywhere in this country and maybe become a part-time graduate student studying marketing.
For more information on the local Penn State-Philly chapter, visit: http://pennstatephilly.org/
