Committee Members Biographies
Alexandra Alberto
Alexandra Alberto is a junior student at Penn State and a first-time START committee member from Middletown, New Jersey. She is in the Smeal College of Business with a major in marketing and a minor in international business. She just began her role as Vice President of the Penn State International Business Association. She is a project manager for the Penn State American Marketing Association and currently the team lead for a project in the Blue & White Consulting Group. She enjoys watching sports and movies and doing arts and crafts in her free time.
Sydney Baughman
Sydney Baughman is a junior from Prosper, Texas, majoring in Corporate Innovation and Entrepreneurship with minors in Information Systems Management and English. She is currently serving her second year on the START Committee. In addition to her dedication to the committee, Sydney is a shift lead for Penn State Commons Desk Operations. She also serves as President of the Diversity Scholars Leadership Council, where she and her peers work to support and expand development opportunities for Smeal Diversity Enhancement Scholars.
Makaila Carroll
Makaila Carroll is a graduate student at Penn State and a first-time START Committee member from Prince George’s County, Maryland. She is pursuing a Master of Professional Studies in Real Estate Analysis and Development through the Smeal College of Business and holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Morgan State University. Makaila is passionate about impactful commercial real estate, with a particular interest in the history of buildings and how buyers can reimagine spaces to bring their ideas and visions to life. She is currently pursuing her Maryland real estate license in residential real estate as a salesperson. In her free time, Makaila enjoys learning about real estate markets, studying property transformations, and engaging in creative projects centered on legacy and community impact.
Ayanna Harmon
Ayanna Harmon is a graduate student pursing a Master’s in Real Estate Analysis and Development. She is originally from Philadelphia, PA but has been living in Baltimore, MD for the last six years. Ayanna previously worked in residential mortgage banking, data analysis and as a project manager for residential home renovations. Ayanna is looking to move into the commercial real estate sector upon completion of her degree.
Samiyah McDuffie
Samiyah McDuffie is a fifth-year student at the Smeal College of Business. She is an accounting major in the integrated undergraduate-graduate MACc program. She will be graduating in May of 2026 and will be taking her CPA exams, having already passed Financial Accounting and Reporting. Samiyah is the president of Penn State's Student Black Caucus and a team lead within the Paul Robeson Cultural Center (PRCC). Additionally, Samiyah is a Spring 2023 distinguished member of the Accounting Society, a Bunton-Waller Undergraduate Fellow, and a Smeal Diversity Enhancement Scholar. Upon graduation, she will be returning to Ernst and Young for full-time work as a commercial auditor.
Parker Melo
Parker Melo is a third-year student from Rockland County, NY. Parker returned for his third year as a member of the START committee. He is majoring in management in the Smeal College of Business. In his free time, Parker loves working with the children and adults in his community. He has volunteered for several events to teach the next generation and feed the homeless. LinkedIn Profile
Chemay Smith
My name is Chemay Smith, and I am a first-year Bunton-Waller student at Penn state. I am originally from McKeesport, Pennsylvania which is about twenty minutes away from Pittsburgh. My intended major is Marketing with a minor in International Business.
Tyler Trinh
Tyler Trinh is a junior at Penn State University majoring in Management Information Systems. This is his first year serving on the START Committee, where he is passionate about fostering diversity and inclusion. Tyler is actively involved in THON and other campus organizations, demonstrating his commitment to student engagement and leadership. With a strong interest in data analysis and business processes, he hopes to leverage technology to drive meaningful change. In his free time, he enjoys staying active, traveling, and is always exploring ways to improve.
Tuong Truong
Tuong Truong is a third-year student majoring in Finance with a dual track in Accounting, a minor in International Business, and a student in the MAcc integrated undergraduate-graduate program. He is a Lenfest scholar who is a distinguished member of the Accounting Society, vice president of ASCEND, Smeal Diversity Enhancement Scholar, as well as an active member of PSU VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance). In his third year on the START Committee, he hopes to work with the other members to shed light on the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion in both the personal and professional aspects of life. Tuong's two favorite hobbies are solving Rubik's cubes and playing card games.
Kadyn Young
Kadyn Young is a second-year student at Penn State and a second-time START committee member from Miami, Florida. She is in the Smeal College of Business with a major in Finance and minors in International Business and the Legal Environment of Business. She recently began her role as Treasurer of the Delta Gamma Chapter of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. and serves as the Head of International Stock Markets for the Penn State International Business Association. She is also involved in the Kappa Alpha Pi Pre-Law and Government Fraternity and serves as a Smeal Global Rep in the Smeal College of Business. She enjoys watching fantasy and sci-fi movies and doing Zumba in her free time.