It has been statistically proven that no one has ever walked away from a conversation with PJ Weaver without a smile on his/her face. PJ, a senior studying statistics and computing, is a driving force in the Penn State community, currently serving as the THON 2017 Technology Director. I had the chance to talk to PJ so that everyone can know a little more about what this pleasant human is all about.
HC: So you’re a THON Director, which is basically a full time job. How do you balance it all while maintaining the optimistic attitude you’re known for?
PW: At the end of the day, THON is so much more than just a time commitment for me. It’s an opportunity to inspire hope in my community, to touch countless lives, and to honor those less fortunate. It sounds cliché, but I wake up each morning thankful for the opportunity I’ve been given, and excited to make a difference in a community that has had such an impact on me in my years at Penn State. I think that this passion truly helps fuel my optimism. Being the Technology Director comes with a huge workload, and the Technology committee took on some pretty ambitious projects this year, yes – but one year isn’t a lot of time to make a difference. A year from now, I’ll be proud to look back and know that my captains & I made the most of it.
HC: As a tech-savvy person, how do you combat the “coding” stereotype?
PW: Before I answer this question, I just have to admit – I’m literally the textbook definition of a nerd. I love my majors (Statistics & Computing) and I love the technical work I do for THON. Few things are more satisfying than the gratification of making a complicated piece of code work. That being said, antisocial is not a word I would use to describe myself – if anything, I’m too extroverted for my own good. I’m not sure how to answer this question, because at the end of the day, I just love people. One of the most powerful things that I’ve learned from THON is that sometimes, the small things in life can have a greater impact than we can imagine. This is arguably one of the principles that defines THON, in that the cooperative effort of our volunteers has a greater impact than we could ever have as individuals. I try to put conscious effort into remembering these little things in my everyday life, and using them to make others around me smile. I think this also helps me break the stereotypes that my techy-ness casts on me.
HC: Can you fix my iPhone?
PW: Probably, but I have a tendency to break my own iPhone, so you may not want that.
HC: Your dogs are awesome. Can you tell us a little more about them?
PW: YES OF COURSE, I could talk about my dogs for hours. So we have three dogs in my family, 2 Leonbergers (named Faith and Velcro) and a Bernese mountain dog (named Hershey). Faith is the newest addition to our family and weighs around 95 pounds at 7 months old. Some of you may have met her at the THON 5K! Some people think we’re crazy for having such huge dogs, but since I can remember, my family has always loved animals. Family is extremely important to me, and those pups are truly one of my favorite parts of going back home to Boston each year.
HC: If you were a Power-puff Girl, which one would you be and why?
PW: This question makes me so happy, the Power-puff Girls WERE my childhood, but Bubbles, without a doubt. She was always the one that I related to as a kid, and I still like to think that I’m that much of a goof.
HC: What is one thing that nobody knows about you?
PW: One thing that people may not know about me is that I’m kind of obsessed with the Food Network. Chopped, Cutthroat Kitchen, Master Chef Jr. (which has made me cry on multiple occasions) – I love it all. The most ironic thing about this is that I’m a terrible cook myself, but regardless, my favorite pastime is to curl up with a blanket and watch 10 year olds impress Gordon Ramsay with their cooking.
HC: The cruise ship you are on is sinking. (Sorry PJ.) What will your famous last words be?
PW: Thriving, honestly.
PJ teaches us a multitude of lessons – lessons in optimism, enthusiasm, and hard work. He is living proof that being yourself can truly pay off. FTK!