Married couple shares top spot during Penn State graduation

Heidi and Paul Smidansky

University Park, Pa. -- Married Penn State students Heidi and Paul Smidansky seem to do everything together: They went to the same high school in Montana together; they enrolled in Penn State's Earth and Mineral Sciences (EMS) program together; they discovered their love of the outdoors together; and now they're graduating at the top of their class -- you guessed it -- together.

With the highest grade-point averages of all students in the EMS program, the Smidanskys will be co-student marshals for their college's commencement ceremonies on Saturday, Dec. 18, on Penn State's University Park campus. Husband and wife both are graduating with highest distinction and are separated by a mere 1/100th of a grade point. In addition, both are graduating with honors from the University's Schreyer Honors College.

This is the first time ever in EMS's baccalaureate commencement, and possibly the first time ever at Penn State, that a married couple will serve as co-student marshals.

What makes this accomplishment even more extraordinary is that Heidi has been selected as student marshal in another Penn State college, as well. In addition to earning a baccalaureate degree in geosciences from EMS, she also has earned a degree in biology from the University's Eberly College of Science. Having the same student serve as marshal for two different colleges is not at all a common phenomenon at a campus with more than 41,000 students, so this fact, coupled with her role as one-half of the EMS "super couple," is astonishing.

Her husband's accomplishments are no less impressive, though. In addition to earning a baccalaureate degree in meteorology, Paul earned his minor in engineering mechanics. And already, he has accepted a commission with the NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps, a uniformed U.S. service that carries out environmental and scientific missions, operating specialized ships and aircraft.

The Smidanskys, who were married in August 2003 and live on campus in a student apartment, have kept themselves focused by balancing time for each other, household chores and serious study. The couple has taken several courses together, ranging from honors calculus to introductory scuba diving, for which they both earned As—naturally.

"I think Paul and Heidi both reflect the 'can-do' spirit in EMS," said Eric Barron, dean of the college. "They have undertaken the wonderful, but sometimes challenging, endeavor of building a marriage while still striving for and achieving academic excellence. I have
no doubt that they will be extraordinarily successful in the future."

In their downtime, the Smidanskys camp together and enjoy the outdoors. They do retain their own unique interests, though. Heidi is a cellist, while Paul finds his release as an avid pilot.

When Paul starts training for his NOAA position in New York, Heidi will follow him there and is confident she will be able to find a job in the sciences. "We're both looking forward to putting our education to work and enjoying what comes next," said Heidi.