Help Me Begin My PhD Journey at Penn State

Hello, my name is Alexandra Zeppeiro, and I’m thrilled to share that I’ve been accepted into the PhD program in Philosophy at Penn State University. While the program provides funding, I still need support covering the costs of relocating, securing housing, and transitioning into graduate life. These initial expenses aren’t covered by my stipend, and I’m reaching out to my community for help.

My journey here has not been easy.

As a first-generation student, I put myself through Howard University while working two jobs, all while financially supporting my family through serious health struggles. Despite the pressure, I maintained academic excellence, graduating magna cum laude, and several scholarships, including the Mellon Mays Fellowship, the Anna Julia Cooper Scholar award, and Howard’s Capstone Scholarship.

But academics were only part of my commitment. At Howard, I served as President of Ubiquity Incorporated, the university’s oldest Afrocentric organization, where I led initiatives in cultural scholarship, Pan-African solidarity, and community empowerment. I also served as Editor-in-Chief of the Howard University Journal of Philosophy, helping to amplify diverse intellectual voices in a field where they’re too often overlooked.

I’ve presented research across the country and the Caribbean, curated museum exhibits on Black thinkers, and contributed to groundbreaking research at institutions like Stanford and the Moorland-Spingarn Research Center. I’ve also engaged deeply with topics like reproductive justice, Africana philosophy, and archival preservation.

All of this was done while balancing work, family responsibilities, and the emotional weight that comes with being a Black woman in academia.

At Penn State, I aim to continue building upon my ongoing research on Black perception and frameworks for understanding race, with the goal of challenging limited, binary constructs and illuminating the lived experiences of Black people in philosophical discourse.

This next step, earning a PhD in Philosophy, is about more than a degree. It’s about continuing to build space for voices like mine in academic and public discourse, and using philosophy as a tool for justice and liberation. But to do that, I need to get there.

If you are able, I would be incredibly grateful for any support you can offer- whether that’s $5, $50, or simply sharing this page with others. Every bit helps me take this important step forward.

Thank you for believing in me and in the power of education to transform lives.

With Peace and Love,

Alexandra Zeppeiro