Penn State’s Associate Dean for Graduate Educational Equity Stephania Preston will serve as Penn State’s 2024 Homecoming Honorary Grand Marshal, the organization announced Monday. Preston will serve alongside Martha King, the event’s grand marshal.

Prior to her current position, Preston served as the senior director of the Office of Graduate Educational Equity Programs.

In Preston’s time as senior director, she led the charge to increase diversity within the graduate student community. Additionally, she leads the Big Ten Academic Alliance Summer Research Opportunities Program and the Ronald E. McNair Scholars Program.

Preston completed her Ph.D. at Penn State in curriculum & instruction in science education. Her graduate research focused on the underrepresentation of ethnic minorities and women in STEM fields.

Preston succeeded Blue Band director Gregory Drane as honorary grand marshal.