DIGITAL CREATOR

When Shamak Agarwal began posting vlogs in March about his everyday experiences as an Indian student living in the United States, from going grocery shopping to studying for midterms, he made an immediate impression. His Instagram account, @shamakinusa, became verified in less than two weeks, clocked 30-plus million views in two months, and has amassed more than 50,000 followers to date. The platform has also given the international student opportunities to be more social across campus, whether that’s attending wrestling matches or comedy shows. “Content is making me do a lot of things that I wouldn’t have done before,” he says. This fall, he wants to vlog home football games—hopefully, he says, with a media credential.

FINE ARTS PHENOM     

The award-winning sketch artist began drawing at around age 6 and specializes in portraits. He sold his first painting during an exhibition in fourth grade and, at 16 years old, received an honorary doctorate in the Faculty of Arts from Delhi University.  

SOFTWARE SAVVY        

Eventually, Agarwal wants to apply his computer science degree to working for his family’s companies back in India, which range from retail to real estate.

AI ACCOUNTABILITY        

“A lot of people are dependent on AI,” says Agarwal, who recently researched the ethical impacts of this technology. He wants to further explore ways to stop the overreliance, especially as this may be affecting how students learn. Another problem he’d like to address is the accessibility of AI for those with disabilities. 

MAKING A CONNECTION  

Penn State’s expansive network was one reason Agarwal decided to enroll in 2024. This summer, he had a memorable encounter with alumni at the Philadelphia airport. “They didn’t know me because of my content,” he says. “They stopped me because of my Penn State hoodie.”