Residence Life on the campus of Penn State Behrend continues to have growing responsibilities. The additions of Trippe Hall and a growing number of residents living on campus make for some tough tasks for these employees. However, Residence Life has considered themselves fortunate to have one specific employee who has made an impact on many students for the last two years as a Resident Assistant in Lawrence Hall. The employee is none other than Behrend junior tennis player Michael Funera. Funera has been a reputable RA for this campus for the last two years, but his impact on this campus extends far and beyond his involvement with Residence Life. Funera has achieved amazing success from day one at Behrend, and there are numerous areas where Funera continues to excel.

 

He has been a member of the Behrend men’s tennis team since he was a freshman, and he has displayed sparkling individual performances while contributing to his team’s winning reputation. He was not always fond of the game though, as he stated “I began playing tennis when I was in middle school after resisting to play for a long time. My dad has always had a passion for this sport, and he always encouraged me to play. It has given us something to bond over, and I am happy that I gave this game a shot.” Funera was a standout player at Hickory Area High School, obtaining four varsity letters in his time there. In addition, he was his Region’s Newcomer of the Year and was a member of four straight District 10 regional championships.

 

When he was not playing tennis, he was working at his dad’s pizza shop, which he continues to work at to this day. “My dad owning his own business has been an advantage for me as a business student. He has allowed me to fully understand and work every aspect of business I wanted to at the shop. It also has helped me find my passion in supply chain management,” Funera stated of his experience. Funera continues to make great strides in business, as he has accepted an internship in WIlliamsport, Pennsylvania this summer working for Lycoming Engines. While Funera continues to make great strides in his professional career, he credits a lot of his overall success at Behrend to being a Resident Assistant.

 

“Being a Resident Assistant and a member of the tennis team has helped me build so many friendships and also it has helped me get out of my comfort zone,” Funera said. Funera has had great success in tennis at Behrend, posting an undefeated record in doubles in his freshman campaign. In addition, he has been an Academic All-AMCC selection and has been a runner up in the AMCC Conference Tournament for two straight seasons.

 

When reflecting on his favorite memory to date as a member of the tennis team, Funera talked about this year's spring break trip to Hilton Head, South Carolina. “This trip was important for our team because it allowed us to play a lot of tennis and also it helped us grow closer as a team. We have fallen just short of our goal to win AMCC’s two years in a row, and I think this trip can help us take the jump to winning a conference championship this season,” he said. When speaking about who has helped him the most at Behrend, he had a lot of people to mention.

 

The first person who has helped Funera throughout his time here is Coach Jeff Barger. Funera said of his coach “Coach Barger allows us to be ourselves, play our game, but at the same time, he preaches the team comes first and the team's goals are most important.”

 

In addition to Coach Barger, former Resident Life Coordinator Robert “Ippy” Ippolito served as a great example to Funera on how to be a better RA. “Ippy was someone I could always go to who could inspire me and help me with any issues I was having in any aspect of my life. We didn’t always see eye to eye, but he helped me find success in my first year involved with Resident’s Life.” Two more Residence Life staff members who have been great friends and colleagues to Funera include Brady Thompson and Eliza Greenawalt. “Brady and Eliza come to mind when talking about some of my closest friends. We help each other at work and spend a lot of time together outside of work as well. We continue to push each other and help each other with all that we need. I truly value the friendships I have built with them a lot,” he stated of his peers.

 

Funera also mentioned his parents and sister as the people who have influenced him the most to get to where he is. “My family is really close, and we do a lot together. My dad has been a huge part of my success in business and tennis. My mom has shown me how to balance a busy schedule, and my sister has helped me with all of my questions with college and academics. I am so thankful to have all of them in my life.” While Funera has a lot of great people in his life that have helped him in a variety of ways, he has put in a lot of work that has helped him achieve at Behrend and beyond.

 

Funera continues to work towards a degree in supply chain management with a minor in management information systems. In addition, he is working on two ERP certifications, those being SAP and Oracle, which could prove to be extremely useful.

 

Funera has also done some great charity work as an Eagle Scout as well as with Students for Charity. He helped make the Hermitage, Pennsylvania community a better place for a lot of elderly people with additions to infrastructure in the town.

 

He also will return for a third year as a Resident Assistant in the Fall, and he looks forward to a new school year next year outside of Lawrence Hall. Funera would like to thank Residence Life, his teammates, his family and his friends for the continued support of his endeavors. Funera has found great affluence over the last three years at Behrend, and all of these experiences and memories will carry on for many years to come.