When Ruthie Karsteter first visited Edinboro, something clicked—despite her initial reluctance to follow her older brother, Paige, who was already a senior there. “I didn’t want to follow in my big brother’s footsteps; I wanted to be my own person,” she admits. “But after the tour, I absolutely fell in love with the campus. I left—100 percent—like, ‘Mom, this is where I’m going.’” The small-school feel matched her roots—classes that feel personal, faces you recognize—and soon she was all‑in.

Student government, however, was not the plan. “I definitely didn’t want to do student government,” she says. Her brother—already involved—saw something she didn’t: “Ruth, you love people… you get to bring people together.” She ran for director of public relations, won, and discovered she loved being a bridge. “I fell in love with being on SGA… being able to speak for students and bring people together and hear people’s voices.” Now, as SGA president, she’s focused on impact over spotlight.

That impact begins with access. Edinboro’s club rushes, welcome‑week events, and an open‑door SGA office keep participation simple. “Anyone can come in and talk to me,” says Ruthie, who also supervises the SGA game room. The priority this year: build the Senate—“we have a ton of openings”—and strengthen the relationship between SGA and clubs by getting E‑board members out to meetings so “people know our faces and who to come to.”

For Ruthie, leadership isn’t about titles or authority; it’s about connection. Coming from a graduating class of just 86 students, she thrives in the close-knit atmosphere of Edinboro. She wants every student to feel seen and heard, hoping they view her as “a friend and a peer more than just a leader.” Her favorite memories are the simple, joyful moments that define the campus community: cheering at homecoming games, having random snowball fights, and even taking her cat, Karma, for walks in a stroller. “I want people to remember seeing me walking my cat around,” she says.

Beyond SGA, Ruthie works—catering weddings, counter shifts, babysitting, even a coffee shop stint. She unwinds outdoors: camping and fishing—and she loves Pennsylvania winters.

Ask what she hopes students see when they meet her, and the answer is simple: “Someone they can just come up and talk to.” A smile you can’t miss, a conversation that doesn’t rush—approachable first, officer second.

Ruthie’s story shows how PennWest turns connection into confidence—inviting students to step in, try something new, and build leadership skills alongside a supportive community and flexible, real‑world opportunities.