Berks

Penn State Lehigh Valley honors students at convocation ceremony

Academic award recipients, scholarship winners and University Scholars were recognized for their achievements on Thursday, May 12, at Penn State Lehigh Valley's 19th annual Honors Convocation. Students honored for outstanding achievement included:

-- Mary K. Domsicz of Hamburg was the recipient of the Evan Pugh Scholar Award which recognizes full-time undergraduate students in the upper 0.5 percent of their respective classes and who have completed at least 48 graded Penn State credits.

-- The Eric A. and Josephine S. Walker Award, given for qualities of leadership, scholarship, character and citizenship to a student who completes two years at a Penn State campus, was presented to Christina M. Weadon of Alburtis. Nominees for this University award included Kevin S. Abdo of Allentown, Deena S. Boulos of Easton, Kristin L. Kluskiewicz of Nazareth, Jacqueline Kromer of Walnutport, Eric C. Kucharick of Breinigsville, Beth A. Meckes of Laurys Station, David B. Mory of Macungie and Sou Young S. Park of Bethlehem.

-- Trevor J. Smith of Quakertown was presented with the Michelle and Harry Kline Outstanding Business Intern Award for demonstrating an integration of academic training and professional application through the internship/co-op experience with a local employer.

-- Jamie A. Metzger of New Tripoli received the Michelle and Harry Kline Outstanding Graduate in Financial Services award which provides recognition to an outstanding business student enrolled at Penn State Lehigh Valley who has excelled in financial services coursework.

-- The Richard and Mary Young BSB Achievement Award acknowledges a full-time student who has a grade point average (GPA) in excess of 3.50, has earned at least 50 credit hours in the BSB program, consistently demonstrates the highest leadership characteristics in the classroom and possesses high potential for work in the field of business. Grant M. Sheatsley of Allentown was the recipient of this award. Peter J. Sobchak of Whitehall received the award for a part-time student who has a GPA in excess of 3.50, has earned at least 50 credits in the BSB program and has achieved the most exemplary performance on the senior research project.

-- The Engineering Student Achievement Award was presented to Jason S. Fritz of Macungie for demonstrating outstanding academic achievement.

-- The IST Achievement Award recognized Beth A. Meckes of Laurys Station as an outstanding information sciences and techology (IST) student who has earned at least 60 cumulative credits toward her IST degree by the end of the fifth semester with a cumulative GPA of 3.67, along with demonstrating outstanding leadership and academic achievement.

-- The Communication Arts and Sciences Excellence Award is earned by the student who shows exemplary promise in public speaking. Robert A. Metzger of Macungie earned the highest possible score in each of the three main speech categories for the course.

-- The English Department Award for Exceptional Achievement in Expository Writing was awarded to Steven J. Troxell of Macungie for his paper, "The Adaptation of St. Anthony's Temptation."

-- Dolores L. Hooper of Kutztown was presented with the Outstanding Intern Award in Professional Writing for demonstrating an integration of academic training and professional application through the internship/co-op experience with a local employer. She also received the Professional Writing Achievement Award for excelling academically and demonstrating the commitment it takes to succeed as a professional writer.

-- The Candace Spigelman Professional Writing Commitment Award was given to Kathryn R. Brauchle of Allentown for her commitment to the writing profession.

-- Jasmeet S. Bansal and Baljeet S. Bansal, both of Easton, were the recipients of the Alexandrea Downing Outstanding Student Award in Sociology which is presented to the student who has demonstrated outstanding academic performance and promise.

-- The Outstanding Intern Award in Applied Psychology was presented to Christopher Tychanowicz of Saylorsburg who has demonstrated an integration of academic training and professional application through the internship/co-op experience with a local employer.

-- The Outstanding Student Award in Applied Psychology was presented to Bethany R. Pinto of Breinigsville. This award is presented to a junior or senior who has demonstrated outstanding performance in the major.

-- Alyssa L. Miller of Macungie was awarded the Chemistry Outstanding Student Award for exceptional academic achievement in Chemistry.

-- Daniel A. Arbeider of Frenchtown, N.J., was awarded the Lehigh Valley Campus Biology Award. This award is given to the student with the highest overall grade-point average who has completed both Biology 110 and 240W and is dedicated to collegiate excellence.

-- The Lehigh Valley Campus Science Award was presented to Veronica M. Kvarta of Bethlehem majoring in the Eberly College of Science and having a 3.5 cumulative GPA in the first three semesters.

-- The Physics Excellence Award was presented to Jason S. Fritz of Macungie who has displayed exceptional potential in the field of physics.

-- Alyssa L. Miller of Macungie was awarded the Community Service Award for her outstanding leadership and commitment to enriching the community through her time, energy and talent.

-- The Young Investigator's Award was presented to Veronica M. Kvarta of Bethlehem for demonstrating outstanding scholarship and performance during the course of her research.

-- Eight students received the 2005 Honors Academic Excellence Award, which recognizes members of the Penn State Lehigh Valley Honors Program for outstanding academic achievement. The recipients are Sarah J. Alpha of Whitehall, Daniel A. Arbeiter of Frenchtown, N.J., Tiffany N. Hawk of Allentown, Matthew S. Kapun of Bethlehem, Joshua D. Leaver of Macungie, Beth A. Meckes of Laurys Station, Heather T. Stopp of Coplay and Steven J. Troxell of Macungie.

-- The campus offers two programs to assist qualified students in creating challenging intellectual opportunities: The University's Schreyer Scholars Program and the Penn State Lehigh Valley Honors Program. Beth A. Meckes of Laurys Station, Joshua D. Leaver of Macungie and Heather T. Stopp of Coplay were named Schreyer Scholars. Penn State Lehigh Valley Honors students were Tiffany N. Hawk and Susan M. Hollingsworth of Allentown; Matthew S. Kapun of Bethlehem; Bethany R. Pinto of Breinigsville; Heather T. Stopp of Coplay; Daniel A. Arbeider of Frenchtown, N.J.; Beth A. Meckes of Laurys Station, Joshua D. Leaver, Steven J. Troxell and John W. Vines of Macungie; and Sarah J. Alpha and Adrienne M. Dorward of Whitehall.

-- Students honored for High Cumulative Average by College were Sarah J. Dietrich of Nazareth and Jamie M. Joseph of Easton, Business Administration; Grant M. Sheatsley, Jonathan J. Ellis, Rebekah M. Hawk of Allentown and Mary K. Domsicz of Hamburg, Berks Lehigh Valley College; Jasmeet S. Bansal of Easton, Communications; Sarah J. Alpha and Theresa M. Lloyd of Whitehall, Division of Undergraduate Studies; Christina M. Weadon, Alburtis and Alisa C. Erdman, Macungie, Education; Jason S. Fritz, Macungie, and Delford S. Hesener, Easton, Engineering; Pho T. Pham, Allentown, Health and Human Development; Matthew S. Kapun of Bethlehem and David M. Adams and Sean C. Handwerk of Slatington, Information Sciences and Technology; Joshua D. Leaver, Macungie, and Megan M. Peters, Allentown, Liberal Arts; Veronica M. Kvarta and Aaron J. Kaiser of Bethlehem, Science.

Campus scholarship recipients were also recognized at the event. Those students who received scholarships for the 2004-2005 academic year were:

-- The Donald E. Allen Memorial Scholarship, established in 1993, is awarded to outstanding first-year students at Penn State Lehigh Valley. The recipients were Sally L. Habib, Ema-Maria Lara and Ghassan M. Zughaib of Allentown; Veronica M. Kvarta, Maciej Tankiewicz and Eric P. Whitehead of Bethlehem; and Joshua D. Pudleiner of Orefield.

-- Rebekah M. Hawk and Samantha L. Long of Allentown, John W. Taucher of Mertztown and James C. Walker of Norristown were awarded the David J. and Carol Batdorf Trustee Scholarship which provides financial assistance to students involved in extracurricular activities and exhibit outstanding leadership skills within the college.

-- The Irvin and Lois E. Cohen Trustee Scholarship recognizes and assists outstanding students enrolled at Penn State Berks-Lehigh Valley College. Anis A. Atiyeh of Whitehall was the recipient.

-- The First Commonwealth Penn State Lehigh Valley Campus Scholarship recognizes and assists outstanding students enrolled at Penn State Lehigh Valley. The recipients were Deena S. Boulos of Easton and Bethany R. Pinto of Breinigsville.

-- The Freshman CEO Scholarship recognizes new first-year students with high SAT scores and high school grades who plan to enroll at Penn State Lehigh Valley. The recipients were Joshua D. Buckallew of Allentown; Robert C. Stehly of Bethlehem; Delford S. Hesener of Easton; Kimberly M. Luckey of Emmaus; Brandon R. Kleckner and Steven J. Troxell of Macungie; David M. Adams, Philip A. Eberhardt and Sean C. Handwerk of Slatington; and Stephen F. Forward of Telford.

-- The Bayard D. and Ethel M. Kunkle Scholarship was awarded to eight students. They were Jason A. Haines, Tara M. Walters and Heather J. Webb of Allentown; Linda L. Hymans and Matthew S. Kapun of Bethlehem; Bonnie L. Hanner of Hellertown; and Jason S. Fritz and Alyssa L. Miller of Macungie. Criteria for this scholarship include academic achievement, good citizenship, leadership potential and professional promise.

-- Eleven students were the recipients of the Lehigh County Chapter of Penn State Alumni Association Scholarship. They were Christina M. Weadon of Alburtis; Richard A. Schultz, Grant M. Sheatsley and Angela M. Zemyan of Allentown; Bethany R. Pinto of Breinigsville; Jennifer L. Buck of Coopersburg; Heather T. Stopp of Coplay; Kristin L. Kluskiewicz of Nazareth; Stacy L. Illick of New Tripoli; Jeffrey R. Townsend of Orefield; and Christopher M. George of Schnecksville. Winners of this scholarship are selected on the basis of superior academic records or the promise of outstanding academic success.

-- Daniel A. Arbeider of Frenchtown, N.J., and Mary K. Domsicz of Hamburg were the recipients of the Lehigh Valley Alumni Scholarship which provides recognition and financial assistance to outstanding students enrolled at Penn State Lehigh Valley.

--Rajarshi Chakrabarty of Allentown, Beth A. Meckes of Laurys Station, and Christopher K. Shuman of Reading were the recipients of the Rudy Mohr Memorial Scholarship. This scholarship, established in 1989 by friends of Rudy Mohr and alumni, provides recognition to outstanding students.

-- The Patt Family Scholarship recognizes and assists students in the College of Business who have achieved superior academic records. Julia M. Chong of Alburtis, Ashley M. Shickora of Tamaqua and Marjorie J. Stetler of Coopersburg were the recipients.

-- The Penn State Lehigh Valley Campus Scholarship was awarded to two students: Aaron J. Kaiser of Bethlehem and Sachin M. Mehta of Fogelsville. Recipients of this scholarship are chosen for academic achievement, extracurricular achievement and potential.

-- Sarah J. Alpha of Whitehall, Sarah J. Dietrich of Nazareth and Lara C. Hartman of Macungie received the Penn State Lehigh Valley General Scholarship, which assists outstanding undergraduate students enrolled at Penn State Lehigh Valley.

-- Heather L. Hummel of Effort, Evan C. Jones of Bethlehem and David H. Younis of Whitehall received the Penn State Lehigh Valley Trustee Scholarship, which provides financial assistance to students enrolled at Penn State Lehigh Valley.

-- Adam T. Brauchle, Michael R. Humes, Megan M. Peters and Matthew P. Weis of Allentown; George A. Khoury of Schnecksville; Shannon L. Kistler and Derek M. Long of Slatington; and Preetesh A. Patel of Whitehall were the recipients of the Presidential Commonwealth Educational System Scholarship awarded to new first-year students involved in the honors program.

-- The Mabel White Riker Memorial Scholarship recognizes full-time students at Penn State Lehigh Valley who demonstrate outstanding academic records in the College of Education with a mathematics teaching option. Preference is given to students from the Allentown School District. The recipient was Thien Duc Hoang of Allentown.

-- Nichol F. Serfass of Bangor received the Jocelyn Scholz Memorial Scholarship which recognizes students who are majoring in elementary education, demonstrate the potential of being a good teacher and have achieved a solid academic record.

-- The Eugene and Sandra Slaski Scholarship recognizes and assists outstanding students at Penn State Lehigh Valley. The recipients were David M. Adams of Slatington and Dolores L. Hooper of Kutztown.

-- The Richard Laird Smith Memorial Scholarship was awarded to three Parkland High School graduates: Kevin S. Abdo of Allentown, Mahmoud A. Abdelaal of Laurys Station and Eric J. Berg of Schnecksville. This scholarship recognizes outstanding full-time undergraduate students who plan to study mechanical engineering or enroll in the college of engineering. This scholarship was established by the family of Richard Laird Smith.

In addition to student recognition, the following faculty and staff were honored:

-- The Student Appreciation and Recognition Award is selected by the student body through the Student Government Association and is given to a staff or faculty member for outstanding work and dedication to the success of students on campus. This year's recipient was Kimberly Golden Benner, assistant director of University Relations.

-- The Lehigh Valley Campus Teaching Excellence Award, which recognizes and encourages teaching excellence at Penn State Lehigh Valley, was presented to Kevin J. Kelley, assistant professor of psychology.

-- The Lehigh Valley Campus Outstanding Part-Time Faculty Teaching Award, which recognizes and encourages teaching excellence at Penn State Lehigh Valley, was presented to Charles Takacs, instructor in astronomy.

-- Jennifer Parker Talwar, assistant professor of sociology, was awarded the Outstanding Research and/or Creative Accomplishment Award. This award recognizes and encourages excellence in academic research, creative activity, scholarship and mastery of subject matter by faculty at Penn State Lehigh Valley.

Last Updated March 19, 2009

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