Academic award recipients, scholarship winners, and university scholars were recognized for their achievements on Thursday, May 15, at Penn State Lehigh Valley’s 22nd annual Honors Convocation. Students honored for outstanding achievement included:
• Janet Billings of Easton was the recipient of the 2008 Evan Pugh Scholar Award which recognizes full-time undergraduate students in the upper 0.5 percent of their respective classes and have completed at least 48 graded Penn State credits.
• Elizabeth C. Mertz of Lehighton and Christopher J. Ulmer of Schnecksville received the President Sparks Award for earning a 4.00 grade-point average for each of the first three full-time semesters of study, and having a cumulative GPA of 4.00 at the end of their third semester.
• Troyleon Mann of Barto, Jeffrey S. Okken of Walnutport, Sarah M. Rihl of Quakertown, Christianna T. Roberts of Emmaus, Scott H. Shuey of Orefield, and Dejan Veskovic of Allentown received the 2008 President’s Freshman Award for undergraduate students who carry a full-time credit load and earn a 4.00 grade-point average for the first semester of the freshman year.
• 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 Peter L. Wilson of Stroudsburg. Nominees for this prestigious University award included Janet Billings of Easton and Kathleen McKitish of Allentown.
• The Outstanding Student Award in Applied Psychology was presented to Janet Billings of Easton. This award is presented to a junior or senior who has demonstrated outstanding performance in Applied Psychology.
• Foram A. Dave of Allentown was the recipient of the Biology Award. This award is given to a student with the highest overall grade-point average who has completed both Biology 110 and 240W and is dedicated to collegiate excellence.
• Lorraine M. McClure of Fogelsville 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.
• Kelly Fetter of Orefield was awarded the First-Year Chemistry Achievement Award for exceptional academic achievement in Chemistry.
• The Communication Arts and Sciences Excellence Award is earned by the student who shows exemplary promise in public speaking. Daniel R. Alvarez of Bethlehem and Sarah A. Fogel of Walnutport earned the highest possible score in each of the three main speech categories for the course.
• Aileen K. Espinoza of Saylorsburg was awarded the Community Service Award for her outstanding leadership and commitment to enriching the community through time, energy, and talent.
• The Engineering Student Achievement Award was presented to Christopher J. Ulmer of Schnecksville for demonstrating outstanding academic achievement.
• The English Department Award for Exceptional Achievement in Expository Writing was awarded to Brandon R. Kleckner of Macungie for his essays, The Future of the Recording Industry, or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Music; Ferris Bueller: A Beneficent Manipulator?; and Wild Guesses of Things to Come.
• Sally L. Habib of Allentown 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 Outstanding Student Award in Marketing/Management, sponsored by Drs. James and Denise Ogden, was presented to Dawn M. Edmiston of Orefield who academically excelled in special course projects in the field of marketing and management.
• Elias J. Cekovic of Schnecksville was the recipient of the Outstanding Student Award in Organizational Leadership.
• The Physics Excellence Award was presented to Christopher J. Ulmer of Schnecksville who has displayed exceptional potential in the field of Physics.
• Patrick J. Ojeil of Allentown was the recipient of the Alexandrea Downing Outstanding Student Award in Sociology, presented to the student who has demonstrated outstanding academic performance and promise.
• Kaitlyn J. Hunger of Emmaus received the Outstanding Student Teacher Award which is presented to an elementary education major who has demonstrated outstanding performance as a student teacher.
• Gregory W. Rotariu of Slatington received the Outstanding Tutor Award presented to an individual who displays excellence in the Learning and/or Writing Center. Professional and peer tutors are eligible for this award with special consideration given to individuals based upon length of service, number of students served, and feedback from students, faculty, and staff.
• Participants in the Penn State Lehigh Valley Honors Program maintain a high grade-point average while taking required honors courses and participating in extracurricular activities, including international travel. These students include Pratik J. Patel of Alburtis; Phillip M. Anderson, Foram A. Dave, Jaclyn D. Dugan, Mercedes M. Pereira, Eric H. Ruth, Stephen B. Seaquist, Robert P. Thacker-Dey, and Quyvinh T. Tran, all of Allentown; Alex D. Gearhart, Jason C. Hinkle, and Mallory G. Zingone, Bath; Nicholas M. Dzienis and Athena E. Greenspan of Bethlehem; Olga Sklyarova of Breinigsville; Robert M. Hamill of Coopersburg; Janet Billings of Easton; Steven T. Wehr of Emmaus; Stephanie A. Derstine of Kutztown; Chad C. Derhammer and Beth A. Meckes of Laurys Station; Caroline L. Andersen, Sigrid I. Hurdle, and Jennifer L. Kelly of Macungie; Scott H. Shuey of Orefield; Christopher M. Bennetsen of Pennsburg; Jenna L. Csencsits of Schnecksville; Emily M. Redline of Slatington; Daniel J. Kapral of Walnutport.
• Nadia Y. Abidi of Macungie, Daniel J. Devine of Bethlehem, Didier D. Greenleaf of Easton, Christopher J. Ulmer of Schnecksville, and Dejan Veskovic of Allentown were named Schreyer Scholars. Schreyer Scholars meet exacting standards set by Penn State’s Schreyer Honors College in academic excellence, global perspective, and civic engagement.
• Students honored for High Cumulative Average by College were Sarah M. Rihl of Quakertown (Agriculture); Benjamin T. Carpenter of Macungie and Gregory W. Rotariu of Slatington (Business Administration); Quyvinh T. Tran of Allentown (Capital); Sarah E. Hoffman of Bethlehem and Ashley L. Scheffler of Orefield (Communications); Thomas G. Barndt, Jr. of Perkiomenville and Jeffrey S. Okken of Walnutport, Division of Undergraduate Studies; Ramie Moussa of Whitehall and Kevin T. Shank of Slatington (Education); Scott H. Shuey of Orefield and Christopher J. Ulmer of Schnecksville (Engineering); Vitalia Michtchak of Easton (Health and Human Development); David M. Adams of Slatington and Ronald K. Heft of Allentown ( Information Sciences and Technology); Elizabeth C. Mertz of Lehighton and Lucas D. Reddinger of Bangor (Liberal Arts); Anayansi Escobar of Easton, Elizabeth M. Gerancher of Coplay, Christianna T. Roberts of Emmaus, and Alicia L. Rohrbach of Breinigsville (Penn State Lehigh Valley Programs); Michele S. Longenhagen of Macungie (Provisional); and Nadia Y. Abidi of Macungie and Foram A. Dave of Allentown (Science).
Campus scholarship recipients for the 2007-2008 academic year were also recognized at the event:
• The Donald E. Allen Memorial Scholarship, established in 1993, is awarded to outstanding first-year students at Penn State Lehigh Valley. The recipients were Daniel J. Howard of Allentown; Thomas J. Kenna of Barto; Jason C. Hinkle of Bath; Athena E. Greenspan and Richard D. Schilling of Bethlehem; Ann-Marie Post of Henryville; Jason M. Halwick of Northampton; Thomas G. Barndt of Perkiomenville; and Mark J. Crouse of Zionsville.
• The Bayard D. and Ethel M. Kunkle Scholarship was awarded to nine students. They were Stephen B. Seaquist of Allentown; Leigh Ann Bitler, Gabriella A. Bovolin, and Aaron J. Flanagan of Bethlehem; Didier D. Greenleaf and AnnMarie G. Vaughn of Easton, and Kevin T. Shank of Slatington. Criteria for this scholarship include academic achievement, good citizenship, leadership potential, and professional promise.
• Four students were the recipients of the Lehigh Valley Chapter of Penn State Alumni Association Scholarship. They were Rema L. Merrick of Allentown; Corrine L. Buck of Coopersburg; Deanna M. Reinert of New Tripoli, and Adam T. Greene of Orefield. Winners of this scholarship are selected on the basis of superior academic records or the promise of outstanding academic success.
• Ronald K. Heft of Allentown was the recipient of the Lehigh Valley Alumni Scholarship which provides recognition and financial assistance to outstanding students enrolled at Penn State Lehigh Valley.
• Madeline Savoy of Macungie, Dale E. Schultz of Telford, and Amanda R. Silfies of Wescosville 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. The recipient was Alicia L. Rohrbach of Breinigsville.
• The Penn State Lehigh Valley Campus Scholarship was awarded to Brian J. Polaha of Allentown and Katie L. Reiss of Hellertown. Recipients of this scholarship are chosen for academic achievement, extracurricular achievement, and potential.
• Julia Tran of Bethlehem, Janet Billings of Easton, Jennifer L. Kelly of Macungie, and Christine M. Becker of Quakertown received the Penn State Lehigh Valley General Scholarship, which assists outstanding undergraduate students enrolled at Penn State Lehigh Valley.
• The Penn State Lehigh Valley Student Affairs Scholarship, presented to a Penn State Lehigh Valley junior or senior in recognition of their academic achievement and campus involvement, was awarded to Debra L. Hartley of Effort and Diane V. Garbidakis of Whitehall.
• Nicholas M. Dzienis of Bethlehem; Andres A. Rondon of Macungie, Jeffrey D. Miller of New Tripoli, Sarah C. Plowman of Philadelphia, and Amber J. Bachman of Slatington received the Penn State Lehigh Valley Trustee Scholarship, which provides financial assistance to students enrolled at Penn State Lehigh Valley.
• Stephanie Abizeid, Jonathan W. Akers, Hope M. Colpan, Christina D. Columbo, Van B. Huynh, Lauren A. Smoyer, and Quyvinh T. Tran, all of Allentown; Marie C. Feleo of Breinigsville; Chad C. Derhammer of Laurys Station; Brandon R. Kleckner of Macungie; David M. Adams of Slatington; and Joseph A. Lloyd of Whitehall were the recipients of the Penn State Lehigh Valley Renaissance Scholarship which provides financial assistance to academically-talented students with the greatest financial need.
• Christopher F. Jarrah and Roman Koubassov of Allentown; Chad C. Derhammer of Laurys Station; Scott H. Shuey of Orefield, and Jenna L. Csencsits of Schnecksville were the recipients of the Presidential 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 Nadia Y. Abidi of Macungie.
• The Eugene and Sandra Slaski Scholarship recognizes and assists outstanding students at Penn State Lehigh Valley. The recipient was Peter L. Wilson of Stroudsburg.
• The Richard Laird Smith Memorial Scholarship was awarded to three Parkland High School graduates: Eric H. Ruth of Allentown, and Brandon D. Schaffer and Brandon R. Schulze 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 Linda Rumfield, Learning Center Coordinator.
• The Lehigh Valley Campus Teaching Excellence Award, which recognizes and encourages teaching excellence at Penn State Lehigh Valley, was presented to Michelle M. Kline, Lecturer in Accounting and Coordinator of the Business Program.
• 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 A. Green, Instructor in History.
• Dennis J. Phillips, Associate Librarian, was awarded the Outstanding Research and 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.
• The Outstanding Staff Award was presented to Lyne Brobst, supervisor of Word Processing, for outstanding dedication and commitment to the Penn State Lehigh Valley campus.
Special recognition was given to the following students:
• Academic All-Conference Golf Team Award was presented to Garrett B. Cooper of Allentown, Brian D. Lapinsky of New Ringgold, Adam T. Greene of Orefield, and Peter L. Wilson of Stroudsburg.
• Academic All-Conference Cross-Country Team Award was presented to Nicholas M. Dzienis of Bethlehem and Gregory W. Rotariu of Slatington.
• Academic All-Conference Tennis Team Award was presented to Brenda L. Holcomb of Coopersburg, Jeffrey S. Godley of Easton, Ali Jawad S. Khimji of Macungie; Caroline C. Lo of Pennsburg, and Peter L. Wilson of Stroudsburg.
• Penn State Lehigh Valley Women’s Commission Adult Learner Award was presented to Stephanie A. Derstine of Kutztown, and AnnMarie G. Vaughn of Easton.
• Dickinson School of Law Summer Law Scholars Award was presented to Quyvinh T. Tran of Allentown.
• Eclipse Award was presented to Kathleen McKitish of Allentown.
• Rose Cologne Keystone Citizen Award was presented to Peter L. Wilson of Stroudsburg.
• USA Today Student Leadership Award was awarded to Gregory W. Rotariu of Slatington.
• The 2008 Wall Street Journal Student Achievement Award was awarded to Timothy R. Rabenold of Alburtis.
The event was held in the West Garden at Penn State Lehigh Valley in Fogelsville.