UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Schreyer Honors College honored four Scholar alumni for their achievements and contributions with the 2023 Scholar Alumni Awards. The winners were recognized on March 24 at a luncheon held at the Hintz Family Alumni Center.
“Whether they were a part of the University Scholars Program or Schreyer Honors College, these Scholar alumni have gone above and beyond to make positive impacts throughout their professional lives,” said Patrick Mather, dean of Schreyer Honors College. “It was a pleasure to welcome them back to University Park and acknowledge their accomplishments.”
The recipients are:
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Todd Bacastow, Outstanding Scholar Alumni Mentor; senior director of strategic partnerships at Maxar. He graduated from the College of Information Sciences and Technology in 2005 with a bachelor of science degree in information sciences and technology, with honors.
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Michael Banerjee, Outstanding Graduate of the Last Decade (GOLD) Alumni; law clerk to Vermont Supreme Court Justice Paul L. Reiber. A 2016 graduate from the College of the Liberal Arts, he earned a bachelor of arts degree in African American studies and a bachelor of arts degree in criminology, with honors.
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Mark Lavallee, Outstanding Scholar Alumni; medical director for Central Pa. for UPMC. He is a 1990 graduate of the Eberly College of Science with a bachelor of science degree in pre-medicine, with honors. He earned his doctor of medicine degree from Penn State College of Medicine in 1994.
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Hallie Murray, Outstanding Scholar Alumni; senior director of clinical affairs at Tyber Medical. She graduated in 2002 from the College of Engineering with a bachelor of science degree in chemical engineering, with honors.
The Outstanding Scholar Alumni Award recognizes the contributions of graduates who have demonstrated exemplary leadership skills, professional achievement, and a passion for lifelong learning. The honorees’ work help deliver on the Honors College’s mission of achieving academic excellence with integrity, building a global perspective, and creating opportunities for leadership and civic engagement. Recipients are selected by the Scholar Alumni Society Board.
The Outstanding GOLD Scholar Alumni Award is given to graduates who, within their first decade of graduating with honors from Penn State, showcase high levels of professional achievement and leadership in support of Schreyer’s mission. GOLD Scholar Alumni Award honorees are also selected by the Scholar Alumni Society Board.
The Outstanding Scholar Alumni Mentor Award acknowledges Scholar alumni who have generously given their time and shared their experiences with Scholars through the Mentoring with Honors program. Nominations for this award are submitted by mentees in Schreyer’s Mentoring with Honors program and honorees are selected by the Scholar Alumni Society Board.
The awards are commemorated by the presentation of a replica Lion Shrine statue or a framed drawing of Atherton Hall, home to Schreyer Honors College at University Park.