On May 1, Penn State Shenango held its annual Honors Convocation and Recognition Banquet to honor and give recognition to its finest students, faculty, and staff. The event recognizes the outstanding achievements and services of many individuals, clubs, and organizations.
The presenters at the ceremony included Stephanie Chastain, associate director of Student Affairs; several faculty and staff who had served as club advisers or taught honor classes throughout the year; Fred Leeds, chancellor; Ira Saltz, director of Academic Affairs; and Philip Nash, associate professor of history.
The following students received this year’s President’s Freshman Award from Penn State Shenango for receiving a 4.0 grade-point-average in the first semester of full-time study: Ashley Bacich of Sharpsville, Holly Beck of Greenville, Carl Frank of Sharon, Barbara Higgins of Brookfield, OH, Amanda Querio of Hermitage, Sara Sutton of Masury, OH, and Leah Vuich of Hermitage.
The President’s Sparks Award, presented annually to those sophomore undergraduate degree candidates who earned a 4.0 cumulative grade-point-average based on at least 36 Penn State credits completed by the end of the fall semester of the academic year the award is given, was presented to Steven Mitchell of Hadley and John Shelby of West Middlesex.
The Robert Weber Mathematics Award, presented annually to the most promising Shenango campus mathematics student, was presented to Richard Love of Warren, OH. The Robert Weber Mathematics Award honors the late Robert Weber who taught mathematics at the Shenango campus.
The Robert Weber Scholarship, traditionally awarded to the highest ranking, continuing, full-time mathematics student, was presented to Peter Paoletta of Sharon.
This year’s American Chemistry Society Award was presented to both Ryan Albert of Hermitage and Mayonta Jefferson of Farrell.
Saltz presented the Academic Achievement Awards, which are given to those students in each college or degree program who have achieved the best cumulative grade-point averages during the academic year. Priority is given to students who have been in their major for three semesters. These recipients included, beginning with baccalaureate seeking students, Martin Pitzer of New Castle-Agriculture; Danielle Curtin of Greenville-Business Administration at Shenango (FT); Teresa Decker of Grove City-Business Administration at Shenango (PT); Natalie Burich of Sharpsville-Communication Sciences and Disorders; Kristin Delmonaco of Hermitage-Division of Undergraduate Studies; Jonathan Martin of Hermitage-Engineering; Michelle Bellucci of Hermitage- Health and Human Development; James Jackson of Hermitage-Human Development & Family Studies (FT); Larry McNeish of Mercer-Human Development and Family Studies (PT); Michelle Miller of New Castle-Humanities and Social Sciences; Steven Mitchell of Hadley-Information Sciences and Technology; Nicole Odem of Sharon-Liberal Arts; Elisabeth Desilva of Greenville-Letters, Arts and Sciences at Shenango; Kelley Younkins of Warren, OH-Nursing at Shenango (PT); and Brian Burnham of Leavittsburg, OH-Science.
Those students seeking associate degrees who were chosen for this year’s Academic Achievement Awards included Brittany Bates of Stoneboro-Business Administration; Jannitta Sellers of Sharon-Human Development and Family Studies (FT); Lisa Michael of Hermitage-Human Development and Family Studies (PT); Debra Williams of Farrell-Information Science Technology; Nicholas Koukis of Sharpsville-Letters, Arts and Sciences (FT); Linda McGrath of Warren, OH-Letters, Arts and Sciences (PT); Andrew Marburger of Atlantic-Mechanical Engineering Technology; and Donald Gearhart of Transfer-Physical Therapist Assistant.
The following students were recognized for their high academic achievement with cumulative grade-point-averages of 3.8 and above. They included Amber McConahy of Girard-3.99, OH; Barbara Allison of Greenville-3.99; Robyn Bennington of Mercer-3.98; Deanna Straniak of Greenville-3.98; Kristin Blakesley of Mercer-3.95; Candace Strautnieks of Mercer-3.86; Elaina Richards of Sharon-3.95; Darla Anselmi of Hermitage-3.94; Jennifer O’Rourke of Sharpsville-3.93; Shelley Sacik of Mercer-3.91; Jean Morocco of Farrell-3.92; Aric Renzo of Mercer-3.92; Gary Gault of Greenville-3.89; Richard Hanna of New Castle-3.84; Lisa Hoodin of Sharpsville-3.91; Rachel Dickey of Hermitage-3.86; Melissa Krepps of Masury, OH-3.87; Annette Williams-Bishop of Girard, OH-3.87; Ryan Albert of Hermitage-3.83; Ashley Delfratte of Hermitage-3.84; Charity Gramsky of Masury, OH-3.83; and Michelle Manilla of Sharpsville-3.76.
Also acknowledged were the 22 Shenango campus students who were nominated for “Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges.” Those nominated received their award certificates during the evening’s program including Maria Ashby of Sharon, Nicole Clawson of Jamestown, Rico Cruz of Hermitage, Greg Curtin of Greenville, Thomas Dean of Farrell, Shelly Findley of Sharpsville, Amber Hoover of Mercer, Buffi Kennedy of Sharon, Sara Liska of Hermitage, Allison Marzano of West Middlesex, Linda McGrath of Warren, OH, Scott McKinley of Greenville, Michelle Miller of New Castle, Brittany Rhodabarger of Mineral Ridge, OH, Lana Ruffo of Sharpsville, Laura Sanders of Sharon, Debra Sernik of Greenville, Lindsey Sherrod of New Castle, Amanda Stumpf of Niles, OH, Teresa Vamosi of Sharpsville, Holly Vuich of Hermitage, and Rosanna Weaver of New Castle.
This year’s prestigious Eric and Josephine Walker Award was presented to Buffi Kennedy of Sharon. The award recognizes students whose outstanding qualities of character, scholarship, leadership, and citizenship have been directed into programs and services that have positively influenced fellow students and have contributed to the prestige and well-being of their campus.
As a nontraditional student, Kennedy has served Penn State Shenango as a leader and student representative. Since the fall of 2007, she has served as an orientation leader, Student Government Association president and was the dance support person for Thon. As a result of her presidency of the SGA, she served on the Penn State Shenango Advisory Board, the McDowell Committee, the Shenango Faculty Senate, the Student Technology Fee Committee, and the Student Activity Fee Committee.
In Kennedy’s pursuit of high academic standards, she has become a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Society and has been awarded many scholarships, including the Paul and Eleanor Chadderton scholarship and the Osher Reentry Scholarship. At the end of this year’s spring semester, she graduated from Penn State Shenango with a bachelor of science degree in business. She is the daughter of Donald and Marilyn Carroll of Florence, Oregon, and the proud mother of Airron, Hunter and Gennaveve Kennedy.
Her nominator had this to say about her, “During her tenure at Penn State Shenango, Buffi Kennedy has not only been an outstanding student in the classroom, she has also been an outstanding student on campus and in the community. I can state, without a doubt, that her presence this year has increased student engagement, has aided students individually and campus wide, and has made my job much easier.”
This year’s recipient of the Outstanding Adult Student Award was Cecily Garner of Farrell. The Outstanding Adult Student Award recognizes a student over the age of 21 who has completed at least 36 credits and who is distinguished by scholarship, service and success in coping with numerous roles and overcoming difficult circumstances in the pursuit of education.
Garner, who was born in 1973, is the mother of two young boys. She has achieved a lot during her three and half years at Penn State Shenango while balancing school, work, and a home. She is a preschool Sunday school teacher and the children’s choir director at the Hour of Power Full Gospel Tabernacle in Farrell. Garner’s hard work can be seen in action as a part-time Salvation Army Thrift Store cashier or her work in the Student Affairs Office, where she puts in twenty hours a week while completing her internship for Career Services.
Currently, Garner is working toward her bachelor of science degree in business administration, with a marketing and management option. She is slated to graduate this coming fall. After graduation, Garner hopes to aid minorities and others in advancing their goals and plans. She is also diligently working on writing her first amateur novel.
This year’s Ann Wansack Award was presented to Shelly Findley of Sharpsville. The Wansack Award was made in the memory of Ann “Mom” Wansack who was an employee at Penn State Shenango and devoted friend to the students of the Shenango campus. The purpose of this award is to honor and recognize full-time students enrolled at Penn State Shenango who are actively involved, through leadership or participation, in the betterment of the campus.
Before attending Penn State Shenango, Findley graduated from the Shenango Valley School of Business and worked for Penn Northwest Development Corporation, Shenango Valley Chamber of Commerce Coil Coating, and Lewis and Ristvey, Attorneys at Law.
As a Shenango student, Findley has held numerous positions. More specifically, she was treasurer of the PTA Club and a member of the Student Activity Fee Committee. Currently, she is the Student Government Association (SGA) Treasurer, a two year student orientation leader, and a member of the SGA Nominating Committee. She is a twenty-year veteran Sunday school teacher, a leader in the church youth department, and was involved in the conception of an Upward Soccer program which is now in its fourth year. As part of her required business internship, she worked with the First Assembly of God Church to create a daycare program.
Findley’s nominator had this to say of her, “….I have worked very closely with Shelly as her SGA advisor, and I cannot say enough about how much time and effort she has gone to above and beyond what would normally be expected of a student officer.”
Findley graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business administration this past spring. She lives in Sharpsville with her husband, Craig, and their two children, Brittany, who also attends Penn State Shenango, and Nathaniel, who attends Sharpsville Middle School.
This year’s Honors Program students were Erin Auld of Brookfield, OH, Lois Barlow of Sharon (certificate), Kristi Barwell of Wheatland, Brittany Bates of Stonboro (certificate), Kristin Blakesley of Mercer, Brian Burnham of Leavittsburg, Erin Champ of Fowler, OH, Anne Churchman of Sharon, Dana Crocker of Sharon (certificate), Shannon Davis of Greenville, Dorothy Dean of New Castle, Koann Eicher of Sharon (certificate), Jennifer Flaherty of Clark, Cyndi Gajarsky of Brookfield, OH, Cecily Garner of Farrell, David Gunia of Canfield, OH, Renea Ingram of Sharpsville, Tara Kennedy of New Castle, David Killmeyer of New Castle, Melissa Krepps of Masury, OH, Michelle Leax of Greenville, Blair Legg of Sharon, Richard Love of Warren, OH, Kristy Martell of Hermitage, Allison Marzano of West Middlesex, Natalie McClure of Jamestown, Amber McConahy of Girard, OH (certificate), Heather McFeaters of Sharon, Justin Meier of Sharon, Leigh Ann Mike of Sharon, Steven Mitchell of Hadley, Christina Poschner of Canfield, OH, Karen Protiva of West Farmington, OH, Aric Renzo of Mercer, Elaina Richards of Sharon, Stephanie Samolis of Clark, Melissa Schuller of West Middlesex, Tracy Snyder of Hermitage, Ross Stouffer of Mercer, Candace Strautnieks of Mercer, Wendi Swartz of Greenville, Holly Vuich of Hermitage, Jakub Waksmundzki of South West Warren, OH, and Debra Williams of Farrell (certificate).
As part of the 2009 Honors Convocation and Recognition Banquet, the Student Affairs Most Outstanding awards were presented. These awards, which recognize leadership and exceptional character, were awarded to Michelle Miller of New Castle for Most Outstanding /Valuable Club Member (HDFS Club president and SGA sophomore senator); Gail Mancuso of Sharpsville for Most Outstanding Club Advisor (Shenango Women’s Commission organization); Vickie Davis of Sharon for Most Outstanding Staff Member; and the Human Development and Family Studies Club for Most Outstanding Club on campus (advisors Claudia Brown and Dr. William McGuigan).