Penn State Behrend Community Celebrated at Annual Awards Ceremony
Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, hosted its 47th Annual Honors and Awards Convocation ceremony on Sunday, April 27, in Erie Hall. Faculty and staff members, including Chancellor Jack Burke, Senior Associate Dean Robert Light and Associate Dean David Christiansen, presented more than 160 awards to individual students, student organizations, and fellow faculty and staff.
Two student leaders served as the event’s featured speakers. Julie Elkins, president of the Omicron Delta Kappa Honor Society, welcomed attendees to the ceremony, while Kimberly Maier, president of the Lambda Sigma Honor Society, offered closing remarks. The ceremony was followed with a reception in the Reed Union Building’s Wintergarden for all winners.
Unless noted, all awards are listed alphabetically by recipient.
STUDENT LIFE AWARDS
Most Outstanding Student Organization Officer: Sean R. Tosadori
Most Outstanding Student Organization Member: Hillary Shapiro
Most Outstanding Student Organization President: Adell E. Coleman
Best Student Organization Advisor: Edward R. Miseta
Best Student Organization: Lion Entertainment Board
Most Creative Program: Trigon’s Drag Show Extravaganza
Student Activities Leadership Award: Bradley C. Kovalcik
Guy W. Wilson Award for Student Service to the College: Elton Armady
Martin Luther King Jr. Humanitarian Service Award: Keith D. Moses
Penn State Behrend Alumni Society Leadership Award: Brandon C. McGraw
Irvin H. Kochel Lion Ambassador Award: Katherine E. Knight, Julie K. Kosin, and Meredith K. Meyer
Outstanding Fraternity/Sorority Chapter Award: Theta Phi Alpha Sorority
Distinguished Community/Campus Service Award: Student Government Association - Thon
Student Government Association President’s Award: Erin M. Kennedy
USA Today Student Leadership Award: Manal S. Malik and Molly B. Thomas
Outstanding Adult Learner: Paul B. Witt
General Anthony Wayne Excellence in Leadership Award: Meghan L. Sherman (First Year) and Emily J. Berry (Second Year)
ATHLETIC AWARDS
Cheryl Ramsdell-Anderson Female Athlete of the Year Award: Allison B. Mudrey
James Frye Male Athlete of the Year Award: Kevin J. Buczynski
John Zahniser Female Scholar-Athlete Award: Lisa M. Brozewicz
John Zahniser Male Scholar-Athlete Award: Dustin P. Fairchild
ACADEMIC AWARDS
The Behrend College Writing Awards: First Year: Ashley N. MacArthur (First Year), Amy L. Gevin (Business), Wesley A. Salandro (Engineering), Raechul M. Bowser (Humanities) and
Alicia M. Klinvex (Science)
Outstanding Tutor Award: Joseph F. Pleso (Mathematics), Kasey L. Ferguson (Engineering), Katie L. Kelecseny (Writing), Jessica C. Friday (Other Subjects)
Division of Undergraduate Studies: Caitlyn A. Elser (First Year), Kaitlin M. Schafer (Sophomore)
SAM AND IRENE BLACK SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
Accounting: Jennifer K. Conrad (PICPA), Susan I. Eighmy (IMA)
Business, Liberal Arts, and Science: Brysten L. Jones
Economics: Ryan S. Watson
Business Economics: Jonathan L. Curtis
Finance: Lisa M. Brozewicz
General Business: Teresa M. Meluch
International Business: Apeksha Bhardwaj
Management: Allison B. Mudrey
Management Information Systems: Mark A. Joiner
Marketing: Michael T. Grisnik
Master of Business Administration: Krista Pugliano
Delta Sigma Pi Scholarship Key: Lisa M. Brozewicz
Wall Street Journal Student Achievement: Thomas C. Edwards
SCHOOL OF HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES
Corey N. Farrell Nonfiction Award: William J. Shields
Kennedy Fiction Award: Benjamin C. Morris
The Kenneth Jonathan Sonnenberg Poetry Award: Anne E. Pennington
Outstanding Achievement in Communication and Media Studies: Danielle N. Brown
Outstanding Creative Writing Major: Patrick J. Conklin
Outstanding English Major: Richard L. Holzworth (Literature), Pamela S. Glass (Professional Writing)
Outstanding General Arts and Sciences Major: Sandra M. Carangi
Outstanding History Major: Sabina Medilovic
Outstanding Political Science Major: Ryan S. Watson
Outstanding Psychology Student: Kerry A. Lope
Outstanding Scholarly Achievement in Psychology: Sandra Grgic
SCHOOL OF SCIENCE
Academic Excellence in Biology: Erika L. Segear
Academic Excellence in Chemistry: Natalie C. Romano
Outstanding Freshman in Chemistry/American Chemical Society: Kolby K. McIntyre
CRC/Outstanding Freshman: Christian A. Wood
Excellence in Computer Science Research: Alicia M. Klinvex
Academic Excellence in Computer Science: George D. Black II, Alicia M. Klinvex, and Richard Anderson
Mathematics Competition: Kyle R. White
Academic Excellence in Mathematics: George D. Black II, Kyle R. White, Jesse R. Glenn
SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING
Computer Engineering: Israel T. Schultz
Electrical and Computer Engineering Technology: Kurt F. Wolbert
Electrical Engineering: Dustin P. Fairchild
Mechanical Engineering: Joseph W. Shaffer
Mechanical Engineering Technology: Brian J. Benini
Plastics Engineering Technology: Rocco P. Viggiano
Software Engineering: Geoffrey G. Geisel
COLLEGE ACADEMIC AWARDS
The Penn State Behrend Honors Program Award is given to students who completed at least nine honors credits while maintaining a minimum 3.2 grade-point average each semester through their sophomore year: Alyssa R. Baran, Brittany R. Barbato, Chelsee M. Barbour, Lasheena M. Barnes, Jason F. Bobsein, Kyle H. Chalupczynski, Jennifer L. Deas, Diane M. Detar, Greg B. Dimitroff, Molly K. Eberly, Joel K. Erickson, Colin J. Etzel-Hardman, Andrew L. Faivre, Jonathan M. Georgino, Chad R. Green, Stefanie M. Gregorini, David J. Karls, Megan C. Katic, Andrew J. Kondash, Daniel P. Madison, Bradley A. Nagel, Joseph J. Nelson, Clay H. O'Dana, Renee M. Pagel, Jessica N. Patz, Kyra L. Pritchard, Eliska Repkova, Casey D. Robinson, Kyle J. Rodney, Jessica G. Runser, Joshua S. Sailor, Ryan D. Scanlon, Tyler M. Schmidt, Matthew J. Shuster, Rose A. Skiba, Lenny R. Smith, Kristin M. Smock, Douglas M. Stevenson, Lara R. Trozzo, Dana L. Turley, Elizabeth C. Warheit, Lauren M. Weaver, Melissa R. Weibel, Amber D. Wilks, Michael P. Wilson, Alysa J. Young, and Yang Zhao.
The President’s Freshman Award is presented to full-time undergraduate students who earned a perfect 4.0 cumulative grade-point average in the first semester of the freshman year: Matthew K. Adams, James S. Ahloy, Caitlyn A. Elser, Teresa S. Guerrein, Zachary F. Herd, Caleb B. Hudspath, Matthew N. Ieraci, Alexandra M. Johnston, Louis J. Londino, Ashley N. MacArthur, Kolby K. McIntyre, Mark E. Medwid, Sarah B. Mobley, Amy C. Platz, Bradley J. Rager, Justin P. Schmader, Jeffrey A. Severance, and Samantha J. Taylor.
The Evan Pugh Scholar Award honors those juniors and seniors who were in the upper 0.5 percent of their respective class at the end of the fall semester of each academic year. Eliska Repkova was the junior recipient. Senior recipients were Danielle N. Brown, Alicia M. Klinvex, Erika L. Segear, and Joseph W. Shaffer.
The President Sparks Award is presented annually to those undergraduate degree candidates who have earned a 4.0 cumulative grade-point average based on at least 36 graded Penn State credits completed by the end of the fall semester of the academic year in which the award is given: Christopher M. Brown, Brandon M. Carangi, and Christine M. Giuliano.
The Council of Fellows Undergraduate Student Research Award was presented to Chelsea D. Fenush and Alicia M. Klinvex.
SPECIAL SERVICE AWARDS
Zachary F. Herd received the Outstanding First-Year Student, which recognizes a first-year student who demonstrates outstanding promise of character, scholarship, leadership and citizenship through achievements in the first year of study.
Debra Workman was presented with the Irvin H. Kochel Award. The award is presented annually to an undergraduate student who demonstrates outstanding qualities of character, scholarship, leadership and citizenship through their involvement in programs and services that positively influence fellow students and have contributed to the college community.
The Thomas H. Turnbull Award, which lists outstanding service as its most important criterion, was presented to Daniela E. Campana. This award is presented annually to a Penn State Behrend student who has contributed to the college community through outstanding qualities of character, scholarship, leadership and citizenship.
Andrew Hua Law was awarded the T. Reed Ferguson Award, which recognizes a junior who has demonstrated scholarship, leadership and citizenship that has impacted fellow students through academic and out-of-class involvement and gives promise of further achievement in the senior year.
Leisl M. Soergel was the recipient of the Eric A. and Josephine S. Walker Award in recognition of outstanding qualities of character, scholarship, leadership and citizenship that have been directed into student programs and services. Scholarship is a primary criterion along with a record of outstanding service to the college.
The John W. Oswald Award was presented to Meghan E. Bool. This University award was established by the Omicron Delta Kappa Honor Leadership Society to recognize a graduating senior who has provided outstanding leadership in at least one of several areas of student leadership activity at Penn State.
Diane M. Daniels, director of the Penn State Educational Partnership Program, was presented with the Benjamin A. Lane Outstanding Service Award. The award honors a faculty or staff member who has demonstrated outstanding service and dedication to Penn State Behrend as exemplified by the unparalleled devotion of Benjamin A. Lane, associate professor of English emeritus.