College Presents Outstanding Varsity Athletic Alumni Awards

Pennsylvania College of Technology recently presented Outstanding Varsity Athletic Alumni Awards to Becky J. Shaner, of Hughesville, and Bobby String, of New Cumberland.

The honors were presented by Penn College President Davie Jane Gilmour during Oct. 10 Homecoming festivities at the college.

To be eligible for the award, recipients must have been a varsity athlete for two or more years, demonstrate the importance of their education at Penn College, participate in leadership roles and demonstrate a commitment to the community in which they reside, and be a graduate of the college or its immediate predecessor institution, Williamsport Area Community College.

Shaner, who received a bachelor's degree in business administration in 2003, is employed by Penn College as an alumni relations assistant. Previously, she was an admissions representative for the college and had worked at Snyder Equipment, Watsontown.

Shaner was a member of the college's cross-country team in 2000-01. In 2000, she was the only female on the squad, finishing no worse than third place in any meet that season and earning all-conference and all-state honors. In 2001, Shaner and teammates Christine Seward and Jessica Decker won all of their Eastern Pennsylvania Collegiate Conference meets, as well as the state-championship meet. She again earned all-conference and all-state honors.

She continues to run and participate in a variety of races including the Steamtown Marathon, the Nittany Valley Half Marathon, the Chambersburg Half Marathon, the Reach the Beach Relay, the Tussey Mountainback Relay and the Pittsburgh Marathon Relay.

Shaner is a member of the Oregon East Running Club, which established and continues to support the Irv Zablocky Memorial Scholarship that is awarded to a Hughesville High School track and field senior athlete. She is a former Hughesville High School assistant girls track and field coach and currently serves as a volunteer coach for the team.

She is a 2008 Leadership Lycoming graduate and serves on the Leadership Lycoming Alumni Committee. Shaner and her husband, K.C., (who is a Penn College alumnus) have a son, Tyce.

String received an associate degree in building construction technology in 1999 and a bachelor's degree in technology management 2001. He is employed by Lowe's, Mechanicsburg, as operations manager. The store is No. 1 in sales for its region. String has been employed by Lowe's for nine years, serving in a variety of positions before becoming operations manager.

String was a guard on the Wildcat men's basketball team in 1999-2000, scoring 1,022 points. He was the first player in school history to reach the 1,000-point mark and was the only Penn College basketball team member to score 1,000 points when the team competed in the EPCC.

Penn College athletes had only two years of eligibility when String competed, so he assisted coach Gene Bruno in his senior year.

String volunteers in his community with a program known as "Lowe's Heroes," which has assisted underprivileged families, adoption centers and the Central Pennsylvania Humane Society.

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