Fourteen Pennsylvania College of Technology students were presented with Penn College Awards during a banquet at Le Jeune Chef Restaurant on Thursday evening. The 14th annual ceremony recognized graduating students who have made outstanding contributions to the college and who have risen above their peers as a result of their leadership.In welcoming the honorees and their guests, college President Davie Jane Gilmour said the event − coming amid a hectic end-of-semester rush of activities − offered a welcome opportunity to pause and reflect on student accomplishment.
"You have given us your sons and daughters for two or four years," she told the parents in attendance. "And now, you get to hear, in a very personal and often emotional way, the profound impact they've had on our lives during that time." Her words rang true throughout the evening, as presenter after presenter, in introduction after introduction, celebrated students who have excelled in an impressive breadth of venues − often against obstacles, but never in disregard of academic demands − both on and off campus.
Typical of the honorees was Lindsey K. Fackler, a nursing major from Halifax, who was unable to attend the evening's festivities. A two-time All-American archer and Academic All-American among Penn College student-athletes, whose service includes membership on the Student Athlete Advisory Committee, she is with her teammates in national competition at Texas A&M University this weekend.
An alphabetical list of the other recipients, their hometowns and majors, as well as a sampling of the organizations and activities with which they participated, follow:
Bryann R. Bingaman, Middleburg, architectural technology
Penn College bowling team, Inter-Fraternity Council (council president and vice president of safety), Architecture Club, Sigma Nu (new member educator), Phi Theta Kappa, Sigma Nu and Homecoming car shows, Walk-It-Out, Habitat for Humanity, Student Government Association and Perkins Participatory Planning Committee
Kathryn A. Foster, Hummelstown, nursing
Student Nurses' Association (as president and vice president), Alpha Chi (vice president), Student Ambassador, Nursing Advisory Board, SGA Senator, Phi Theta Kappa, Loyalsock Township volunteer EMT, Williamsport Hospital volunteer, All About Family Expo, blood-pressure screenings, Architecture Club, Student Leadership Conference, Women's Institute of Leadership with Distinction
Alesha S. Frazier, Tipton, information technology: web and applications development concentration
Student Elections Committee, Multicultural Society, Eating Disorder Awareness Committee, Resident Assistant, Film Hounds (president), Connections Link, Alternative Spring Break, Awesome Woman Exemplar
Alyssa J. Giedroc, Howard, technology management
American Sign Language Club (co-president), Phi Theta Kappa, Campus Crusade for Christ, Resident Assistant. Center for Independent Living volunteer, United Way Day of Caring, women's cross-country and soccer teams, National Restaurant Association's Salute to Excellence, work-study student in Disability Services
Julianne C. Grega, Weatherly, physician assistant
Wildcat Events Board (business coordinator), Wildcat Welcome Team, Greek Life Recognition and Expansion Committee, Residence Hall Association, Physician Assistant Club (secretary), Connections Link, Resident Assistant, Red Cross Bloodmobile donor, volunteer for Little League World Series and Center for Independent Living
Stephanie J. Irvine, Titusville, welding and fabrication engineering technology
Wildcat Welcome Team, American Welding Society, Presidential Leadership Program, Alpha Sigma Alpha (vice president of membership education), Homecoming decoration contest, Special Olympics volunteer, Women's Institute of Leadership with Distinction, Awesome Woman Exemplar, Alpha Chi.
Bradley S. Jackson, Warrington, information technology: security specialist concentration
Campus Crusade for Christ (outreach leader and co-president), Resident Assistant, Student Ambassador, Habitat for Humanity, Little League World Series Kids' Day volunteer, work-study student in Residence Life Office
Christina L. Kessler, Danville, architectural technology
Campus Fest, Open House and Welcome Weekend volunteer, Hog Bash, Fall Fiesta, Greek Week, WEBstock, SGA Senate, Architecture Club (treasurer and vice president), Wildcat Welcome Team, Students Making a Contribution (vice president and co-founder), One Day Without Shoes, Bowl for Kids' Sake, Phi Theta Kappa, Alpha Sigma Alpha
Samantha L. Mills, Harrisburg, dental hygiene
Women's softball team (four-year captain, Penn State University Athletic Conference all-conference and member of 2007 state championship team), Student American Dental Hygienists' Association (president and treasurer), Student Athlete Advisory Committee, Blue Crew, Walk-It-Out, Sealant Saturday and other dental-hygiene awareness programs, Giving Tree, Reading With the Wildcats at Sheridan Elementary School, holiday-card and homecoming-banner decorating, Open House, Career Day, Women in Sports Day, Red Cross blood drives
Kyle M. Pfueller, Warminster, informational technology: network specialist concentration
SGA (president, executive vice president and senator), Association for Computing Machinery (secretary), Wildcat Welcome Team, Martin Luther King Day of Service, SGA/Student Athlete Advisory Committee canned-food drive, Red Cross blood-drive volunteers, RHA, Gamers' Guild, intramural sports, Judicial Council, Open House
Steven E. Ritter, State College, computer aided product design
WEB, RHA, SGA Senate, intramural sports, founding member (among other positions) of Sigma Nu fraternity, Student Ambassador, Walk-It-Out, WEBstock, Sigma Nu and Homecoming car shows, Fall Fiesta, Intra-Fraternity Council, winter formal, Student Leadership Conference, Resident Assistant (and RA of the Month), holiday-card decorating, Phone-a-Thon, Habitat for Humanity, Chili Cook-Off, Students in Free Enterprise food collection, Red Cross blood drives
Mark C. Shaffer, Hanover, HVAC technology
Wildcat baseball team (three-year captain, All-American and PSUAC all-conference), Air Conditioning Contractors of America student chapter (secretary), intramurals, holiday-card decorating, Blue Crew, American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers student chapter (and organizational community service), Student Athlete Advisory Committee (secretary), 5K Run for Cancer, Little League pitching clinic and Grand Slam Parade, Read With the Wildcats, Brandon Park Clean-Up Day, Homecoming banner and float design, Red Cross blood volunteer
Juliette K. Yeager, Hamburg, physical fitness specialist
Women's soccer (captain), Women's Institute of Leadership with Distinction, Foundations of Excellence student representative, Name the Wildcat Committee, Wellness Fair, Sexual Responsibility Week mock rape trial, intramurals, Women in Sports Day, Powder Puff Football, community assistant, Student Athlete Advisory Committee (secretary), Act 101 peer tutor, Fitness Center student assistant/intern, Walk-It-Out, Reading With the Wildcats, Blue Crew, work-study
In addition to receiving a plaque and lapel pin, the students will be enshrined in the Bush Campus Center.