Penn State Shenango students and employees were honored at the annual 2022 Awards Ceremony and Honors Convocation to celebrate their outstanding academic student life achievements. Physical Therapist Assistants' Club executives Kylynn Boley, Rachel Maynard, Jeanna Morgan and Ethan French celebrate their student leadership recognition certificates.
SHARON, Pa. — Penn State Shenango students and employees were honored at the 2022 Awards Ceremony and Honors Convocation to celebrate their outstanding academic and student life achievements.
Photos from the evening can be downloaded from Penn State Shenango’s Flickr.
Achieving a cumulative 4.0 grade-point average, student Mackenzie Lambert received the medal for the University's President Walker Award.
Photos from the evening can be downloaded from Penn State Shenango’s Flickr.
Academic recognition
The President Walker Award
The President Walker Freshman Award is presented annually to undergraduate candidates who have earned a 4.0 cumulative grade-point average (GPA) based on at least 12 graded Penn State credits completed during their first semester of admission.
- Kylea Breitenstein, New Castle
- Abigail Hodge, Brookfield, Ohio
- Adam Kawecki, New Middletown, Ohio
- Kaleb Kowacich, Sharpsville
- Mackenzie Lambert, Jamestown
- Jenna Piccirilli, Transfer
- Tara Zolnai, Jamestown
The President Sparks Award
The President Sparks Award is presented annually to undergraduate students who have earned a 4.0 cumulative GPA 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.
- William Divens III, Sharpsville
- Shelby Glover, Conneaut Lake
The Evan Pugh Scholar Award
The Evan Pugh Scholar Award began in 1933 and is given to juniors and seniors who are in the upper 0.5% of their respective classes and have completed at least 48 graded Penn State credits at the end of the fall semester of the academic year in which the award is given.
- Devin Mitchell, Sharpsville
- Karsyn Rupert, West Middlesex
The Robert Weber Mathematics Award
The Robert Weber Mathematics Award is presented annually to the most promising Shenango math student and honors the late Robert Weber who taught math at the Shenango campus.
- Jake Dyll, Hermitage
The Osher Reentry Scholarship Award
This foundation offers scholarship support for students who have experienced a cumulative gap in their education of five or more years, are at the undergraduate level and pursuing their first baccalaureate degree, anticipate workforce participation for a significant period after graduation, demonstrate financial need and show academic promise and a commitment to obtaining their degree.
- Maura Hedegore, Grove City
- Charles Robinson, Linesville
The Margaret Cunningham Foley Memorial Teaching Award
- Lynette Angood
Teaching Excellence Award
- Tammy d’Artenay
High Academic Achievement Awards
The Shenango campus High Academic Achievement Awards are presented to those students in each college or degree program who have achieved the best cumulative GPA during the academic year.
- Accounting: William Divens III
- Administration of Justice: Michael Jacob, Jackson Center
- Biology: Chelsea Spatara, Sharon
- Business: Devin Mitchell
- Corporate Communication: Gianna Effinite, West Middlesex
- Criminal Justice: Dien Tran, Hermitage
- Film Production: James Timko, Grove City
- Health and Human Development: Karsyn Rupert, and Marsha Fields, Farrell
- Health Policy and Administration: Kaitlyn Roseski, Mercer
- Letters, Arts and Sciences: Savannah Gill, New Castle
- Nursing: Ivy Blanchard, Jamestown, and Charles Robinson
- Occupational Therapy Assistant: Lauren Elser, Kinsman, Ohio, and Shelby Glover
- Physical Therapist Assistant: Brooke Brown, Niles, Ohio, and Leah O’Kresik, Hermitage
Academic Achievement Awards
Recognized for outstanding academic achievement, this award is presented to students with cumulative GPAs of 3.5 and above.
- Selina Beach, West Middlesex
- Alex Davis, Hermitage
- Jasmine Day, Sharpsville
- Alura Dillon, Hermitage
- Matthew Entwistle, Hermitage
- McKenna Eversole, Fredonia
- Magdalena Hochstetler, Sharon
- Michael Horstman, Greenville
- Logan Hurley, Mercer
- Nicole Kowalski, Youngstown, Ohio
- Jenny Lam, Hermitage
- Brooke Lees, Jamestown
- Bailey Lopuchovsky, Hubbard, Ohio
- ShaVonne Mcardle, New Brighton
- Olivia Mitcheltree, West Middlesex
- Alissa Owen, Jamestown
- Virginia Reagle, Greenville
- Jacob Rickert, Greenville
- James Roe, Warren, Ohio
- Morgan Saxion, Greenville
- Ryan Thiel, Sharon
- Ian Titus, Sharpsville
- Ryan Veinotte, New Castle
- Patricia Wilson, Mercer
Honors Program
The honors certificate is awarded to several of the students in the Honors Program who have fulfilled the program requirements and have maintained an excellent GPA.
- Michael Horstman
- Mackenzie Lambert
Lambda Pi Eta
Lambda Pi Eta (LPH) is the National Communication Association’s official honor society at four-year colleges and universities. Honors cords for graduation are awarded to graduating seniors in LPH that have upheld the academic goals of the chapter and shown outstanding dedication to the group.
- Jacob Rickert
- Ryan Thiel
Honored for contributions to the Shenango community and civic engagement, student Shae Kanan was names Emerging Leader of the Year.
Photos from the evening can be downloaded from Penn State Shenango’s Flickr.
Student Leadership Recognition
Occupational Therapy Assistants’ Club
- President Ethan Eucker, Cortland, Ohio
- President McKenna Eversole
- Vice President McKenna Eversole
- Vice President Lauren Elser
- Treasurer Matthew Entwistle
- Secretary Marissa Nichter, Butler
- POTA Representative Lauren Elser
- POTA Representative Claudia White, Chagrin Falls, Ohio
History Club
- President Savannah Gill
- Vice President James Roe
- Treasurer Jack Pringle, West Middlesex
- Secretary Michelle Ohl, Hermitage
- Secretary Tyler Roth, Wexford
Physical Therapy Assistants’ Club
- President Kylynn Boley, Franklin
- Vice President Ethan French, Bessemer
- Treasurer Rachel Maynard, Youngstown, Ohio
- Secretary Jeanna Morgan, Youngstown, Ohio
STEM Club
- President Halaina Bowers, Hermitage
- Vice President Chelsea Spatara
- Treasurer John Benjamin, Sharpsville
- Treasurer John Jakob Raskob, Sandy Lake
- Secretary August Mendoza, Fredonia
Student Veterans Association Club
- President James Roe
- President Ashley Showalter, Sharpsville
- Vice President John Benjamin
- Vice President and Treasurer Chelsea Spatara
- Treasurer Catherine Howard, Wheatland
- Secretary Abby Kwiatkowski, Sharpsville
- Secretary Gianna Effinite
Student Government Association
- President and Vice President Halaina Bowers
- President and Vice President Rebekah Leise, Transfer
- Treasurer Catherine Howard
- Secretary Gianna Effinite
- Senator-at-Large Michael Horstman
- Senator-at-Large Shae Kanan, Sharon
- Senator-at-Large John Jakob Raskob
- Senator-at-Large Karsyn Rupert
John Benjamin and Chelsea Spatara's research project titled "Anti-bacterial Effects of Cordyceps" received the Programming Excellence Award.
Photos from the evening can be downloaded from Penn State Shenango’s Flickr.
Leadership Awards
Orientation Leaders
- Selina Beach
- John Benjamin
- Kylynn Boley
- Halaina Bowers
- Brooke Brown, Niles, Ohio
- Gianna Effinite
- Matthew Entwistle
- McKenna Eversole
- Jade Janacone, Youngstown, Ohio
- Katherine Kinney, Clarks Mills
- Abby Kwiatkowski
- Rebekah Leise
- James Roe
- Karsyn Rupert
- Chelsea Spatara
- Anthony Stasko, West Middlesex
- Dien Tran
The Ann Wansack Award
This award was made in memory of Penn State Shenango employee, Ann “Mom” Wansack, and her devotion to the students of the Shenango campus. The purpose of this award shall be to honor and recognize full-time students enrolled at Penn State Shenango who are actively involved, through leadership or participation, in the betterment of Penn State Shenango.
- Gianna Effinite
The Eric and Josephine Walker Award
The Eric and Josephine Walker Award recognizes Commonwealth Campus 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 and, hence, to the reputation of the University as a whole.
- Chelsea Spatara
Club Advisor of the Year
- Tammy d’Artenay
- Gizelle Dean
- Chuck Greggs
- Phil Nash
- Jason Reinhart
- Kathy Shaffer
- Geralyn Wallace
Spirit of Shenango Award
This award is given to an individual that genuinely cares about other students, faculty, staff and the surrounding community of Penn State Shenango. This person embodies the motto, “small campus with a big heart.”
- Matthew Entwistle
Staff Member of the Year
This award recognizes Penn State Shenango staff members who demonstrate outstanding service to the University, our students and the broader community.
- Brooke Doerfler
Programming Excellence Award
This award recognizes innovative and outstanding achievement in the planning and presentation of a program by a student organization, group/class project, committee or an individual.
- Anti-bacterial Effects of Cordyceps Research Project by Chelsea Spatara and John Benjamin
Unsung Hero Award
The Unsung Hero Award recognizes a student who works behind- the-scenes of a successful recognized student organization, athletic team, group/class project or committee. This award is given to a student who consistently gives their all, going above and beyond the call of duty on a regular basis without expectation of recognition.
- Ashley Showalter
Emerging Leader of the Year
This award is presented to a student with less than 45 credits who has contributed significantly to the Penn State Shenango community through their involvement in a campus organization, athletic team or a community service program. They must also show significant potential for continued leadership and civic engagement.
- Shae Kanan
Student Leader of the Year
The Student Leader of the Year award recognizes a student who has demonstrated excellence in academic growth and achievement, as well as excellence in campus and community engagement and has made a contribution to the Penn State Shenango community through their leadership and participation in campus programs, organizations and activities.
- Karsyn Rupert
