UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Bethany Latten, daughter of Darlene Latten, of Cortland, New York, will serve as the college marshal for the Penn State College of Health and Human Development at its spring 2016 commencement ceremony on May 7.
Latten is majoring in biobehavioral health with minors in biology and Spanish.
As college marshal, Latten will represent all students graduating from the College of Health and Human Development. She will participate in the academic processional accompanied by faculty marshal David Vandenbergh, professor of biobehavioral health.
Latten was a Schreyer Honors Scholar, where she conducted the thesis project, “Testing a Gateway to Addiction: Behavioral and Neurophysiological Effects of Nicotine in Adolescent Mice,” in the Laboratory of Molecular Genetics. She presented her thesis results at the 2015 Penn State Undergraduate Research Exhibition.
As a Schreyer Scholar, Latten served as a lead scholar assistant from 2014–15, a college scholar assistant in career development from 2013–14, and a Career Development Program executive board member from 2014–16. While involved with Schreyer’s Career Development Program, Latten served as an academic chair on the executive board of a student-facilitated peer-mentoring program for honors college scholars, and organized curriculum. She was also a member of the Phi Kappa Phi honor society.
Latten was the recipient of the Evan Pugh Scholar Award and the Evan G. and Helen G. Pattishall Undergraduate Research Endowment in Biobehavioral Health.
In 2014, Latten studied abroad in Seville, Spain, and later Costa Rica, where she toured hospitals and clinics with a health policy and administration class. She was a volunteer at the State College Pregnancy Resource Clinic and the Cortland Regional Medical Center Emergency Department.
Latten is a 2012 graduate of Cortland High School in Cortland, New York. Following graduation she plans to attend medical school.
Nine other students will represent the College of Health and Human Development as student marshals for their majors during the commencement ceremony.
Athletic Training
Shelby Coy, daughter of Neal and Beverly Coy, of Elverson, Pennsylvania, was treasurer of the Student Athletic Training Club from 2015–16, and a member of Gamma Phi Beta sorority and Penn State Crew Club. Coy received the Edward Sulkowski Athletic Training Scholarship and the Sayers J "Bud" Miller Jr. Memorial Award. Following graduation she will attend Temple University for a master of science degree in kinesiology with a concentration in athletic training. While attending graduate school, Coy will work as a graduate assistant athletic trainer at William Penn Charter School in East Falls, Pennsylvania.
Biobehavioral Health
Tara Wilson, daughter of Craig and Patti Wilson, both of Zelienople, Pennsylvania, was a member of Kappa Delta sorority, where she served as academic excellence chair. She was a member of the Pre-Physician Assistant Club and served as a rules and regulations committee member for Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon. Wilson volunteered at Mount Nittany Medical Center and with the Penn State Global Medical Brigades, and she held an internship at Penn State University Health Services Clinic.
Communication Sciences and Disorders
Samantha Lebold, daughter of Howard and Sandra Lebold, of West Chester, Pennsylvania, was a member of the Scholar Advancement Team in the Schreyer Honors College, Phi Kappa Phi National Honors Fraternity, Campus Crusade for Christ, National Student Speech Language Hearing Association, and Blue and White Society. She served as primary chair and donor alumni relations chair for Cru THON. A Schreyer Honors Scholar, she conducted the thesis project, “A Comparison of Facebook Friendship Quality Between College-Aged Individuals With and Without Autism Spectrum Disorder.” She earned several awards and honors, including the Schreyer Achievement Scholarship, Ruth Ann Tewksbury Scholarship, C. Melville, Jr. and Kenneth Barr Alumni Memorial Scholarship, and the John T. and Paige S. Smith Scholarship.
Human Development and Family Studies
Amanda Amabile, daughter of Joseph and Donna Amabile, of Marlboro Township, New Jersey, was an undergraduate teaching assistant for HDFS 433, Transition into Adulthood, and a mentor at LifeLink PSU. Amabile was a founding member of Epsilon Sigma Alpha, a service organization, and a volunteer at HealthSouth Nittany Valley Rehabilitation Hospital in State College. She studied abroad in spring 2015 in Prague, Czech Republic. She was a member of the National Society of Leadership and Success and the Health and Human Development Honor Society at Penn State, and made the dean’s list from fall 2012 through fall 2015.
Health Policy and Administration
Patricia O. Joy Orteza, daughter of Neal C. Orteza and Imelda Olivarez-Orteza, of Muntinlupa, Philippines, also majored in psychology – neuroscience and was the James Dipple Trustee Scholar. She was an active member of the Alliance Christian Fellowship where she served as head deaconess, vice president, hospitality deaconess, and life group leader. Orteza also served as co-cultural director of the Penn State Penn State Filipino Association where she taught a language class, led the Barrio Fiesta event, and represented the club in Asian Pacific American Caucus. Orteza is a 2012 graduate of De La Salle Zobel in Muntinlupa, Philippines. She plans to work full time before pursuing a master’s degree.
Kinesiology
Nicole Giannangeli, daughter of David and Kelly Giannangeli, of Murrysville, Pennsylvania, was a member of Alpha Sigma Tau sorority, where she served as a fundraising chair, and a member of Kinesiology Club. She was also a volunteer for Penn State Athletics fueling station. She was an undergraduate research assistant in the Penn State Center for Sport Concussion Research and Service under the direction of Semyon Slobounov, professor of kinesiology and director of the Virtual Reality/Traumatic Brain Injury research laboratory. She held an internship at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in the sports medicine department in summer 2015, and an internship at Lemont Physical Therapy in fall 2014.
Nutritional Sciences
Karrie Rice, daughter of George and Sheri Rice, of Mount Joy, Pennsylvania, was a member of the Student Nutrition Association and the Kinesiology Club. She received the President’s Freshman Award, as well as the Bayard D. Kunkle Scholarship, Blake and Linda Gall Scholarship, Lillian VanDyke Scholarship, Bunton Waller Scholarship, and the Generation Federation of Women’s Club Scholarship. She was a student nutrition assistant for Penn State Housing and Food Services at University Park, and a dietary aid and foodservice volunteer at the Pinnacle Health Community Hospital in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management
Tiffany Curtis, daughter of Franklin Curtis, of Delmar, Maryland, and Kimberly Curtis, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was a member of the Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management Society, Caribbean Student Association and Blue and White Society. She also completed an outdoor recreation consortium in the Smoky Mountains, served as a counselor for Outdoor School at Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center, and served as program coordinator for Start Smart Soccer with Centre Region Parks and Recreation. She was the recipient of the College of Health and Human Development’s AT&T Scholarship and Student Excellence Award. After graduation, she will be living in Bali, Indonesia, to complete an internship at a five-star resort.
School of Hospitality Management
Alyssa Plants, daughter of Stephen Plants and Tonya Peck, both of Shinglehouse, Pennsylvania, was a member of the Eta Sigma Delta Hospitality Honor Society, College of Health and Human Development Honor Society, Alpha Delta Pi Sorority, and the Penn State Hotel and Restaurant Society. A Schreyer Honors Scholar, she conducted the thesis project, “The Factors that Influence Millennials Traveling Internationally to Select an Airbnb Listed Property Versus a Traditional Hotel.” She earned several awards and honors, including the American Hotel & Lodging Association Hilton Worldwide Scholarship, Louis E. and Patricia Harvey Silvi Scholarship, Faculty Senate Scholarship and Mary Elizabeth Layden Endowed Scholarship.