Penn State York student Laura Lamar was selected as one of the Outstanding Students in Higher Education in Pennsylvania for 2006 by the Pennsylvania Association for Adult Continuing Education. Lamar, a senior at Penn State York, is majoring in communication arts and sciences and will receive her degree in May. Ten students are selected from among 50 to 60 nominations. Students must be nominated by a faculty member or other representatives of an accredited college or university. Students were honored at a luncheon earlier this month.
Lamar, 36, balances single-motherhood, full-time work and college along with a variety of activities on campus and in the community. She is the president of the local chapter of the National Communication Honor Society Lambda Pi Eta. She also is the president of the Outdoor Adventure Club and plans and organizes activities for students including whitewater rafting, rock climbing, backpacking and camping. During spring break in 2005, Lamar planned a trip to the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Hospital and Rehabilitation Center on Topsail Island, N.C. Lamar and other members of club volunteered their time. Other volunteer activities in which Lamar has participated include river cleanups, helping at The Coopers Rock Mountain Lion Sanctuary, the Lost and Found Horse Rescue, and tree plantings through the Codorus Creek Improvement Partnership.
In spring 2005, Lamar received two awards through the Penn State York Student Government Association; the Student Volunteer Award and the Campus Service Award. She plans to attend graduate school in the fall and eventually earn a doctorate and become a college professor.