MONT ALTO, Pa. — The Penn State Mont Alto campus held its annual Academic and Leadership Awards Ceremony online on Sunday, April 19.
Eighty-eight students were recognized for their academic achievements and campus leadership during the 2019-20 academic year.
Three faculty members and one staff member were also recognized for their above-and-beyond contributions to the learning environment at Penn State Mont Alto.
The event, normally held in the campus’ Multipurpose Activities Center, was conducted online due to COVID-19, but the virtual setting didn’t diminish the celebration as more than 100 families connected to take part in the event.
“The Academic and Leadership Awards is my favorite annual event,” said Curtis Hoover, director of student affairs at Mont Alto. “During the current pandemic, it is more important than ever for us to continue to celebrate and honor the successes of our students; while the format may change, it is important that our traditions continue.”
That sentiment was shared by Penn State Mont Alto Chancellor Francis K. Achampong in his opening remarks when he told the students, “Coronavirus was not going to stop us from recognizing your accomplishments.”
Among the campus’ awards presented were:
- The Eric A. and Josephine Walker Award for Outstanding Student Leadership — Santiago Morillo
- Chancellor’s Award — Jacie Buller
- The Marty Ogle Student-Athlete of the Year Award — Madison Shirley, Quentin Flemister and Nickolas Kostyak
- Outstanding Veteran Award — Ben Cai
- Student Organization of the Year — the Commuter Student Association
- Student Organization Adviser of the Year — Marla L. Minnich.
- The Martha A. Fisher Award for Excellence in Teaching (full time) — Assistant Teaching Professor Craig Houghton, forestry
- The Martha A. Fisher Award for Excellence in Teaching (part time) was presented to nursing instructor Jane Oyler
- The Student Government Award for Excellence in Advising — Assistant Professor Barrett Scroggs, human development and family studies
Congratulations to all this year’s winners.
Chancellor’s Award
- Jacie Buller
2020 President Sparks Award
- Lacey Hykes
- Emma Shepler
- Allison Wolf
2020 President’s Freshman Award
- Kara Cook
- Matthew Gelhard
- Kylee Gooding
- Nickolas Kostyak
- Hannah Lowman
- Katelyn Smith
- Kyra Thomas
Academic Achievement in Baccalaureate Nursing Program
- Kaitlyn Boyer
- Molly Nowell
- McKensey Hartsock
- Chelsea Danner
Academic Achievement in Bachelor of Science in Business
- James Chappell
- Garrett Gordon
- Dominique King
Academic Achievement in Engineering
- Simon Egolf
- Sarah Lininger
- Logan Rockwell
Academic Achievement in Forest Technology
- Josiah Chapman
Academic Achievement in Health Policy and Administration
- Lacey R. Hykes
Academic Achievement in College of the Liberal Arts
- Colin Hanzlik
Academic Achievement in Music
- Taylor Cannon
- Elizabeth Holtry
- Elizabeth Parsons
- Kelby Schwender
Academic Excellence in the Associate Degree in Human Development and Family Studies
- Alexis Paige Parks
- Diane Peck
Academic Excellence in the Baccalaureate Degree in Human Development and Family Studies
- Sierra L. Hassinger
- Andrea M. Peckman
Academic Excellence in the Baccalaureate Degree in Psychology
- Karley M. Coleman
- Melissa Metcalfe
AUPHA Foster McGaw Award
- Tyler Eyer
College of Agricultural Sciences Alumni Award
- Gavin Brumbaugh
Alternative Spring Break
- Savannah Randolph
Chess Club
- Aiden Shah
Commuter Student Association
- Cara Burgan
Division of Undergraduate Studies Academic Excellence
- Mason Barner
- Courtney Ledgard
Evan Pugh Award
- Michael Fignar
- Andrea M. Peckman
HDFS / Psychology Club
- Amanda Moore
InterVarsity Christian Fellowship
- Danessa Myers
Lion Ambassadors
- Anna Genda
- Raylee Gibbons
- Katie Hutzell
- Jacob Zeigler
Love Your Melon
- Alexis Angle
Marty Ogle Student Athlete of the Year 2020
- Madison Shirley
- Quintyn Flemister
- Nick Kostyak
Mont Alto Associate Degree Scholastic Award
- Christopher Sabol
Mont Alto Baccalaureate Degree Scholastic Award
- Ryan King
Occupational Therapy Assistant Academic Achievement Award
- Olivia Feaster
- Kelly Harbaugh
- Alexandra Holtry
- Kimberly Kohn
- Rebecca Neff
- Megan Shockey
Outstanding Honors Student
- Amanda Moore
Outstanding Achievement BA in Letters, Arts and Sciences
- Allison Meyers
Outstanding Achievement in Science
- Emrakh Ibragimov
- Aiden Shah
- Haedyssa Harvey
Outstanding Student in the College of Agricultural Sciences
- Brooke Stoneham
Physical Therapy Assistant Academic Award
- Casey Goodrich
- Adelyn Uffelman
- Christine Walter
- Morgan P. Wonders
Outstanding Student Veteran
- Ben Cai
Peer Mentors
- Cara Burgan
- Amber Fickes
- Jacob Zeigler
Penn State Mont Alto Benefiting THON
- Cortney Group
- Keighley Taylor
Project TEAM: College Leadership Program
- Tyler Berger
- Rozzalyn Monnin
Penn State Mont Alto Cheer and Dance Team Spirit of Leadership Award
- Angelina Guntert
Resident Assistants
- Andrea Bonilla Péna
- Angelina Guntert
- Santiago Morillo
Sexuality and Gender Alliance SAGA Club
- Tyler Berger
Student Nurses Association of Pennsylvania (SNAP) Leadership Award
- Ariana Garcia
Student Fee Allocation Committee Members
- Andrea Bonilla Péna
- Alex Benedict
- Tyler Berger
- Jacie Buller
- Angelina Guntert
- Orion Kimberly
- Natalia Molina
- Rozzalyn Monnin
- Amanda Moore
- Santiago Morillo
- Adam Muller
- Matthew Musser
- Dane O’Donnell
- Breanna St. Clair
- Kirsten Tercek
Student Government Association Executive Board
- Kirsten Tercek
- Sonja Loewe
- Jacob Zeigler
- Andrea Bonilla Péna
- Rozzalyn Monnin
- Orion Kimberly
- Brooke Peaco
Student Government Association Outstanding Senator
- Jacie Buller
Student Government Association Outstanding Member of the Year
- Kirsten Tercek
Student Organization of the Year
- Commuter Student Association
Student Organization Advisor of the Year
- Marla L. Minnich
Student Veterans Association
- Tanner Wetzel
The Eric A. and Josephine Walker Award for Outstanding Student Leadership
- Santiago Morillo
Martha A. Fisher Award for Excellence in Teaching Full-Time
- Craig T. Houghton
Martha A. Fisher Award for Excellence in Teaching Part-Time
- Jane A. Oyler
SGA Award for Excellence in Advising
- Barrett W. Scroggs