Lauren Sobczak Presented Silver Chambliss Student Academic Achievement Award

2016 Apr 22

Lauren Kathryn Sobczak of Fogelsville, Pa., is the recipient of the Silver Chambliss Student Academic Achievement Award. The award is one of the most prestigious honors given at Kutztown University.

Sobczak will receive her bachelor's degree in secondary English and special education in May. Sobczak received the Silver Chambliss Student Academic Achievement Award 2016 in the category of successfully completed research projects. Lauren conducted research on Shakespeare's Later Plays and presented her research at the Ohio Valley Shakespeare Festival Conference at Ohio State University; her work was also featured in the Lehigh Valley Vanguard literary magazine. She created a website aimed at providing information on Shakespeare and autism, disabilities awareness and other topics. She also pursued Autism Endorsement Certification by taking graduate-level courses while an undergraduate student. She has been a member of the KU Honors program and the Dean's List, and is a recipient of the Cyrus E. Beekey Scholarship, the Dr. Walter Nott English Scholarship, the M. Rick Smith Undergraduate Award, the Ruth Bonner Scholarship and the Penn Northeast Conference Scholarship. Her campus involvement includes membership in the English Club, Sigma Tau Delta, Pi Lambda Theta, Kappa Delta Pi, the university choir, the After Hours jazz ensemble, the Allies organization, the chamber choir vocal ensemble and the KU Writing Center staff. She also received recognition in Who's Who Among College and University Students. Sobczak plans to pursue employment as a secondary education/special education teacher.

Faculty members nominate students after they have met one or more of the six areas of achievement. Areas in which achievement can occur include: successfully completed research projects, original artwork of high quality, artistic performances (music, chorus, drama, etc.) of high quality, original writing in literature or meritorious writing in other fields, noteworthy athletics, and outstanding service to the KU community.

The Academic Achievement Award was established through a donation provided by Dr. Carlson R. Chambliss, KU faculty member from 1970-2003. The purpose of the awards is to recognize the exceptional individual achievements of a select group of KU graduating seniors. Specially designed coin medallions of gold, silver, and copper were presented to the students.