More than 2,325 students have been named to the Fall 2020 Dean's List at Kutztown University. To be eligible for the Dean's List, an undergraduate student must be registered for at least 12 credits and have a minimum grade point average of 3.60.

Kutztown University graduate Anna Nissley '20 has been selected by the National Collegiate Honors Council as one of four 2020 Portz Scholars. This national award is given to four students for outstanding undergraduate honors papers. Nissley's award-winning, 110-page paper is titled, "Stories of the Appalachian Trail." "The Appalachian Trail has been a central part of the identity of the East Coast and the United States as a whole for almost a century," Nissley said. "On one hand, it has represented an escape from ever-modernizing American culture - a more-than-2,000-mile-long strip of land offering safe haven to the restless. "On the other hand, it represents a cultural paradox in the U.S.: while outdoor enthusiasts seek natural spaces, it is typically to return to the creature comforts of home and to a society which prefers to sideline "wilderness" until frustrated by its own civilization," Nissley continued. "The aim of this project is to question Western conceptualizations of outdoor spaces - in part through the critique of the very terms used to refer to land like "wild" versus "developed" - through multi-genre storytelling ranging from critical analysis to personal narratives and poetry." Nissley, from Elizabethtown, Pa., graduated summa cum laude from KU in Spring 2020 with two degrees: a Bachelor of Science in English education and a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish. She also minored in women's and gender studies. "Anna's work exemplifies Honors work: integrative, interdisciplinary, visionary, creative and well-researched; it is true scholarship," said. Dr. Jennifer Schlegel, director of KU's honors program. "Her paper documents an integrative and interdisciplinary journey, literally and figuratively. This multi-genre work is an exploration of the Appalachian trail, of hiking, of wilderness. What struck me about the work is the interactions between the smallest details and macro issues of contemporary concern. Anna takes the reader on her journey and invites the reader to explore with her the intimacy of hiking a large expanse of land." In its 30th year, the Portz Scholars program began in 1990 to acknowledge John and Edythe Portz's many contributions to honors education. These two altruists have also been the inspiration for the creation of Portz Grants for innovation in honors programs and colleges, and Portz Fellowships designed to support original and extended interdisciplinary research projects. This year's Portz Scholars include Nissley, Molly Ke'alohilani Miyamoto, University of Hawai'i at Manoa, Genevieve Verville, University of Mississippi and Adam Weiner, Millersville University. The four Portz Scholars will present their papers in a virtual session as part of the NCHC20 Virtual Events at 5 p.m. Eastern, Friday, Oct. 9. Winners are awarded a $350 stipend and free registration to the Virtual Events, as well as recognition in the NCHC Award Ceremony later this fall. 8.2.3

Kutztown University is pleased to welcome the newest members of the Golden Bear family, including both new incoming freshmen and transfer students, for the upcoming Fall 2020 semester.

Kutztown University has conferred degrees for more than 1,200 students for the Spring 2020 semester. Kutztown University announces degree conferment twice a year, once in the winter and once in the summer. Commencement exercises are held in May and December; however, students finish the requirements for graduation throughout the entire year. The following students have been awarded degrees following the spring 2020 semester. The cumulative grade point average necessary for honors distinction is: with honor (cum laude) 3.40; with high honor (magna cum laude) 3.60 and with highest honor (summa cum laude) 3.80. Students listed multiple times have been awarded more than one degree. Students who have requested privacy (FERPA) are not listed publicly.

A school-record 205 Kutztown University student-athletes have been named Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Scholar-Athletes for the 2019-20 academic year, the conference office announced Monday afternoon. By having more than 200 student-athletes recognized for the first time in school history, Kutztown surpassed its former record of 181 PSAC Scholar-Athletes from 2017-18. KU has featured 100 or more PSAC Scholar-Athletes each of the last 14 years. The Golden Bears ranked ninth among the conference's 18 institutions based on overall honorees, but posted a strong 48.2% scholar-athlete rate. To be eligible for PSAC Scholar-Athlete honors this year, a student-athlete must have finished the 2019-20 academic year with a 3.25 cumulative GPA or higher. Outside of combined cross country/track & field lists, three qualifying KU multi-sport student-athletes appear on the lists of both teams they represent. They are Molly Agnello (women's bowling/women's golf), Jenna Bracken (women's lacrosse/women's soccer) and Alyssa Donato (field hockey/softball). This year, the PSAC recognized a total of 3,762 scholar-athletes, which marks 50% of the conference's student-athlete population. Both of these numbers break previous records of 3,117 and 43% set one year ago. The league has now registered at least a 30% rate for 12 straight years. The total number of honorees has increased each year since the 2006-07 academic year. Overall, nine institutions produced at least 200 scholar-athletes. Full list, by sport, can be found here

DownBeat Magazine, one of the premier and longest-running jazz and commercial music magazines in the U.S., has honored Kutztown University for the third year in a row, placing them in the Undergraduate College Outstanding Performance category of their annual Student Music Awards. In good company, KU's Rock Ensemble I shares the honor with ensembles from University of Miami and Vanderbilt University. The ensemble is under the direction of Dr. Kevin Kjos, director of commercial music studies, jazz minor, Rock Ensemble I and commercial composition at KU since 1998. With his guidance, ensemble students wrote arrangements for the songs performed and submitted to DownBeat for consideration. Students performed popular songs based on templates, without preexisting sheet music and altered it to fit their own unique sound, simulating what producers do in recording sessions. "Being part of the KU Rock Ensemble I has brought me wonderful opportunities," said student Bryan Rojas, one of the band's guitarists. "It has led me, as well as many other students, to have summer performance contracts throughout my entire time in the ensemble. I wouldn't have had half of the experiences of performing live during my years in college otherwise." The DownBeat Student Music Awards, founded in 1976, are considered the most prestigious awards in jazz education, often described as a "student-Grammy." Blind panels composed of award-winning professional musicians and educators select honorees from schools across the nation. Rock Ensemble I consists of Brianna Parry, Emeli Sosa, Ari Sepulveda, Michaela Miles on vocals, Mike Mester and Noah Adams on drums, Bryan Rojas and Kevin Almanza on guitar, keyboards by Bobby Rutherford and Aidan Burke, bass and guitar by Dylan Langschwager and Michael Schefflin, Dave Schucker and Christina Baker on trumpets, Joey Dupp and Aedan Drummond on saxophone and trombone work by Eric Wolfe and Erica Baab. The submissions were student-arranged, including an acoustic version of Message in a Bottle by The Police, Work it Out by Corey Henry and Who Knows Who by Orgone. The prestigious panels judge performances on criteria such as overall sound, stage and sound presence, interpretation, improvisation or creativity, technique, intonation, phrasing, dynamics, rhythm/timing and more. Hundreds of musicians, music-educators and music industry professionals received their first international recognition as DownBeat Student Music Award honorees. Even before becoming professionals, students are able to use this recognition to garner various scholarship opportunities. However, KU music students are already participating in the real world field of professional, commercial music, performing nonstop individually and outside of university performances as a band every-other Tuesday evening at the Kutztown Pub. "A famous music teacher once told me what it takes to be a great pro," said Kjos, "1) Play the heck out of the music. 2) Be willing to do what's asked of you, professionally. 3) Be a nice person. If you think of the other person first and you're a nice person, the world is easier to navigate. That's what this band does and all of our students incorporate that into their daily lives. They do get hired for more professional gigs. We've had people tell us, 'we hire Kutztown students because they're so nice.'" Rock and commercial music programs are relatively new to universities across the U.S. Without many previous models to lean on, KU faculty turned to their professional experience for curriculum design. Faculty pass on their dedication and experience, while guiding students who take the lead in their involvement in decision-making, mirroring the professional world. "We try to foster an atmosphere of collegiality, not competition. Everybody helps everybody else and the successes of our students aren't so much competitive as it is motivational. We want to empower the students as much as we can and new students will join the excellence," said Kjos. For more information on KU music programs, visit the department website or contact melchionne@kutztown.edu.

Kutztown University recently inducted students into its chapter of the Alpha Sigma Lambda honor society. The mission of Alpha Sigma Lambda is to be an honor society that partners colleges and universities to celebrate the scholarship and leadership of adult students in higher education. Inductees into the Kappa Upsilon or the KU chapter of ASL must have a minimum of a 3.2 GPA and have successfully completed at least 24 credits at Kutztown University. Alpha Sigma Lambda is not only the oldest, but also the largest, chapter-based honor society for full and part-time adult students who are pursuing their undergraduate degrees. The aim of the ASL is to provide recognition to highly motivated adult students who are continuing their undergraduate education while managing the responsibilities of work and family.

The Kutztown University Department of Geography congratulates this year's recipients of department awards and scholarships: - Alton L. Justham Memorial Award for the senior geography major with the highest cumulative GPA; Samantha Butler. - C. Josephine Moyer Geography Award for an outstanding senior major in geography; Ryan Harbison. - 2020 Delaware Valley Geographical Association Award for an outstanding major; Samantha Butler. - Robert and Rosalin Ensminger Scholarship Award for an outstanding sophomore or junior geography major; Anna Wood.

Kutztown University proudly announces the six art students selected and awarded the 2020 Summer Workshop Scholarships. A committee of art department faculty selected the six undergraduate students from a pool of applications which will grant them the opportunity to study under master artisans over the summer. Thanks to generous donors, KU offers numerous cost-free master classes and mentorships every year to students. This year's Summer Workshop Scholarships are funded by award-winning artist, Sandra Corpora. The 2020 recipients include Jocelyn Belisle, Danielle Schwesinger, Taylor Schatz, Emily Nieberlien, Amy Haws and Nick Roberts. Each student will travel to participating schools and have the opportunity to work with nationally recognized artists in professional studios, housed in nurturing, artistic communities. The workshops provide opportunities to explore new perspectives, problem-solving methods and techniques. The young artists will be immersed in art-making and experimenting with a variety of new media and forms. As an enrichment to the hands-on curriculum already offered by Kutztown University, these students will be able to discover and explore new art forms that will help inspire and fuel their artistic experience. Schwesinger, Schatz and Belisle will attend the Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Schwesinger will learn new techniques in wax that will help shape ideas for new bodies of work and exciting changes to existing work while attending Integumentary Experiments with Leslie Pearson. Schatz will be working with Brenda Lichman on a soda-firing class as part of her journey to becoming a successful artist and art educator. Belisle will attend Clay as a Canvas: Imagery of Porcelain hoping to broaden her knowledge and experience. "I want to develop a cohesive collection of ceramics that not only explores my truth but may also reach a wider audience," Belisle said. Nieberlien will travel to Farmington, Pa., for Chasing and Repousse at Touchstone Center of Crafts. Nieberlien connects the acquisition of technique and experience to ability as an artist, stating that this further allows her to better translate inspiration into a physical work. Haws will study with Paul Neilsen at Peters Valley School of Craft in Layton, N.J. Her class, Hand Carved Settings, is a technique which inspires her to improve her skills Roberts will attend Andrew and Kathryn Polk's Stone Lithography workshop at Penland School of Craft in Penland, N.C. Roberts expressed his interest in working with Kathryn Polk due to her elegant treatment of the lithographic process. To learn more about the Kutztown University Department of Art and the programs offered, visit the department website or contact art@kutztown.edu.

Kutztown University cinema, television and media production student Nicholas Lipari and professor Michael Johnston attended the 36th annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival in January. Lipari was one of 30 students selected from across the country for the SBIFF Film Studies Program - a three-day symposium dedicated to film appreciation, criticism and analysis. Lipari attended panels, screenings, meet and greets and awards ceremonies. He listened to Oscar-nominated screenwriters, producers and directors, like David O'Russell, Greta Gerwig and Adam Driver, talk about their careers and creative processes. https://sbiff.org/education/film-studies-program/

Students from the Special Education Program on Visual Impairments paired with the Vision Resource Center of Berks County to host a Dine in the Dark at the Crowne Plaza in Reading Sept. 26. More than 215 people in the community attended the event. Kutztown University students in the vision program planned activities to raise awareness of visual impairments and taught patrons how to eat without vision. Watch the WFMZ news story here.

Kutztown University senior Ashley Gatto is one of 11 students across the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education enrolled in The Harrisburg Internship Semester (THIS) this fall. THIS is a prestigious program that offers invaluable firsthand experience in state government. Gatto will earn 15 credits toward her major while gaining invaluable experience working and living at the state capitol. Originally from Dingmans Ferry, Pa., Gatto is a 2016 graduate of Delaware Valley High School. Currently majoring in public administration at Kutztown University, she has earned the internship position within the state department of Environmental Protection. "A critical part of the State System's mission is to prepare students to be leaders in their communities and the Commonwealth," State System chancellor Dan Greenstein said. "Students who participate in THIS receive an unforgettable experience, making a direct contribution to workings of state government." More than 600 students from the State System universities have participated in THIS since the program began in 1989, each gaining valuable insight into the workings of state government at the policy-making level. Interns have worked with dozens of state agencies, as well as in the offices of the governor, the speaker of the House of Representatives and the attorney general. State System students interested in participating in THIS in a future semester may obtain information on the program by contacting their individual campus coordinator or their university's cooperative or internship office, or by calling the Dixon University Center at 717-720-4089. More information on the program can be found at: www.passhe.edu/this.

Two Kutztown University physics majors, Anna Faretty and Gerald Curran, presented original research at the 50th annual meeting of the APS Division of Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Their research was supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for Dr. Kunal K. Das as well as a URC grant for Faretty. Based on this work, they are currently writing a manuscript for submission to a peer-reviewed journal.

Kutztown University is set to perform at the prestigious Carnegie Hall in New York City. Presented by Distinguished Concerts in International New York (DCINY), the Kutztown Chamber Players will perform Mediterranean-inspired music by Greek composer Dinos Constantinides at 8 p.m., Monday, Sept. 30. Constantinides' work has been performed throughout the United States, Europe and Asia. KU will perform his work alongside members from the Louisiana State University School of Music. Kutztown University's own Chamber Players are conducted by KU orchestra director Dr. Peter Isaacson. Performing faculty members Dr. Maria Asteriadou and Kurt Nikkanen have given their students firsthand, real-world experience in preparing for this event. Alongside an array of international artists, Kutztown musicians shine in their involvement; their participation is a testament to the talent, skill and dedication at Kutztown University. "I hope this concert helps to raise awareness in musical circles that KU has an excellent music department where students are given outstanding musical training and exceptional experiences," Isaacson said. "I'm very excited to have the opportunity to perform in such an esteemed venue." The concert provides an opportunity to enrich students with real world experience. "This performance will give our students positive exposure to the professional world of performing - away from the academic setting at KU," Issacson said. "From this project, they have already grown from working with Professor Nikkanen and Professor Asteriadou. They will gain further insights from hearing other performers at this concert and the ways in which they approach the music of Constantinides."

Governor Tom Wolf has named Uttam Paudel student trustee on the Kutztown University Council of Trustees. Paudel, of Kutztown, Pa., is a junior political science major and double economics and software development minor. Originally from Kathmandu, Nepal, he is fluent in four languages and well-versed in data analysis. During his time at KU, Paudel has presented at five conferences, represented Nepal and Kutztown at the UN World Youth Forum, made the Dean's List multiple times and received a KU BEARS grant to research the Twitter presence and influence of labor unions. He currently serves as a campus tour guide, KU Presidential Ambassador and Admissions liaison officer at the New Students Orientation office. "I am humbled by this great honor of representing Kutztown students and being their voice at the Council of Trustees," Paudel said. "Working closely with Admissions has informed me of what current students, prospective students and parents admire most about Kutztown, as well as what we can do better. My first priority is to use these perspectives in Council decisions to help boost our retention and enrollment rates. I intend to focus on plans that emphasize the efficiency and enhancement of campus resources so that we continue to provide excellent service to thousands of students." The Council of Trustees, the governing body of the university, is composed of an 11-member board, one of whom is an undergraduate student. Students are nominated by the Council of Trustees, reviewed by the chancellor and then confirmed by the governor. The Student Trustee is a full voting member.

Two Kutztown University students have been named as award recipients representing KU's Honors Program during this summer's Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) Honors Summer Study Abroad Program. Hosted by Bloomsburg University, junior anthropology major Kierra MacLeod and junior communication design major Morgan Nadin will visit various countries throughout Central Europe. During this year's trip, honors students from throughout the State System will be based at Jagiellonian University in Krakow, and visit sites in Poland, Budapest and the Czech Republic. Students will take classes in "The European Jewish Experience: A Sociocultural Perspective," "The History of Architecture" and "Introduction to Central and Eastern Europe." The summer 2018 Honors Study Abroad Trip was to Austria and Bosnia-Herzegovina. Students are selected for the PASSHE Summer Honors Study Abroad Program through a competitive application process every spring. Each student receives a full scholarship covering the cost of tuition, room and board, travel and required field trips to the selected destination that year. To be eligible to apply, a participant must be an undergraduate student at a PASSHE university and a member in good standing of the nominating institution's Honors Program. He or she must also have completed a minimum of 30 credits of coursework at a PASSHE school and must be returning to the nominating university the following fall.