Kutztown University of Pennsylvania

Nearly 2,300 students have been named to the Spring 2021 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 professor Laura Sherrod, along with two geology students and one alumna recently had a publication in the Journal of Environmental and Engineering Geophysics. Their paper aimed to illustrate how different burials of the U.S. Revolutionary War period can be detected and characterized with geophysics, providing important knowledge of a better historical understanding of that time period, as well as optimizing equipment instrumentation and processing procedures for such targeted investigations. Students Kim Shollenberger of Pine Grove, Pa., Corey Potter of Fleetwood, Pa., and alumna Heather Willever '19 of Allentown, Pa. co-authored the publication with Sherrod. The abstract from their paper can be found below and read in full online. "The United States Revolutionary War (1775-1783) resulted in numerous mass burials in the eastern United States, with deaths occurring not just directly related to the battles fought, but also from disease, starvation and exposure. Current information relating to these mass burials is often gathered from myths and rumors, leaving the truth of the historical aspects of that time period ambiguous. Geophysical techniques are increasingly utilized in archaeologic and forensic studies to locate unmarked burials. GPR, magnetics and electrical resistivity have been used to successfully identify burial locations around the world in a non-invasive manner. This paper aims to illustrate how different burials of the US Revolutionary War period can be detected and characterized with geophysics, providing important knowledge of a better historical understanding of that time period, as well as optimizing equipment instrumentation and processing procedures for such targeted investigations. Three case studies of Revolutionary War Era mass burial sites in Pennsylvania, USA are described here: the Paoli Battlefield Memorial, the Old Charlestown Cemetery and Saint Peter's Church in the Great Valley. These sites are within 9 km of each other and have historic records that suggest mass burials during this period. Results show GPR to provide the most useful data overall, with supporting information gathered from the supplemental geophysical techniques of magnetometry and resistivity. 2D profiles tend to provide a more valuable image of the subsurface than 3D slices. Larger burials leave a greater footprint and have a higher chance of causing a geophysical disturbance that can be measured more than 200 years after the burial. Soil moisture content and vegetation type can impact quality of results. Study implications demonstrate the challenges and potential usefulness of geophysical techniques to successfully locate and characterize mass burials of this time period."

Kutztown University astronomy senior Tyler Fenske of Wayne, N.J., co-authored his first peer-reviewed paper in The Astronomical Journal, titled "TESS Delivers Five New Hot Giant Planets Orbiting Bright Stars from the full-frame Images." He worked with professor Phillip Reed. Fenske contributed telescope observations using the C. R. Chambliss Astronomical Observatory on KU's campus. His analyses confirmed the sizes of two new exoplanets, TOI-1601 b and TOI-1333 b, both of which orbit sub-giant stars that are each about two times the size of our sun. The work was done while participating in the laboratory component of KU's course on Exoplanets (AST 242) in Fall 2020. Fenske will graduate this May. Read the paper here.

Kutztown University presented its annual Chambliss Student Academic Achievement Awards Friday, April 16, at a virtual event. Students were nominated by university employees for meeting one or more of the six areas of achievement, which include: successfully completed research project(s), 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 achievements in athletics and outstanding service to the Kutztown University community.

The Syed R. Ali-Zaidi Award for Academic Excellence is conferred upon a graduating senior from one of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education universities. Kutztown University's Caelan Brooks was presented as the 2021 winner of the Syed R. Ali-Zaidi Award for Academic Excellence Thursday morning at the State System's virtual Board of Governors meeting.

Kutztown University senior Jamie Sterner had her design selected as the winner of Goodwill Keystone Area's Bag Design Contest. Her winning design will be featured in Goodwill's reusable bag collection in Fall 2021 in their retail stores. In addition to being featured on our bag, Sterner receives a $200 gift card to a Goodwill Keystone Area retail store, will have her artwork featured on the Goodwill website and displayed in their spring newsletter. Sterner, a native of Muncy, Pa., and Muncy High School, is a Dean's List student and is set to graduate this May with a degree in communication design.

Kutztown University will have 17 student-athletes representing its men's and women's tennis teams for the 2020-2021 season. Head coach Shari Bucklin-Webber, in her sixth season at the helm, said the following about her teams. "There is a lot of depth in the women's lineup and they're all just going to continue to improve each match," said Webber. "It really gives me a lot of options for doubles combinations, looking at the lineup. It is a good position to be in, knowing I can start a number of different players in different spots of the lineup." "We've had a good group of recruits for both the men and women the last two classes who haven't really even gotten acclimated to the collegiate game," said Webber. "It just feels like a whole new team on both sides. But there's a renewed sense of excitement and appreciation of the game. Everybody seems more engaged and is focused on their game. We're all grateful to the administration and our conference in allowing us to play." "This is a really hard-working group of guys," said Webber. "They're having fun playing again, but are also all about business and working hard. I think the challenges that they all faced last year really brought them closer as a team." Read more about the KU tennis teams at www.KUBears.com.

KU junior Isaac Reiter, Fleetwood, Pa., and associate professor Dr. Eric Landquist, mathematics, coauthored a paper that appeared in CONTACT (Communications on Number Theory and Combinatorial Theory). Titled, "Determining Biases in the Card-Chameleon Cryptosystem," their paper explains how there are over 225 bits of entropy in a well-shuffled deck of cards. Theoretically, this can provide enough security to rival modern computer-based cryptosystems. Reiter and Landquist describe and analyze one such playing card cipher, Card-Chameleon. Their analysis reveals new weaknesses in this cryptosystem, particularly the tendency for a letter to encrypt to itself. Read More.

Kutztown University will have 91 student-athletes representing its track & field program for the 2021 outdoor season. The Kutztown University men's and women's outdoor track & field teams will be back in action for their first competition in nearly two years, as the Golden Bears begin spring competition on Saturday, March 27, at West Chester University's Golden Ram Invitational. Saturday begins a six-week regular season that leads up to the 2021 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Outdoor Championships, which will be hosted by Shippensburg University May 6-8. It marks a return to competition for KU after almost 22 months without an outdoor meet. The last "meet" situation for Kutztown, in any form, was the 2020 PSAC Indoor Championships held last March. The remainder of the Golden Bears' spring schedule includes weekend events at Millersville University (Apr. 3), a trip back to West Chester (Apr. 10), stops at Moravian College (Apr. 17) and Shippensburg (Apr. 24) in back-to-back weekends, before concluding the regular season back at West Chester (May 1). KU will also host its annual Mondschein Multi event on Thursday, Apr. 8, and Friday, Apr. 9, at Andre Reed Stadium. 8.7.1

Kutztown University will have 25 student-athletes representing its women's lacrosse program for the 2021 season. Read the full season preview. The Kutztown University women's lacrosse team started 2-0 on the new Keystone Field turf in 2020 before the season was cut short. KU is excited to not only open its 2021 campaign back at home, but just to be able to play a season this year. Head coach Jackie Stezzi graduated three seniors from last year's roster, so she will have plenty of experience, along with another injection of youth, heading into this season. In the PSAC Preseason Poll, the Maroon and Gold were selected sixth. West Chester was first, receiving four of the seven possible first-place votes. East Stroudsburg received three of the seven possible first-place votes and was picked second. Bloomsburg, Millersville and Shippensburg were ranked three-through-five. Shepherd followed Kutztown to round out the division.

Kutztown University will have 29 student-athletes representing its baseball program for the 2021 season. Read the season preview online. The Kutztown University baseball team kicks off its 2021 season this weekend with doubleheaders against Frostburg State, March 5 and 7, at the Ripken Experience in Aberdeen, Md. Second-year head coach Eric Folmar is hoping the the Golden Bears can bottle last season's early success as a new campaign begins following an extended layoff due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Kutztown went 7-4 in a limited non-conference slate and saw many promising things from young players ahead of the shutdown. Folmar is excited to get back on the field and compete with his team.

110 Kutztown University students have been inducted into the National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS) as part of the Fall 2020 class. To be inducted at KU, students must attend an orientation, a three-hour leadership training seminar, three success networking team meetings and three speaker broadcasts featuring leading figures delivering success-related messages to members.

Kutztown University will have 21 student-athletes representing its softball program for the 2021 season. Read the full season preview. The last time that the Kutztown University softball team played it was March 14, 2020, before a global pandemic shutdown the remainder of the season. March of 2021 looks to bring a return to competition for KU and the rest of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC), itching to get back out on the field after nearly a year away from the sport. Kutztown opens up its 2021 campaign with a two-day doubleheader at Millersville, beginning Friday, March 5. First pitch of game one of the season is set for 2:30 p.m.

Kutztown University inducted 36 students into the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society at the induction ceremony held Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2021. Phi Kappa Phi is an honor society established in 1897 to recognize and encourage superior scholarship without restriction as to area of study.

Kutztown University student Isaac Reiter, Fleetwood, Pa., will present at 4 p.m., Monday, March 8, at Lehigh University's Graduate Student Intercollegiate Math Seminar. Reiter's presentation is entitled, "Perfect Square Dividends and Perfect Square Remainders," and can be watched via Zoom (https://www.lehigh.edu/~ingsims/). Reiter is a junior pursuing a Bachelor of Science in mathematics and a minor in computer science. He has received multiple grants and had two publications in peer-reviewed journals. He has won awards for his work at KU, including Outstanding Undergraduate Research Video for "Covering All My Bases: Analyzing Unique Efficient Dominating Sets." Reiter is a member of Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society, the National Society of Leadership and Success and is the current president of the KU Math Club.

Kutztown University has conferred degrees for more than 480 students for the 2020 fall semester and 2021 winter session. 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 2020 fall semester and 2021 winter session. 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 who have requested privacy (FERPA) are not listed publicly.

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 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.

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.

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

More than 2,550 students have been named to the Spring 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. Students who have requested privacy (FERPA) have not been listed. The full list can be viewed here.

A local product out of Reading, Kutztown University freshman Wesley Butler was known around the area for his talent on the basketball court. And in his first season in Maroon and Gold he did not disappoint. Butler led the Golden Bears in scoring on his way to being named to the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) East Division Second Team. On Friday, he was voted the 2019-20 KU Male Freshman of the Year. Butler hit the ground running in his first collegiate season. The Reading High School product set a new Kutztown freshman record for points in a season with 510. Butler led KU and was eighth in the PSAC in scoring (18.2 ppg), fourth in 3-point percentage (40.9%), 11th in free-throw percentage (82.2%), 12th in field goal percentage (45.8%) and 15th in minutes per game (33.6). He played in all 28 games and scored in double-figures in 25 of them. In the classroom, Butler was also a member of the Dean's List following the fall semester. Butler's 510 points this season is the most by a freshman in a season in program history. He did whatever was asked of him by head coach Bernie Driscoll, and proved his worth on both ends of the court. Butler ranked second on KU with 2.1 assists per game and grabbed nearly 3.0 rebounds per game, while his 27 steals was tied for second. In his first collegiate game, Butler drilled seven 3-pointers, the most by a freshman in a game. In a 92-78 win at No. 12 West Chester on Jan. 18, Butler connected on all 13 of his free-throw attempts, the highest percentage of free-throws made and attempted in program history. Butler is the sixth men's basketball player to receive KU Freshman of the Year recognition, the first since Josh Johnson in 2013-14. Previous winners from the program include T.J. Mann (2002-03), Dave Ben (2006-07), Stephen Dennis (2007-08) and Ryan Washington (2008-09). Members of the KU athletic department staff voted upon the nominees to determine KU's year-end awards.

One of the most decorated players in Kutztown University field hockey history, senior Mackenzie Fuhrman was named the 2019-20 KU Female Athlete of the Year, Tuesday. Fuhrman is the seventh Golden Bear field hockey player to earn the prestigious award, which has been presented since 1987. KU's annual year-end awards are voted upon by the athletic department's administration, coaches and staff. The Lancaster native set new career-highs in games played and started (22), goals (six) and game-winning goals (three) in leading KU to PSAC championship game and NCAA Final Four appearances. Fuhrman, a midfielder, was recognized as an All-PSAC First Team and NFHCA All-America First Team player for the third year running. Fuhrman surpassed the 20-point barrier for the second straight season, finishing with six goals and eight assists for 20 points as the Golden Bears compiled a 15-7 overall record with six wins coming over teams ranked in the top 10 of the NFHCA's Division II Poll. She was tied for fifth in the conference in assists and concluded her four-year career with 28 helpers --third most in program history. Fuhrman was an integral part of head coach Marci Scheuing's lineup on both sides of the field over the last four seasons. She played in 77 career games, starting 75, and was a two-time team MVP. Fuhrman was recently honored on April 21 as KU's Female Senior Athlete of the Year. Fuhrman also received the distinguished honor of being named a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Fall Top 10 Award winner this year. She is the first Golden Bears fall athlete, male or female, to earn such a distinction since 2008. In the classroom, Fuhrman is a multi-year member of the Dean's List and set to become a four-time PSAC Scholar-Athlete list. She's also appeared on the NFHCA National Academic Squad and NFHCA Scholar of Distinction list throughout her career. Fuhrman is a two-time D2ADA Academic Achievement Award recipient. She received one of the nation's highest academic honors for a student-athlete at the conclusion of the 2018-19 academic year when she was voted to the CoSIDA Academic All-America At-Large Third Team among a pool of student-athletes from numerous sports. She's on the ballot to become a two-time Academic All-American after receiving Academic All-District accolades for a second time this spring. The Golden Bears won just their second NCAA postseason game in program history --first since 1988-- this past season and advanced to the Division II national semifinals for the first time since 1982. Kutztown's 15 victories signified the program's highest total in a season since 2007. Fuhrman joins former KU field hockey standouts Gwen Kerr (1989), Lisa Marrella (1990), Shayn Mosley (1992), Laura Kline (2006), Erin Reynolds (2014) and Anna Behm (2016) as all-time recipients of the KU Female Athlete of the Year Award.

A major conference award, a regional title and a No. 1 ranking were all accolades accomplished by Kutztown University wrestler Andrew Dunn Jr., last season. To cap off the 2019-20 school year, the redshirt-junior was voted the KU Male Athlete of the Year, Wednesday. It is the second straight year that the Bethlehem native has earned the recognition, having been named Male Athlete of the Year last year. He is the third different grappler to earn the prestigious award, which has been presented since 1987, and sixth time overall a wrestler has won it. KU's annual year-end awards are voted upon by the athletic department's administration, coaches and staff. With the cancellation of the NCAA Division II Championships this spring, Dunn Jr. remains the defending heavyweight national champion, having won it in March of 2019. He finished last season with a perfect 20-0 record, winning his second straight Super Region 1 title in February. Dunn Jr.'s success led him to two major postseason awards, earning the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Athlete of the Year and the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Division II Super Region 1 Wrestler of the Year. A two-time All-American, Dunn Jr. is 46-2 overall, 46-0 against Division II opponents in two seasons as a Golden Bear. He topped the NWCA's Division II heavyweight national rankings from start-to-finish during the 2019-20 season. He defeated three nationally-ranked opponents, including a 3-2 decision over third-ranked Jacob Robb of Mercyhurst to win the super regional championship. The former Bethlehem Catholic prep and Virginia Tech transfer collected five major decisions, four pins and a technical fall this past season. Dunn Jr. is currently riding a 38-match winning streak. Kutztown finished 10-4 overall in dual meets last season. Dunn Jr. joins former Kutztown wrestling standouts Joe Kemmerer (2007, 2009) and Ziad Haddad (2014, 2015) as all-time recipients of the KU Male Athlete of the Year Award.

Big things were expected of Casey Remolde when she joined the Kutztown University women's basketball team and she delivered in short order. Remolde had a stellar freshman campaign on her way to PSAC East Defensive Athlete of the Year honors. Thursday, she was announced as the 2019-20 KU Female Freshman of the Year. Remolde, a native Philadelphian, was the PSAC's second-leading shot blocker with 63 (2.2 per game). That tied her for fourth all-time in a season at KU and marked the most blocks in a season since Advia Campbell's school-record 76 in 2013-14. Her 114 free throws made rank tied for third in a season in KU history. The well-rounded guard ranked second on the Golden Bears in scoring at 10.8 points per game, second in rebounding (5.3 rpg), second in steals (1.6 spg), third in field goal percentage (39.1%), third in free throw percentage (74.0%) and fourth in assists (1.8 apg). Remolde also averaged 28.2 minutes per game, the second-highest total on the team. Remolde was a three-time PSAC East Defensive Athlete of the Week, won PSAC East Athlete of the Week once and was named to the All-PSAC East Second Team. She supplied four blocks or more in seven games and swatted away a season-high five opposing shots three different times. In a Dec. 14, victory over Georgian Court at Keystone Arena, Remolde was a flawless 12-of-12 at the charity stripe on her way to a career-high 26 points. She also led the team with 21 points in a PSAC First Round game against Bloomsburg on March 2. Remolde is the second women's basketball player to claim KU Female Freshman of the Year honors in the last three years (Rylee Derr, 2017-18) and fifth overall. Previous winners from the program include Brianne Homyak (1997-98), Keri Suydam (1998-99), Sophia Vucetaj (2001-02) and Derr (2017-18).

Kutztown University's Department of Modern Language Studies proudly announces the following departmental award recipients for spring 2020: - Anna Nissley: Linda Oswald Bogert Award for Outstanding Student in Modern Language. - Amanda Filpo: Outstanding Spanish Student. - Caraline Meluskey: Outstanding Spanish Student. - Noel Fedeli: Outstanding German Student. - Milagros Battiti: Modern Language Studies Cultural Ambassador. - Eilieen De Leon: Modern Language Studies Cultural Ambassador.

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.

Kutztown University recently presented its Golden Bear Leadership Awards. The Golden Bear Leadership Award honors a prestigious group of Kutztown University students who were selected from a competitive pool of more than 60 applicants. Honorees were selected based upon criteria in the following categories: academic achievement, leadership involvement, commitment to volunteer efforts, and commitment to social action. Honorees must have a cumulative grade point average above a 3.25 and a minimum of 75 credits. The average GPA of the selected honorees is 3.66.