Kutztown University of Pennsylvania

Kutztown University has announced the winners of the 2020 Chambliss Student Academic Achievement. The awards recognize the exceptional individual achievements of KU seniors. The awards ceremony has been postponed to a later date. Winners were selected from students nominated by staff and faculty members for meeting one or more of the six areas of achievement: successfully completed research projects, high-quality original artwork, high-quality artistic performances, original writing in literature or meritorious writing in other fields, noteworthy achievements in athletics and outstanding service to the KU community. The Academic Achievement Awards were established in 2004 through a donation provided by Dr. Carlson Chambliss, KU professor of astronomy from 1970-2003. Certificates and specially designed coin medallions of gold, silver and copper are presented to the students. Gold Medal Mackenzie Fuhrman, of Lancaster, Pa., is awarded the Chambliss Academic Achievement Award Gold Medal in the category of noteworthy achievement in athletics. Fuhrman will graduate in May with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in communication design. A four-year member of the KU field hockey team, Fuhrman was a three-time All-America First Team selection as a midfielder, placing her among the best players in Division II. She is a three-time All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) First Team player and was named a PSAC Fall Top 10 Award winner, the first Golden Bear fall athlete to earn a spot on the prestigious list since 2008. The PSAC Top 10 award recognizes student-athletes who distinguish themselves in the classroom as well as in the arena of competition. This spring, she was named KU's 2019-20 Female Senior Athlete of the Year. She was the catalyst of the Golden Bears reaching the NCAA Division II national semifinals. She scored the game-winning overtime goal that sent KU to the PSAC Championship game for the first time since 1988. Off the field, Fuhrman holds a 3.94 GPA, making her a multi-year member of the Dean's List and the PSAC Scholar-Athlete list. She has also been named to the NFHCA National Academic Squad and an NFHCA Scholar of Distinction. Daniel Johns, of Orwigsburg, Pa., is awarded the Chambliss Academic Achievement Award Gold Medal in the category of successfully completed research projects. Johns will graduate in May with a Bachelor of Science in physics and astronomy. A prolific researcher, Johns' work has contributed significant results from his research in the fields of exoplanets and interacting binary stars. Johns has published six research papers in professional, peer-reviewed journals, was a primary author on a piece published in The Astronomical Journal and multiple in various issues of Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. Johns has also delivered four conference presentations on his research, including his discovery and characterization of KELT-23Ab, a new, Jupiter-like exoplanet. He is a member of the Sigma Phi Sigma National Physics Honor Society, consistent Dean's List student and recipient of multiple awards and research grants. Johns will be attending Georgia State University to pursue a doctorate in astronomy and astrophysics with aspirations to become a professional researcher in the fields of stellar astrophysics or exoplanetary science. Silver Medal James Durham, of East Stroudsburg, Pa., is awarded the Chambliss Academic Achievement Award Silver Medal in the category of successfully completed research projects. Durham will graduate in May with a Bachelor of Science in education with a focus on English language arts and social studies. He was awarded the 2019 Professional Semester Katherine D. Christ Award and was an active member of Kutztown University's Undergraduate Research Advisory Board. Durham has presented his collaborative research study, Gender Bias in the Middle Level Classroom: The Intersection of Data, Teacher Self-Perceptions and Student Perceptions, to multiple conferences since 2017. He has been a tutor both locally at the Fleetwood Middle School Assignment Center and in distance programs, such as the Alaska Distance Intervention Tutoring Program. Durham is the diversity and inclusion director, head counselor and ambassador to the local PALS program, a nonprofit group that provides experiences for teens and young adults with Down syndrome. Ian Petrillo, of Mechanicsburg, Pa., is awarded the Chambliss Academic Achievement Award Silver Medal in the category of successfully completed research projects. Petrillo will graduate in May with a Bachelor of Science in middle level education with a focus in social studies and science. He conducted research contributing to a study titled, Perceived versus Measured Achievement in the Middle Level Science Classroom: The Impact of Socioeconomic Status, which has gained attention from multiple conferences. He has presented his research since 2018 and presented at multiple conferences in 2020. Petrillo is a recipient of the Kutztown University Elementary Education Excellence Award and Ashley and Billy Streiter Award Scholarship. He is a member of Kappa Delta Pi: Epsilon Zeta Chapter International Honor Society in Education and secretary to KU's Association for Middle Level Educators. Jenna Plump, of Hanover, Pa., is awarded the Chambliss Academic Achievement Award Silver Medal in the category of successfully completed research projects. Plump will graduate in May with a Bachelor of Science in middle level education with a focus in social studies and math. She is a contributing author on her research study, Gender Bias in the Middle Level Classroom: the Intersection of Data, Teacher Self-Perceptions and Student Perceptions, and has presented at variously leveled conferences. Plump has been a substitute teacher for Carroll County Public Schools and an employment specialist for high school students with intellectual and developmental disabilities since 2017, as well as a volunteer tutor for fifth and sixth-graders at a local middle school since 2016. She served on Kutztown University's Undergraduate Research Advisory Board and was president of the Kutztown University Chapter of the Association of Middle Level Education. Copper Medal Collin DiGalbo, of Secane, Pa., is awarded the Chambliss Academic Achievement Award Copper Medal in the category of noteworthy achievement in athletics. He graduated in December with a Bachelor of Science in business administration with a concentration in management. DiGalbo was a five-year member of the Kutztown University football team and held a 30-7 record as a starting quarterback. He led the Golden Bears to two PSAC East titles, two NCAA playoff seasons and a program-record 11 wins in his senior season. This past year, he was voted the 2019 PSAC East Offensive Player of the Year and KU's 2019-20 Male Senior Athlete of the Year. He owns three school records as the best running quarterback in school history, is a four-time All-PSAC selection and was named Honorable Mention All-America as a senior. Emily Zwiercan, of Reinholds, Pa., is awarded the Chambliss Academic Achievement Award Copper Medal in the category of noteworthy achievement in athletics. Zwiercan graduated in December with a Bachelor of Science in business administration with a concentration in finance. Zwiercan was a member of the Golden Bears women's soccer team and was a team captain. She is the school-record holder for career points and goals. She broke the KU and PSAC record for goals in a game with six. She is an All-America Third Team selection, a two-time All-Atlantic region first-teamer and a three-time All-PSAC First Team player. As a sophomore in 2017, she was voted the Atlantic Region Player of the Year, PSAC Athlete of the Year and KU Female Athlete of the Year. She helped the women's soccer team reach the playoffs three times, win a regional championship and advance to the NCAA national final four. Along with a stellar athletic career, she is a multiple Dean's List student.

Kutztown University's College of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA) has announced its annual Student and Faculty Art Excellence Awards. Photos of Award Winners The Faculty Excellence Award recognizes two VPA faculty members whose professional accomplishments positively impact the quality of students' experiences at KU. This year's winners include communication design professor Ann Lemon and communication studies professor Megan O'Byrne. Lemon coordinated the recent Creative Royale competition at KU and continues to coordinate large-scale New York City design and advertising tours for communication design students with KU alumni. Dedicated to experiential learning, she assisted in the implementation of silkscreening in the Idea Lab and has offered seminars for graduate and undergraduate students to learn to silkscreen. Lemon has been a full-time faculty member at KU since 2011. She holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Delaware, a Master of Education in English from Kutztown University and a Master of Fine Arts in graphic design from Marywood University. She resides in Mohnton, Pa. O'Byrne collaborates with colleagues from campus and around the country in her work and research. She is essential in the areas of general education and assessment, at times being the only professor teaching two major core courses, methods and capstone, for a semester. O'Byrne earned her doctorate in communication from the University of Utah. The VPA Student Excellence Award recognizes one student from each of the six departments within VPA: art, art education, cinema, television and media production, communication design, communication studies and music. This year's winners are Hadley Wiktor, Eirene Hoover, Tim Corrao, Gina Naseef, Emily Harrington and Adrianna Howden. Wiktor is a student in the Department of Art, double majoring in art history and crafts with a double concentration in ceramics and textile arts. Wiktor is both a Dean's List student and captain of the Golden Bears' nationally-ranked field hockey team, where she was named a National Field Hockey Coaches Association Scholar of Distinction and Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Scholar-Athlete. Hoover is a senior art education major. Hoover was nominated after an outstanding placement at Kutztown Middle School, where her talent and dedication went above and beyond. She is the daughter of a self-employed ornamental woodcarver, which helps nurture her own craft along with her involvement in the Kutztown Christian Fellowship. Corrao is a student of cinema, television and media production. He is lauded as an exceptional student with a high degree of professionalism in every project he takes on. Carrao is also noted by both faculty and peers as being talented, funny and wildly creative. Naseef is a student of communication design. She serves as the committee co-chair for the KU Chapter of the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) and has volunteered in Designathon and DesignRx over multiple years. Naseef is one of the head lab monitors in the KU Communication Design Print Lab and described as dedicated, collaborative and an excellent leader. Harrington is a communications studies major who transferred from Lehigh Carbon Community College in 2018. In her short time at KU, she has joined the honors program, taken on the presidency of the Communication Club, earned straight A's and maintained full-time employment. Harrington is collecting qualitative interview data about women's experiences with endometriosis, an honors capstone project which she hopes to continue in graduate school. Howden is a senior in the music performance program. Equally capable in playing oboe and piano, she was a winner of KU's Fall 2019 concerto competition, competing with a demanding concerto for oboe and orchestra. She has also participated in a wide variety of chamber groups both as oboist and pianist, performing music from the Baroque to the 21st century with insight and conviction. Howden continues to perform music via recordings posted online during the covid-19 distanced learning. More information on individual winners can be found on the CVPA celebration website. For more information on Kutztown University's College of Visual and Performing Arts programs, visit their website.

Kutztown University's chapter of Chi Sigma Iota - Chi Omega Upsilon hosted an induction ceremony of new initiates Friday, April 10. The chapter was grateful to create a wonderful ceremony via Zoom for students and faculty to attend. During this ceremony, Chi Sigma Iota - Chi Omega Upsilon added 42 new members to their growing chapter. It also presented outstanding awards to the following students: Heidi Kelly (Outstanding Clinical Mental Health Counselor Award), Cesar Velasquez (Outstanding School Counselor Award), Megan Deptula (Outstanding Marriage, Couples and Family Counselor Award) and Cori White (Outstanding Alumni Award). Chi Sigma Iota is an international honor society for counseling students, professional counselors, and counselor educators. The society was established in 1985 by counseling professionals in the State of Ohio. Chi Sigma Iota's mission is to promote recognition to those in the counseling profession who have demonstrated excellence in the areas of scholarship, research, and clinical practice. The members are dedicated to the counseling profession and the advancement of the profession. The Chi Omega Upsilon Chapter was a new Charter Chapter organized in 2017, with Deborah L. Duenyas, Ph.D. as chapter faculty advisor. Membership Eligibility for membership is extended only to those students at Kutztown University in the Counselor Education Program who "have completed 9 credits and have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or better."

Freshman Casey Remolde's stout defensive prowess brought her home the league's top honor, while junior Rylee Derr was amongst the top overall players, highlighting Kutztown University women's basketball's postseason accolades, as voted on by the league's coaches. Remolde earned the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) East Division Defensive Athlete of the Year and Derr received All-PSAC East First Team recognition, announced by the league office Thursday. Remolde was also voted to the East Second Team. In her first collegiate season, Remolde broke out in a big way. The Philadelphia native was tied for the PSAC lead with 2.2 blocks per game and was 15th with 47 steals. Her 63 blocks was tied for fourth-most in a season in program history. Remolde was also 18th in the PSAC in free-throw percentage (74%) and averaged 10.8 ppg and 5.3 rpg in 28.2 minutes per game this season. In the classroom, Remolde was a member of the Dean's List this past fall. Derr netted her third All-PSAC honor, second straight First Team recognition. The Lititz native led KU in scoring (15.4 ppg) and rebounding (6.2 rpg), 12th and 19th in the PSAC respectively. Derr was second in the league in made 3-pointers (81) and fifth in 3-point percentage (36.3%) and also averaged 2.3 apg in 33.4 minutes per game. Her 1,382 career points ranks fourth all-time in program history, while her 256 made 3-pointers is a program best. Kutztown finished the year 18-11 overall and 15-7 in the PSAC, clinching a berth in the postseason for the fourth straight year.

Both Tarojae Brake and Wesley Butler put on the Maroon and Gold uniform for the first time in their collegiate careers this season, and each made their mark on the basketball landscape. The league took notice as the duo was named to the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) East Division Second Team, as voted on by the league's head coaches. Kutztown finished the season 11-17 overall and missed out on the conference tournament for just the first time in six years. Brake and Butler finished in the top-20 overall in the PSAC in scoring, 3-point percentage and free-throw percentage. It is the first All-PSAC selection for each Golden Bear. After sitting out last season following a two-year stint at Lock Haven, Brake made his mark for KU, being named a team captain before the start of the 2019-20 campaign. The Coatesville native finished the season averaging 16.0 points per game, 4.4 rebounds per game and 1.6 assists per game in 32.0 minutes per game. He was 16th in the conference in scoring, fourth in free-throw percentage (86.1%), seventh in 3-pointers made (64) and 12th in 3-point percentage (35.8%). Brake scored in double-figures in each of the last eight games and 14 of the last 15. 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. Kutztown graduated two seniors including Josh Townsend and Ryan 'Boz' Bernstein. KU will have a large number of returners that made contributions next season.

Kutztown University has conferred degrees for more than 550 students for the Fall 2019 semester and Winter 2020 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 fall 2019 semester and winter 2020 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 listed multiple times have been awarded more than one degree. Students who have requested privacy (FERPA) are not listed publicly.

Kutztown University inducted 37 students into the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society at the induction ceremony held Tuesday, Feb. 25. Phi Kappa Phi is an honor society established in 1897 to recognize and encourage superior scholarship without restriction as to area of study.

Eight members of the Kutztown University track & field teams earned All-Region recognition across five events, announced Monday from the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). It is the second year in the last three that KU sported eight All-Region honorees, while it boasted 10 last year. To earn All-Region honors, an athlete must be one of the top-five individuals in their event in their respective region. In addition, each member of a region's top-three relay teams was also selected for the distinction. The eight regions used in NCAA DII are the Atlantic, Central, East, Midwest, South, South Central, Southeast and West. The KU men are all representatives of field events as both Harley Cheatham and Tommy Oliver from the high jump, Xavier Feliciano in the pole vault and Larry Brown from the weight throw all earned All-Region status. For the women, Ally Tama in the pole vault and Taye Dairo from the high jump are from field events, while Meghan Forsythe in the 400m and Julia Wiemken in the 800m represent the lone track events for KU. At the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Championships over the weekend, Forsythe, Feliciano and Tama all earned PSAC titles in their respective events. Wiemken posted a new PR of 2:17.62 in the 800m, which ranks seventh all-time in program history. Oliver finished sixth in the heptathlon and tied a personal-best mark of 1.98m (6-6) in the high jump, while Brown placed fourth in the weight throw at 17.55m (57-7). The outdoor season begins for the Golden Bears at the Golden Ram Invitational at the Washington and Lee Carnival in Lexington, Va., Friday, March 20.

Kutztown University will have 22 student-athletes representing its women's lacrosse program for the 2020 season. Read the full season preview. Every season under third-year head coach Jackie Stezzi, the Kutztown University women's lacrosse team has had its win total increase. Now in its third season in the regime, the KU program looks to continue to build upon the success and reach even bigger heights during the 2020 campaign. The Golden Bears finished the 2019 season with a 7-9 overall record, with five of those victories coming in conference play. The five Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) victories are the second most in a season in KU history. KU looks to match the program record of six league wins this year. Kutztown opens its regular season Saturday, Feb. 22, at the University of Bridgeport at 1 p.m. The home-opener for KU is slated for Wednesday, Feb. 26, at 4 p.m., against Caldwell University at Keystone Field.

Kutztown University will have 21 student-athletes representing its softball program for the 2020 season. The Golden Bears opened their season with a 4-5 record across their first two tournaments. Head coach Judy Lawes is in her 33rd season at KU, 19 wins shy of 1,000 for her career. KU will next hit the diamond for their spring break trip beginning Saturday, March 7, against Winston-Salem State in Winston-Salem, N.C. The Golden Bears will then play six days in Florida. Softball website

Kutztown University will have 26 student-athletes representing its baseball program for the 2020 season. The Golden Bears opened their season last weekend, Feb. 15-16, with a four-game split against Chowan University (NC). The wins gave first-year head coach Eric Folmar his first win as a head man in his collegiate debut as a head coach. Kutztown will next compete Saturday, Feb. 29, at Ohio Dominican for two games beginning at 1 p.m., followed by a game Sunday, March 1, at noon. Baseball website

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 business administration and marketing senior Xena Karalis of Royersford, Pa., was awarded a $1,000 scholarship from Tau Sigma National Honor Society. Karalis is the current president of KU's Eta Mu chapter of Tau Sigma and the second KU student to date to receive a scholarship from Tau Sigma. Tau Sigma National Honor Society is a co-ed academic fraternity designed exclusively for transfer students. Their mission is to recognize and promote the academic excellence and involvement of transfers students. Tau Sigma sponsors an annual scholarship competition with awards totaling $100,000. Karalis transferred to KU from the University of Kansas. As an academic fraternity, Tau Sigma focuses on academics first. The scholarship rewards members who are dedicated to both the organization and their studies. "My mom encouraged me to transfer to Kutztown University as a better fit. She has always pushed me with encouragement. Tau Sigma has helped guide me to my success. The unique faculty and my peers that I've met through the business and marketing program have made me fall back in love with business," Karalis said. Karalis has been highly involved in recruitment and outreach efforts for the chapter. As a cancer survivor who lost her father to the same disease, Karalis was once told it was not likely she would make it to college. She is set to graduate in May, already employed by her own startup company. Partnered with family, Karalis' business produces hemp for CBD healthcare products. Participating in a progressive and growing medical field, she wants to help others recover and live without the pain and side-effects of cancer treatments and other treatable illnesses. "There was a time that I thought my future would be dark, but now it's nothing but light," Karalis said of her future. "I feel I am a part of something that is important to my success." For more information regarding Tau Sigma or other Kutztown University fraternal organizations, contact the KU chapter of Tau Sigma at tausigmaku@gmail.com or KU Greek Life coordinator Amanda Garcia at agarcia@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/

Kutztown University women's soccer and head coach Erik Burstein have announced rising seniors Savanna Harrison and Sam LaBianca, along with junior Kayla Argen as team captains for the upcoming 2020 season. The trio of Golden Bears are all first-year skippers. Over the last three years, they have helped lead the Golden Bears to a ton of success, including earning a berth in the NCAA Tournament and Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Tournament in two of the last three seasons. KU has played in NCAAs in eight of the last 11 years and has qualified for PSACs in 11 of the last 12 seasons. "The entire coaching staff is very excited to announce that Sav, Sam and Kayla will lead our women's soccer program moving forward," said Burstein. "In the past we have always waited until late spring to announce our team captains, but these three student-athletes are not only ready to take on a leadership role, but their uncompromising commitment to the program, their strong belief in our culture and the standards and expectations they have for themselves and their teammates are exactly what we need this spring, and moving forward." Harrison had a breakout junior season in the midfield last season, seemingly a magnet on the ball on both sides of the field. She played and started in 17 of the 18 games this season as a center midfielder. The Perkasie native may not have the flashy numbers in the statistical categories, but her importance to head coach Erik Burstein and both the KU offense and defense could not be underestimated. Harrison has one goal in her career, tallied last season, and has played in 53 career games. She will be back next year as a senior to help solidify the midfield. Harrison received her first postseason accolade in 2019, earning All-PSAC Second Team recognition. In the classroom, Harrison is a PSAC Scholar-Athlete and a member of the Dean's List. LaBianca made a shift around the field this past season. After predominantly playing in a midfield role her first two seasons in Maroon and Gold, the Beachwood, N.J., native played most of 2020 in the center of the KU defense. LaBianca started a career-high 15 games and played in 17 overall last season, finishing with six shots, three of which were on goal. In the classroom, LaBianca is a PSAC Scholar-Athlete and a member of the Dean's List. Argen once again played a prominent role in the midfield for Kutztown in 2019. She started a career-high 17 games and played in all 18. Argen finished the year with three goals and tied a career-best with five assists for 11 points. Her five assists led the team. In the classroom, Argen is a PSAC Scholar-Athlete and a member of the Dean's List. The Golden Bears finished the 2019 campaign at 11-7 overall and now has won 10 or more games in 18 straight seasons.

More than 1,770 students have been named to the Fall 2019 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.

85 Kutztown University students have been inducted into the National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS) as part of the December 2019 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.

Congratulations to Shae-Lynn Harris for receiving the Fall 2019 PSECU Community Internship Scholarship. Harris is a senior social work major interning at Reading Area Community College.

Kutztown University has awarded 137 President's Academic Honors Scholarships for the 2019-2020 academic year. President's Academic Honors Scholarships are awarded to high school seniors who have a 3.25 cumulative weighted high school GPA and a 1270 total on the SAT or 27 composite on the ACT. The student will receive $1,000 per year for four years as long as the student participates in the Honors program and completes a minimum of 30 credits per year. KU's Honors program requires students to complete a minimum of 21 credits of honors coursework, maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.25, complete 30 hours of community service by graduation, complete living and learning events, attend one Work in Progress Sessions (WIPS) and complete a capstone or senior honors thesis project.

Kutztown University has awarded 58 Sesquicentennial Academic Honors Scholarships for the 2019-2020 academic year. Sesquicentennial Academic Honors Scholarships are awarded to high school seniors who have a 3.25 cumulative weighted high school GPA and a 1410 total on the SAT or 31 composite on the ACT. The student will receive $7,000 per year for four years as long as the student participates in the Honors Program, lives on campus for the first three years and completes a minimum of 30 credits per year. KU's Honors program requires students to complete a minimum of 21 credits of honors coursework, maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.25, complete 30 hours of community service by graduation, complete living and learning events, attend one Work in Progress Session (WIPS) and complete a capstone or senior honors thesis project.

The defending co-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division champion Kutztown University women's basketball team is the favorite to repeat in 2019-20, as KU was voted first in the PSAC East Preseason Coaches' Poll, as announced by the conference office Thursday morning. KU had seven-of-nine first place votes. KU will have 14 players on its 2019-20 roster. The Golden Bears finished their historic 2018-19 season at 19-12 overall and 14-6 in the PSAC, winning a share of the PSAC East title, the program's first since 1996. They hosted the PSAC final four for the first time in program history and advanced to its first ever PSAC Championship game. Kutztown will be a deep and experienced team this season, and returns three starters, including All-PSAC East First Teamer Rylee Derr (Lititz, Pa./Warwick) and Second Teamer Karen Lapkiewicz (Southampton, Pa./Saint Basil Academy). Derr scored 526 total points, which ranks second all-time in program history for points in a season, and made a school-record 89 three-pointers last season. Lapkiewicz finished with career-highs of 11.4 ppg and 4.1 rpg in 29.5 minutes per game. Brianna Tarabocchia (Woodcliff Lake, N.J./Northern Valley Regional) is the third starter back, averaging 8.1 ppg and 5.0 rpg in 24.1 minutes per game. Gabbi Wright (Elkins Park, Pa./Cheltenham) and Zoe Zerman (Jonestown, Pa./Northern Lebanon) both played in all 31 games last year and could see more time starting this year. Alexis Smith (Dauphin, Pa./Central Dauphin) played in 27 games in 2018-19 and provides great outside shooting for KU. KU's 253 made 3-pointers were the most in a season. Head coach Janet Malouf, in her 26th season, holds a 372-323 overall record, fourth in PSAC history in career wins. PSAC co-champion Bloomsburg was picked second with two first place votes, followed by Shippensburg in third and West Chester and Millersville tied for fourth. KU begins its season with exhibitions at Division-I Penn State and Iona Nov. 1 and Nov. 2, respectively. The regular season begins Nov. 8-9 with the PSAC/CIAA Conference Challenge at Lincoln University, facing off with the host Lions that Friday and St. Augustine's Saturday. PSAC play then begins Saturday, Nov. 23, at Clarion. Kutztown has its home-opener the following Saturday, Nov. 30, against Penn State Lehigh Valley at 1 p.m. Full Poll Results Women's East 1) Kutztown (7) 2) Bloomsburg (2) 3) Shippensburg T4) West Chester T4) Millersville 6) East Stroudsburg 7) Lock Haven 8) Shepherd 9) Mansfield Women's West 1) IUP (5) 2) Cal U (2) 3) Edinboro (1) 4) Pitt-Johnstown 5) Seton Hill (1) 6) Gannon 7) Slippery Rock 8) Mercyhurst 9) Clarion

The Kutztown University men's basketball team was picked fifth in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division Preseason Coaches' Poll, released by the league office Thursday afternoon. KU will have 16 players on its 2019-2020 roster. The Golden Bears finished last season 16-14 overall, the fifth straight season of at least 16 wins and sixth consecutive season it made the postseason. They have won at least one postseason game each of the last five seasons, advancing to at least the PSAC Quarterfinals each of those seasons. Head coach Bernie Driscoll, in his 20th season, holds a 323-218 (.597) overall record, seventh in PSAC history in career wins. Kutztown returns three starters that started in the two PSAC Tournament games last season, including senior Josh Townsend (Philadelphia, Pa./Imhotep Charter), junior Facundo Arens (Buenos Aires, Argentina/Bahia Blanca) and sophomore Austin Laughlin (Glen Mills, Pa./Garnet Valley). Townsend and redshirt-juniors Moe Williams (Townsend, Del./Life Center Academy) and Tarojae Brake (Coatesville, Pa./Octorara Area (Lock Haven)) were named team captains for the upcoming campaign. Townsend averaged nearly a double-double with career-highs of 10.6 ppg and 8.5 rpg (sixth in PSAC) in 24.0 minutes per game last year. His 256 rebounds this season rank in a tie for seventh all-time in program history for rebounds in season. Arens started in 28-of-30 games, averaging 6.7 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 2.0 apg in 27.4 minutes per game, all career-highs. Laughlin ranked second on KU with 27 made three-pointers in his first collegiate season. Williams played in 20 games, missing time due to injury, but still finished the year second on KU scoring 12.0 ppg and led KU at 8.7 rpg in 27.9 minutes per game. The program is also excited about what Brake will bring to the table after sitting out last season following a transfer from Lock Haven. Sophomores Kyree Generett (York, Pa./William Penn), Da'Quan Granberry (Linwood, Pa./Chichester) and Akello Mosby (Philadelphia, Pa./Carver) all appeared in at least 24 games and their experience will once again help the lineup in 2019-20. Defending PSAC East champion East Stroudsburg was tabbed first with four first place votes, followed by Shippensburg with three first place votes. West Chester and Millersville come in at third and fourth respectively, as KU rounds out the top-five. Kutztown begins its regular season in West Chester, with games against Lincoln Friday, Nov. 8, and against Claflin the following day Saturday, in the PSAC/CIAA Challenge. The home-opener is set for Wednesday, Nov. 13, against the University of the Sciences at 7 p.m. PSAC play begins Saturday, Nov. 23, at Clarion. Full Poll Results Men's East (# of 1st place votes) 1) East Stroudsburg (4) 2) Shippensburg (3) 3) West Chester (1) 4) Millersville 5) Kutztown (1) 6) Lock Haven 7) Shepherd 8) Bloomsburg 9) Mansfield Men's West 1) IUP (7) 2) Slippery Rock 3) Pitt-Johnstown (2) 4) Mercyhurst 5) Cal U 6) Gannon T7) Edinboro T7) Seton Hill 9) Clarion

The seventh-ranked Kutztown University field hockey team had three student-athletes selected to the 2019 Victory Sports Tours/NFHCA Division II Senior Game team, and another was named as an alternate, as announced Thursday. Senior midfielders Molly Bobjak and Mackenzie Fuhrman, along with forward Kyra Wozniak earned spots on the roster, while midfielder Gabby Hess is an alternate for the showcase. The three game selections is tied for the most under head coach Marci Scheuing and the four overall are the most. The Senior Game is currently projected to take place Saturday, Nov. 23, at 5 p.m., at Millersville University's Biemesderfer Stadium. The game features the top senior players in the nation. The selected seniors are given the opportunity to represent their institution while competing against their peers. There are 34 field players and four goalies who were tabbed to the game. These four Golden Bear seniors have been instrumental to the program throughout their four years. Over the past four seasons, this group has been a part of three straight seasons posting .500 or better records, totaling 43 victories thus far. They helped KU qualify for the PSAC tournament last season for the first time since 2015. They also have eight wins against nationally-ranked opponents throughout their careers. Bobjak is a two-year team captain. She has played in 55 games, starting 37 in the midfield during her time at KU. Bobjak has one goal and 10 assists thus far throughout her career, including a career-high five assists this season. She is also a member of the Dean's List, the NFHCA National Academic Squad and is a PSAC Scholar-Athlete. Fuhrman has started all 65 games of her career. She has totaled 16 goals and 26 assists, ranking fifth all-time at KU for career assists. Mackenzie is a two-time First-Team NFHCA All-American and All-PSAC. She was voted the 2018 team MVP. In the classroom, Mackenzie is a member of the Dean's List, the NFHCA National Academic Squad and is a PSAC Scholar-Athlete. Wozniak has played in 64 career games, starting 50 of them at forward. She ranks seventh in program history with 46 career goals and reached the century mark with 100 points. She is a two-time Second Team All-American and First Team All-PSAC member. Wozniak is a member of the Dean's List, the NFHCA National Academic Squad and is a PSAC Scholar-Athlete. Hess has played in 45 games, starting the last 31 in the midfield during her four-year career. She has scored two goals and recorded the first assist of her career this season on the game-winning goal over then top-ranked Shippensburg. Kutztown has five regular season games remaining including tonight, Thursday, against third-ranked Millersville at 7 p.m., at Andre Reed Stadium.

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.

Six Kutztown University geology students presented research at the Geological Society of America meeting in Phoenix, Arizona, Sept. 22-25. Three research projects were a part of Dr. Sarah Tindall's Roadmaps in GeoScience (RiGS) program, which she funds through a National Science Foundation grant. Dr. Edward Simpson supervised three additional research projects that focused on different aspects of paleontological discoveries made during field expeditions with his students to a major dinosaur quarry in Utah. Students: Claire Santa, Lara Ilsemann, Robert Edris, Mark Domin, David Muller and Eric Dinter, also toured geological sites in Arizona, including Red Rocks of Sedona, Grand Canyon, S P volcanic crater, Meteor Crater (group photo at rim of 50,000-year-old, milewide asteroid impact crater), and Petrified Forest National Park.

Kutztown University will have 17 student-athletes representing its women's bowling team for the 2019-2020 season. KU was ranked seventh in the National Tenpin Coaches Association Division II/III Preseason Poll, which was recently released by the organization. The Golden Bears head into their new season under the direction of first-year head coach Angela Reynolds, who joined the team in August. Kutztown went 74-57 last season with eight wins over teams in the NTCA National Top 25, including four in the top 10. The Maroon and Gold reached the sixth round of the East Coast Conference Championship in March. KU opens the 2019-20 season this coming Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 12-13, with the Bud Whitman Memorial at Berks Lanes in Sinking Spring.

The Kutztown University softball team had eight student-athletes recognized as 2019 National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-America scholar-athletes. The eight student-athletes for the Golden Bears are second-most among Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference East Division teams. The scholar-athletes include Erin Fortney, Tamara Jennings, Ava Bottiglia, Alyssa Donato, Alyssa Oakley, Kay Solderitch, Paola Texidor and Zoe Texidor. Kutztown as a team held a 3.36 GPA overall. More than 8,000 student-athletes (8,161), a first in NFCA history, were named 2019 Easton/NFCA All-America Scholar-Athletes, the Association announced. The rankings and honors recognize the academic prowess of softball teams across the Association's membership categories. NCAA Division III led the way with 1,928 student-athletes earning a 3.5 grade-point average or higher for 2018-19. NCAA Division I and Division II followed with 1,769 and 1,306 honorees. High School weighted and High School unweighted earned 1,225 and 793 distinctions. NAIA and two-year programs each amassed 570 recipients.

Kutztown University has announced its student members of the 2019 Homecoming Court. Winners will be announced at halftime of KU's homecoming football game, 2:05 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 26, at Andre Reed Stadium. Finalists for Homecoming Queen are Karlie Doyle, Ashley Lipari, Natalie Perkowski, Emily Rudderow, Alyssa Sheldon, Victoria Tennyson and Xiomara Toledo. Finalists for Homecoming King are Cameron Crisologo, Noah Hartley, Braden Hudak, Jacob Khalife, Robert McGowan, Matthew Miller and Patrick Moyer.