Kutztown University of Pennsylvania

Kutztown University inducted four students into the Rho chapter of the Alpha Beta Alpha Honor Society for library science at its induction ceremony this spring. Alpha Beta Alpha (ABA) is the library science fraternity at Kutztown University. Founded on Nov. 20, 1957, the Kutztown chapter (Rho) is the last ABA chapter in the United States. ABA's goal is to spread the joys of reading and to have a positive impact on the community. Their motto is "Books, People, Service, Life". There have been nearly 50 Alpha Beta Alpha chapters, all of which have disbanded, with the exception of Kutztown's Rho chapter. The Rho chapter is the headquarters of the fraternity. The purpose of ABA is the following: - To maintain an abiding interest in librarianship - To acquire a true professional spirit and a deep sense of responsibility to the profession - To seek a sincere, sympathetic and full understanding of the work and problems of human beings Alpha Beta Alpha came to Kutztown in 1957 as the organization's RHO chapter, and is the final chapter still in existence.

Recent Kutztown University graduate Tommy Biltcliff joins the Patriot League's multimedia staff as a finalist in two categories for a Sports Video Group (SVG) 2019 College Sports Media Award. Biltcliff graduated in May with a Bachelor of Science in cinema, television and media production. This year's winners will be announced at the 11th annual College Sports Media Awards Ceremony on May 30, at the SVG College Summit in Atlanta hosted by Jen Lada, ESPN host and reporter. Representing a variety of college athletic departments, conference offices, professional networks, production companies and students, award finalists are named across four divisions in a total of 20 categories.

Sophomore Luke Hoffman was crowned a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) champion in the discus at PSACs back on May 10, and that helped him earn the 2019 Field Athlete of the Year by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). 10 members of the Kutztown University track and field programs, including Hoffman, also earned All-Atlantic Region status. 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. Hoffman threw a personal-best 56.80m (186-4) at the championship event, which is a new meet record, and improved upon the KU and PSAC record that he already held. He is ranked fourth nationally in the discus. Fellow PSAC champion Brandon Leacraft also was recognized as All-Region in the javelin. It is the second regional honor for Hoffman and the third for Leacraft. Fellow Golden Bear men that received All-Region status include Zach Austen and Xavier Feliciano in the pole vault, Xavier Gutierrez in the steeplechase and Tommy Oliver in the decathlon. Feliciano and Oliver are now two-time all-region, while it is the first recognition for Austen and Gutierrez. On the women's side, all four All-Atlantic Golden Bears competed in field events. Becca Hemingway in the high jump, Megan Kirn in the javelin, Ashley Petre in the hammer and Ally Tama in the pole vault. Kirn, Petre and Tama all finished second in their respective events at PSAC Outdoor Championships. Petre has now earned all-region three times in the hammer, while Hemingway and Tama are two-time All-Atlantic Region in the high jump and pole vault respectively, and Kirn received her first all-region recognition. Hoffman, Leacraft and Kirn will all be competing on the national stage at the 2019 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Kingsville, Texas, beginning on Friday, May 24, and concluding the following day.

Kutztown University inducted 44 students into the Chi Omega Upsilon chapter of the Chi Sigma Iota Honor Society for counseling at its induction ceremony this spring. 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 nine credits and have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or better.

Kutztown University softball outfielders Tamara Jennings and Sara Keeny have been named to the Google Cloud Academic All-District 2 Team, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

More than 1,750 students have been named to the Spring 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.

Kutztown University women's soccer and head coach Erik Burstein have announced rising seniors Kristina Miller and Emily Zwiercan as team captains for the upcoming 2019 season. Miller was also voted as a captain last season, while Zwiercan will be a first-year skipper this fall. Over the last three years, the duo has helped lead the Golden Bears to a ton of success, including earning a berth in the NCAA Tournament and Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Tournament all three seasons. KU has played in NCAAs in eight of the last 10 years and has qualified for PSACs in each of the last 11 seasons. "I am very excited to announce that Emily will join Tina as our team captains for the upcoming season," said Burstein. "Both of these players have shown a strong commitment to our program, and they wholeheartedly believe in our culture and the standards and expectations we have set. They are also both fully aware that we have a fantastic group of upperclassmen who fully buy into our culture and who can also help provide leadership and insight to the entire squad, especially the incoming freshman; Tina and Emily are not threatened by that; they embrace it, which is important. "Next year will be a very challenging year for us, especially with PSAC women's soccer moving to a divisional format. It is absolutely critical that we begin the season with the proper leadership and there is no question we will have that with Tina and Emily." Miller started all 20 games last season and has 62 games played under her belt, starting 57 of them. She scored a career-high three goals as a junior and played in the center of a defense that allowed a program-low nine goals all season and recorded 12 shutouts, third-most in KU history. On the field, the Lansdale native received a number of different accolades including All-Atlantic Region First Team and All-PSAC First Team. Miller is also a standout in the classroom, earning a spot on the CoSIDA Academic All-District Team and Dean's List Honors. Zwiercan has had a knack for finding the back of the net during her first three years in Maroon and Gold. She started every game last season and has appeared in 66 career games, making 44 starts. As a junior, Zwiercan finished fourth in the PSAC with 11 goals and sixth with 25 points. She ranks fourth all-time in KU history with 30 goals, fourth with 18 assists and tied for second with 78 points. The Reinholds native earned All-Atlantic Region and All-PSAC First Team honors last year and was also a member of the CoSIDA Academic All-District Team and Dean's List. Kutztown opens its 2019 campaign with back-to-back road games. The season-opener is Thursday, Sept. 5, at Charleston (W.Va.), followed by a trip to PSAC foe Millersville on Wednesday, Sept. 11. The home-opener is slated for Saturday, Sept. 14, at the newly renovated Keystone Field against East Stroudsburg.

Kutztown University inducted 40 new members into the Alpha Sigma Lambda Honor Society for adult learners at its induction ceremony this spring. Inductees are adult students who have a minimum of a 3.2 GPA and have successfully completed at least 24 credits at Kutztown University.

Kutztown University inducted two students into the Lambda Pi Eta Honor Society for communication studies at its induction ceremony this spring. Lambda Pi Eta is the official communication studies honor society of the National Communication Association (NCA). Lambda Pi Eta represents what Aristotle described in his book, Rhetoric, as the 3 ingredients of persuasion: Logos (Lambda) meaning logic, Pathos (Pi) relating to emotion, and Ethos (Eta) defined as character credibility and ethics.

All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference honors were bestowed upon three members of the Kutztown University men's tennis team, Wednesday, as Nolan Perugini and Renatos Santos were named First Team Doubles and Josh Carl earned a Second Team Singles nod. The top of the Golden Bears' lineup was a strong point all season, especially so against conference opponents. Perugini, a senior from Reading, and Santos, a junior from Portugal, compiled a 7-3 overall record at first doubles, including a 4-1 mark in the PSAC. The duo earned a 6-0 victory over West Chester on March 30 and knocked off the top doubles team from regionally-ranked Edinboro on April 13. Additionally, Perugini and Santos won matches over regionally-ranked non-conference opponents Salem and West Liberty. Their only setback in conference play came against nationally-ranked No. 40 Mercyhurst. Carl, a junior, held down third singles for KU and sported a winning 3-2 record in league play. The Hummelstown, Pennsylvania native played .500 tennis upon the team's return from Spring Break in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. He opened league play with a straight set victory at West Chester and later rallied for a three-set victory against Sebastian Pardo of nationally-ranked Mercyhurst in mid-April. Carl finished the year with a 5-10 overall singles record and went 5-9 at No. 3. Perugini and Carl are both repeat all-conference selections, while Santos was recognized for the first time. Perugini was an All-PSAC Second Team pick in singles and doubles last spring. He was joined by Carl on Second Team Doubles.

The Kutztown University Department of Mathematics inducted 13 students into Kappa Mu Epsilon, a national mathematics honor society, at its induction ceremony on Friday, May 3. Kappa Mu Epsilon is a specialized honor society in Mathematics. KME was founded in 1931 to promote the interest of mathematics among undergraduate students. Its chapters are located in colleges and universities of recognized standing which offer a strong mathematics major. The chapters' members are selected from students of mathematics and other closely related fields who have maintained standards of scholarship, have professional merit, and have attained academic distinction. Both men and women are eligible for membership. To qualify for membership, a student: - Must have completed at least three semesters of college-level mathematics; - Must have completed at least three mathematics courses at the MAT 181 level or above; - Must have an overall GPA at Kutztown University of at least 0; and, - Must have a GPA for all the mathematics courses above MAT 181 taken (at KU) of at least 3.0.

More than 180 Kutztown University students have been inducted into the National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS) as part of the Spring 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.

Kutztown University inducted 10 students into its 2019 class of Lambda Alpha National Anthropology Honor Society at its annual induction ceremony this spring. The Kutztown University Chapter (Xi of PA) of the Lambda Alpha National Anthropology Honor Society provides an opportunity to recognize the academic achievements of students in the Anthropology Program. Lambda Alpha honors outstanding academic achievement in anthropology. Graduation regalia, including stoles and pins, can be purchased from Lambda Alpha to symbolize this honor. Lambda Alpha offers a national scholarship worth $5000 to be awarded to a graduating senior majoring in anthropology, as well as awards for outstanding student papers. Lambda Alpha maintains a journal that provides an opportunity for students to share their work with a national audience. To join the Xi of Pennsylvania Chapter of Lambda Alpha, undergraduate students must be a junior or senior, have completed at least 12 semester hours of course work in anthropology (which can include no more than six semester hours in sociology), have an anthropology GPA of at least 3.0 and have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5.

Kutztown University inducted 10 students into its 2019 class of Alpha Epsilon Lambda, National Honor Society for Graduate and Professional Students, at its annual induction ceremony on Wednesday, May 1. Kutztown University is the home of the Gamma Chapter of Alpha Epsilon Lambda. This chapter marked the founding of the first honor society solely for graduate students in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The mission of the organization is to confer distinction for high achievement, promote leadership development, promote scholarship and encourage intellectual development, enrich the intellectual environment of graduate institutions and encourage high standards of ethical behavior. Graduate students seeking membership in the Gamma Chapter at Kutztown University must have completed a minimum of 12 graduate semester hours, attain a graduate quality point average in the upper 35 percent of all graduate students currently enrolled at the university and provide a record of leadership and service to the campus and the community.

Matt Cella, Ahkee Cox-Cowan, Abdul-Hassan Neblett and Luke Snyder have been named captains of the 2019 Kutztown University football team. Head coach Jim Clements introduced the captains during a team meeting following the conclusion of spring practice. Cella is a two-time All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division selection. The rising senior was voted to the First Team at center in 2018, where he started all 11 games for a Golden Bear team that went 9-2 and reached the NCAA Division II Championship tournament for the third time in program history. With Cella leading the way up front, Kutztown ranked first in the PSAC and 12th in NCAA DII in yards per game (471.1). The Golden Bears were also the second-highest scoring offense in the conference at 38.0 points per game and second in total yards (5,182). A native of Secane, Pennsylvania, Cella was named to the Don Hansen Gazette Super Region 1 Third Team offense this past season and earned All-PSAC East Second Team honors at guard in 2017 as a sophomore. Cox-Cowan is coming off a season in which he produced a career-high 62 tackles (43 solo), 1.5 tackles for loss and three interceptions. The cornerback from Harrisburg is a two-time All-PSAC East First Team honoree, two-time Don Hansen Gazette Super Region 1 pick and 2017 D2CCA all-region choice. Cox-Cowan set program single-season records with 17 pass breakups and 20 passes defended in 2017, and his 2018 totals of 14 breakups and 17 passes defended ranked in the top five all-time. He enters the 2019 season five passes defended and nine breakups away from tying program career records. Neblett, a Newark, New Jersey native, averaged 4.4 yards per carry and caught two touchdowns out of the backfield for the Maroon and Gold in 2018. The redshirt senior has played in all 11 games each of the last three seasons, contributing 557 rushing yards, 264 receiving yards and six touchdowns in his KU career. Snyder earned All-PSAC East Second Team honors at linebacker for the second consecutive season in 2018. The Levittown, Pennsylvania product made a career-high 53 tackles, including 1.5 sacks, forced a pair of fumbles and deflected a pair of passes. Snyder had a huge afternoon against Bloomsburg last Sept. 29 with nine tackles, 1.5 sacks and a forced fumble in KU's 44-10 victory. The senior has recorded 111 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks over the course of his career. Kutztown, which went 9-2 and reached the NCAA Division II Championship tournament for the third time in program history last season, opens its 2019 schedule at home against Assumption on Sept. 7.

Sara Keeny, who set Kutztown University softball single-season records with 100 hits and a .518 batting average, has been selected as the 2019 Division II Conference Commissioner's Association (CCA) Atlantic Region Player of the Year. Four Golden Bears were honored on the all-region teams in total, with Tamara Jennings joining Keeny on the First Team, and Cheyenne Jones and Jenna Lipowski being named to the Second Team. Keeny's name is littered throughout KU's record book for both single-season and career success. The senior outfielder from Warminster, Pennsylvania shattered former career-highs in most offensive categories this season on her way to one of the best hitting seasons in the program's 44-year history. Prior to the start of the NCAA Division II Championship tournament, Keeny led the nation in hits (100), while ranking fifth in batting average (.518), seventh in total bases (132), ninth in on base percentage (.561), 10th in triples (seven) and 11th in stolen bases (45). Keeny is a four-time All-PSAC East selection and a three-time NFCA All-Atlantic Region honoree. She was recently named 2019 PSAC East Athlete of the Year, supplementing her record-breaking batting average, hit and stolen base totals with 62 runs scored, 15 doubles, 29 RBIs, 23 walks, .684 slugging percentage and .955 fielding percentage in 56 games. Keeny is Kutztown's career hits leader with 289 and holds a share of the program's triples record with 14. She also ranks second in batting average (.440) and stolen bases (134), third in runs scored (172), fifth in total bases (348), seventh in walks (62) and eighth in at-bats (657). Keeny is the fourth player in program history to earn D2CCA Atlantic Region Player of the Year honors, following Steph Denlinger (2007, 2009) and Ashley Fitzgerald (2008). She is the only Golden Bear among this year's all-region selections that is a repeat selection after earning Second Team accolades in 2018. Jennings enjoyed a breakout spring in her final season wearing Maroon and Gold. The Philadelphian established new career-highs in batting average (.416), hits (72), runs scored (50), doubles (13), triples (three), home runs (seven), RBIs (51), slugging percentage (.647), on base percentage (.458) and stolen bases (14). Jennings, who shared the outfield with Keeny, was an All-PSAC East for the first time in her career. She ranked second in the PSAC in hits, RBIs and runs scored at the conclusion of the conference tournament, and was top 10 in batting average, slugging percentage, at-bats and stolen bases. Jones, a redshirt senior from Levittown, Pennsylvania, hit a career-best .353 with 61 hits, 12 doubles, three triples, six homers and 47 RBIs. In 55 games, the Golden Bears' primary designated player also set new career marks in slugging percentage (.561), on base percentage (.367) and runs scored (22). Jones was a repeat All-PSAC East selection after ranking fifth in the league in RBIs and ninth in hits. Lipowski increased her batting average by 90 points over freshman year, finishing the 2019 season with a .369 average, 65 hits, 15 doubles, five home runs and 50 RBIs. The Nanticoke, Pennsylvania native matched Keeny for third in the PSAC in doubles, while ranking fourth in RBIs and tied for fifth in hits. Lipowski was one of four KU players to start and play in all 56 games. She made 48 of those starts at first base, where she also had a supurb season defensively with 215 putouts, 15 assists and a .996 fielding percentage to be named All-PSAC East for the first time.

Kutztown University inducted 18 students into its 2019 class of Alpha Phi Sigma, National Honor Society for Criminal Justice, at its annual induction ceremony on Tuesday, April 16. Alpha Phi Sigma was founded in 1942 at Washington State University and became affiliated with the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences (ACJS) in 1976. Today there are almost 300 Alpha Phi Sigma chapters around the country. KU's Kappa Alpha chapter of Alpha Phi Sigma was established in 2008 with 13 founding members. The chapter advisors are Dr. Pietro Toggia and the assistant advisor is Dr. AnnMarie Cordner. To be eligible for membership, a student must be a criminal justice major or minor, have completed at least 40 credit hours, including at least four criminal justice courses, have an overall QPA of 3.2 or higher, and have a QPA in criminal justice courses of 3.2 or higher.

Senior Sara Keeny of Warminster, Pa., was recognized as the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) East Athlete of the Year and freshman Bridget Bailey of Norwood, Pa., was named Freshman of the Year, and the Kutztown University softball team was well-represented on the postseason accolades list with six student-athletes earning All-PSAC East honors, as voted on by league coaches Monday. Keeny is Kutztown's first Athlete of the Year since the 2013 season, and Bailey brings home KU's first Freshman of the Year since Keeny won the award in 2016. Joining Keeny and Bailey, seniors Tamara Jennings of Philadelphia, and Cheyenne Jones of Levittown, Pa., along with sophomore Jenna Lipowski of Nanticoke, Pa., and freshman Katelyn Ostaszewski of Philadelphia, made the distinctive list. The six members are the most for the program since the 2013 season when seven made it. Keeny left her mark on the program, etching her name in several record books and top-10 marks. She is KU's all-time career hits leader with 289, tied for the most triples with 14, second in career batting average at .440 and ranks second in both program and PSAC history with 134 stolen bases. The 289 hits is third-most in PSAC lore and the most since Bloomsburg's Erica Miller finished with 310 from 1998-2001. Keeny played in 190 career games, starting every one. It is her fourth All-PSAC recognition in as many years. The Warminster native finished the season ranked atop the PSAC in batting average (.518), on-base percentage (.561), hits (100), runs scored (62) and triples (7). Her 100 hits was the most by a KU player in a single season and ranks third in the PSAC all-time. Keeny was also second in the conference in stolen bases (45), third in doubles (15) and sixth in both slugging percentage (.684) and walks (23). She also posted a career-high 29 RBI and ended the season on a 12-game hit streak. In her first season on the collegiate level, Bailey stepped in admirably and became Kutztown's ace of the pitching staff. She went 18-8 with a 2.60 ERA and 181 strikeouts in 178.0 innings. The 181 Ks is sixth-most by a KU pitcher in a season. Bailey also had three saves, tied for the most in a season in program history, and made 41 appearances this year. Bailey ranked second in the PSAC in wins, strikeouts and innings pitched, and was 10th in ERA. She also has a hit to her name, going 1-for-5 at the plate. Bailey was a two-time PSAC Pitcher of the Week this season. Jennings received her first postseason honor after having a career year. She finished second behind Keeny in the PSAC in hits (72) and runs scored (50) and was also second with 51 RBI. Jennings had a .416 batting average and a .647 slugging percentage, both ninth-best in the conference, while her 14 stolen bases was eighth. She also set a new program record with eight sacrifice flies. The Philadelphia native concluded her career with 179 hits, 109 runs, 92 RBI and 37 doubles. She started in 169-of-178 games played in her four years. Jones is now a two-time All-PSAC performer. She posted career-high numbers in hits (61), RBI (47), runs (22), batting average (.353) and slugging percentage (.561), starting 54-of-55 games this season. Her 47 RBI ranks fifth in the PSAC. The Levittown native finished her career in Maroon and Gold with 125 hits, 87 RBI, 51 runs and 15 home runs, batting .320. Lipowski enjoyed a breakout sophomore campaign starting all 56 games, primarily at first base. She finished in the top-five in the PSAC in hits (65), RBI (50) and doubles (15). Lipowski also batted a career-high .369 and hit five home runs, while also posting a .551 slugging percentage. In the field, Lipowski ranked second with a .996 fielding percentage at first. The Nanticoke native will return for her junior season next year approaching a couple of milestones. Lipowski is 11 hits shy of 100 with 89 and also has 60 RBI. She is batting .340 for her career. Ostaszewski broke out in her first season in Maroon and Gold. She started in 48-of-55 games her freshman season at shortstop and finished with 60 hits, 42 runs and 25 RBI, while batting .370. Her 42 runs ranked fifth in the PSAC and the 60 hits is 10th. Ostaszewski recorded a .438 slugging percentage and stole 12 bases. At short, she boasted a .918 fielding percentage. The Philadelphia native surged in the last half of the season. She also earned PSAC Athlete of the Week honors following the last week of the regular season. The Golden Bears finished their season with a 36-20 overall record, the ninth-most wins in program history. They went 3-2 in the PSAC Tournament, defeating Edinboro, Bloomsburg and West Chester, and finished third.

Kutztown University inducted 31 new members into the Psi Chi International Honor Society in Psychology at its annual induction ceremony this spring. Psi Chi is the International Honor Society for Psychology majors, with chapters around the globe. The KU Chapter of Psi Chi holds biweekly meetings and plans other events for its members and other psychology students. Anyone is welcome to attend the meetings, where topics typically center around psychological research and graduate school. To join Psi Chi, you must meet certain membership qualifications (see below). More about the benefits of joining Psi Chi can be found on the Psi Chi Website. The Psi Chi website also has more information about awards, careers, graduate school, preparing research presentations, conventions and chapter information, so check it out! The Kutztown University Chapter of Psi Chi is open to all students who meet the following KU Chapter qualifications for active student membership: Completion of at least 36 credits for undergraduates, 12 of which were taken at Kutztown University; 15 credits for graduate students. Completion of 9 semester hours of Psychology taken at KU. Declaration of a major or minor in psychology. An overall cumulative GPA and a minimum GPA in psychology of 3.30 for undergraduates; 3.75 for graduate students. High standards of personal behavior. Two-thirds affirmative vote of those present at a regular meeting of the chapter.

Kutztown University inducted seven students into its 2019 class of the Gamma Theta Upsilon International Honor Society in Geography at its induction ceremony this spring. Kutztown University is home to the Gamma Psi Chapter of Gamma Theta Upsilon (GTU), the International Geographical Honor Society. GTU is open to any and all KU students that have an overall GPA of 3.3 or better, at least 36 credit hours and a minimum of nine credit hours in geography. Students must also have a 3.3 or better GPA in geography. Inductees are exposed to the history of GTU and the meaning of the organization's symbols and colors.

Kutztown University inducted 11 new members into the Alpha Epsilon chapter of Alpha Kappa Delta, the International Sociology Honor Society, at its annual induction ceremony on Tuesday, April 30. Alpha Kappa Delta is a non-secret, democratic, international society of scholars dedicated to the ideal of Athropon Katamannthanein Diakonesin or "to investigate humanity for the purpose of service." Membership is open to undergraduate students, graduate students and faculty members from active chapters who meet our minimum standards. Currently, there are more than 115,000 members in Alpha Kappa Delta and more than 650 chapters.

Kutztown University inducted 26 students into the Sigma Delta Pi National Hispanic Honor Society at its induction ceremony on Monday, April 29. Sigma Delta Pi is the only honor society devoted exclusively to students of Spanish in four-year colleges and universities. It is not only the largest foreign-language honor society in existence, it is among the elite as attested by its membership since 1966 in the Association of College Honor Societies (ACHS), the nation's only certifying agency for college and university honor societies. Membership is granted only to those who attain its standards of high academic achievement in the study of the Spanish language, the literature and culture of Hispanic nations, and other college-level subjects. Specifically, students must have completed three years of study of college-level Spanish (18 semester credit hours) or the equivalent thereof, including at least three semester hours of a course in Hispanic literature or Hispanic culture and civilization at the junior (third-year) level. The student must have a minimal grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 point scale in all Spanish courses taken and rank in the upper 35 percent of his/her class.

The Mu Xi chapter of Phi Alpha Theta History Honor Society at Kutztown University inducted a new cohort on April 16. Congratulations to Jacob Adams, Emmanuel Alden, Katherine Anderson, Caroline Collins, Austin Cory, Austin Crowley, Adam Folk, Molly Hill, Angelo Lucci, Emily Murray, Evan Musto, Matthew Sagl, Shannon Shafnisky and Madison Szczecina. The History Department sponsors the Mu Xi Chapter of Phi Alpha Theta, the National Honor Society in History. Admission to Phi Alpha Theta is an outstanding achievement based on exceptional academic accomplishment. Phi Alpha Theta was established in 1921 at the University of Arkansas. The society currently has over 900 chapters and 350,000 members. KU's Mu Xi Chapter was established in 1967. Among Mu Xi's charter members were Esther M. Willits, Anthony J. Mazzaferri, Gordon Goldberg and James Collier who have all gone on to become history professors here at Kutztown University.

Kutztown University inducted 19 students into the Psi Chi International Honor Society in Psychology at its induction ceremony on Saturday, April 13. Psi Chi is the International Honor Society for psychology majors, with chapters around the globe. The KU Chapter of Psi Chi holds bi-weekly meetings and plans other events for its members and other psychology students. Anyone is welcome to attend the meetings, where topics typically center around psychological research and graduate school. More about the benefits of joining Psi Chi can be found on the Psi Chi Website. The Psi Chi website also has more information about awards, careers, graduate school, preparing research presentations, conventions and chapter information.

Kutztown University inducted 38 students into the Iota Iota Iota, known as Triota, Women's & Gender Studies Honor Society at its induction ceremony on Monday, April 23. Triota is an emerging honor society for students in women's studies. The society's Alpha chapter began at Metropolitan State College in Denver, Colo. The Alpha chapter has been working to organize local chapters on campuses nationwide for the purpose of applying for national status from the National Association of College Honor Societies. The goal of Triota is to recognize and promote excellence within the discipline of women's studies. Historically, women's studies programs have shown some reluctance to support honor societies because elitism and exclusion are contrary to feminist principles of equality, inclusion, and non-hierarchical processes and structures. Having wrestled with this question at KU, we believe it is appropriate to recognize and honor the achievements of students who elect to concentrate in women's studies. Inductees are women's studies minors who have demonstrated active involvement in promoting women's issues and gender equality.

Kutztown University inducted 21 students into the Kappa Delta Pi International Honor Society in Education at its induction ceremony on Wednesday, April 10. Kappa Delta Pi, International Honor Society in Education, was founded in 1911 to foster excellence in education and promote fellowship among those dedicated to teaching. For over a century, the Society has consistently grown, starting with a local chapter to become the international organization it is today, with an initiated membership that exceeds 1.2 million. To be inducted, KU education majors must have a 3.50 GPA.

Two juniors from the Kutztown University Department of Communication Design (KUCD) were recently named winners in the Society of Publication Designers (SPD) 2019 Student Design Competition. Keri Stefkovich of Vernon, N.J. received sixth place for her feature spread on the END IT Movement, and Heather Leiby of Lancaster, Pa. received an honorable mention for her feature spread on hot cocoa. Stefkovich and Leiby worked hard to not only create intricate layouts for their features, but also each shot original photography and created hand-drawn typographic solutions for their spreads - a highly impressive feat. This year's competition required students to design feature spreads that aligned with the competition categories such as News Magazine, How-To Magazine and Fashion/Lifestyle Magazine. Competition judges included Sarah Garcea, art director of Inc.; Rob Hewitt, creative director of Dwell; Nathalie Kirsheh, creative director of Allure, Glamour, Self; Tala Safie, lead designer of AIGA Eye on Design; and Mike Schnaidt, creative director of Fast Company. Since 1965, the SPD's mission has been to empower the future of visual storytelling and set the standard for editorial excellence by bringing together and supporting the most talented creative individuals across all platforms and disciplines to learn, inspire and collaborate. The SPD includes anyone contributing to the creation of visual stories, from art directors to coders and data miners, from major publications to independent zines, and from seasoned professionals to students.

Kutztown University inducted 38 students into the Tau Sigma National Transfer Honor Society at its induction ceremony on Thursday, April 11. Tau Sigma was incorporated in 1999 at Auburn University and there are more than 175 chapters across the country. Tau Sigma National Honor Society is a growing, prestigious organization on KU's campus for transfer students. Established in 2016, the Eta Mu chapter is the third Tau Sigma chapter within the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE). Currently at more than 100 members, this chapter has been recognizing transfer students who earned a GPA of 3.5 or higher in their first semester at KU.

The Department of Political Science & Public Administration of Kutztown University inducted 10 new members into the Pi Sigma Alpha National Honor Society in Political Science and Public Administration at a reception on Thursday, April 11. Members are a political science or public administration major or minor with 18 s.h. completed in political science courses with a minimum 3.25 in political science courses and a 3.0 overall Q.P.A.

The Department of Communication Design held its Senior Student Awards Sunday, April 14, which included the grand opening of the Senior Student Showcase at the Marlin and Regina Miller Gallery. Department faculty joined dozens of guests for the ceremony. Award winners were as follows (pictured L to R): Mary Shriner, Don Breter Memorial Outstanding Senior Award; Alexandria Shope, Graphic Design Award; Alyse Ryan, Brenda Innocenti Champion Female Creative Talent and Leadership Award; Jess Paley, Interactive Design Award; Caleb Finn, Dianne V. Dockery Advertising Award; and Michael Pickard, Terry Boyle Most Improved Award. Be sure to visit the gallery to check out the outstanding work by KU's talented students. Award Nominees & Winners KUCD Illustration Award Crystal Hunter-Jones (Emmaus, Pa.) Jarrett Patterson (Philadelphia, Pa.) Lauren Bailey (Bear Creek Township, Pa.) Mary Shriner (Carlisle, Pa.), Winner, Don Breter Memorial Outstanding Senior Michael Pickard (West Chester, Pa.), Winner, Terry Boyle Most Improved Dianne V. Dockery Advertising Award Gabby Trate (Bernville, Pa.) Jeanine Watkins (Willow Grove, Pa.) Melanie Edwards (Bensalem, Pa.) Adam Buss (Breinigsville, Pa.) Jordan Schnur (Kutztown, Pa.) Meghan Augunas (Springfield, Pa.) Caleb Finn (Reading, Pa.), Winner KUCD Interactive Design Award Emily Rudolph (Scranton, Pa.) Emily Plitnick (Sugarloaf, Pa.) Theresa Quedenfeld (Willow Street, Pa.) Sommer Montenegro (Allentown, Pa.) Joe Losgar (East Stroudsburg, Pa.) Jess Paley (Abington, Pa.), Winner KUCD Graphic Design Award Jess Paley (Abington, Pa.) Sam Scheib (Millersburg, Pa.) Gabby Trate (Bernville, Pa.) Jordan Schnur (Kutztown, Pa.) Melanie Edwards (Bensalem, Pa.) Sommer Montenegro (Allentown, Pa.) Leah Greger (Lititz, Pa.) Alexandria Shope (Carlisle, Pa.), Winner Brenda Innocenti Champion Female Creative Talent and Leadership Award Alyse Ryan (Pottsville, Pa.), Winner