Kutztown University of Pennsylvania

Kristie Thudium has been presented the Silver Chambliss Student Academic Achievement Award. The award is one of the most prestigious honors given at Kutztown University.

Brooke Ann Coco has been presented the Gold Chambliss Academic Achievement Award. The award is one of the most prestigious honors given at Kutztown University.

Troy Spier is the recipient of the annual Gold Chambliss Academic Achievement Award. The award is one of the most prestigious honors given by Kutztown University. The Academic Achievement Award was established through a donation provided by Chambliss, KU faculty member from 1970-2003. The purpose of the awards is to recognize the exceptional individual achievements of a select group of KU graduating seniors.

Margariete Malenda, a sophomore geology major at Kutztown University, was awarded a $1500 Carole and Ray Neag Undergraduate Research Grant to travel to the Dabaoshan mine in China and study how minerals are layered throughout the rock.

The Kutztown University Office of Conference Services has announced their 2014 summer staff. Conference Services will host approximately 60 events with more than 12,000 attendees on campus during the summer months.

Ten members of Kutztown University's chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) fraternity traveled to New Orleans, La., March 15-22 as volunteers for the Saint Bernard Project. Brothers spent their spring break continuing Hurricane Katrina cleanup nearly a decade later. They were assigned to work on the exterior of homes in the lower 9th ward where they replaced rotting wood, sanded, primed and painted the homes.

Kutztown University has confirmed the graduation of 56 master degree candidates. Commencement exercises were held Dec. 14; however, students had until the end of the winter session in January to complete all graduation requirements.

Kutztown University graduate student Tara Elliot, who is studying mental health counseling in the Department of Counseling and Student Affairs, presented research on the use of therapeutic yoga in treating survivors of domestic violence at the 2014 annual meeting of the Eastern Psychological Association (EPA), held March 13 - 16.

Ziad Haddad won the NCAA Division II National Heavyweight Wrestling Championship at the Cleveland Public Auditorium on March 15, 2014.

Kutztown University Radio (KUR) took home the gold at the 74th annual International Intercollegiate Broadcasting System (IBS) Radio Awards on Saturday, March 8, 2014 in New York City. KUR received "Best Use of Social Media" for their innovative use of social media, which include between five and ten daily posts, such as news alerts (local weather, accidents, closures, stories, etc.), promotional updates on radio programming and reporting on timely and informative topics.

Kutztown University presented its annual Social Work Diversity Prize to one graduate students and two undergraduate students on March 15 during the Social Work Community Forum. Presented by State Senator Judy Schwank and Ron Simon, executive director of the Pa. Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers, the awards were given to Shanon Saddington, graduate student, and Samantha Brannen and Erin Bower, undergraduate students.

The Kutztown University chapter of the National Broadcasting System was named Model Chapter of the Year for excellence in service and their high level of achievement and activity. KU also brought home the Grand Prize in the Video Promotion category for their 2013 Kutztown University Football promo.

Kutztown University has confirmed the graduation of 441 students. Commencement exercises were held Dec. 14; however, students had until the end of the winter session in January to complete all graduation requirements.

Thirty-five Kutztown University students will participate in community service next week as part of an Alternative Spring Break. Students will spend their week doing service projects in five communities on the east coast. Students will assist with construction of homes for Habitat for Humanity in Maryville, Va., New Bern, N.C., Marion, S.C., and Morgantown, W.Va. Students will also assist with environmental cleanup projects at Virginia State Park, Cape Charles, Va.

The Alpha Epsilon Chapter of Alpha Kappa Delta Honor Society at Kutztown University inducted 17 new members on March 4, 2014. Founded in 1967, Alpha Kappa Delta seeks to acknowledge and promote excellence in the scholarship in the study of sociology, the research of social problems, and such other social and intellectual activities as will lead to improvement in the human condition. Students must have an overall GPA of 3.3 and a 3.0 in sociology to qualify for membership.

The Kutztown University Marching Unit has announced its 2014 student leadership team.

Kutztown University recognizes four students for assisting a community member in a time of need. These students drove a woman to her home after she had been stranded at a local bus station for more than 15 hours. Read the entire story at http://readingeagle.com/news/article/kutztown-university-students-offer-lesson-in-compassion

Nicholas Evans, junior computer science/software development major at Kutztown University, was awarded a $1500 Carole and Ray Neag Undergraduate Research Grant to develop a server architecture for large format local multiplayer gaming.

Kutztown University graduate student Amanda Funk, of Reading, Pa., is the winner of the Scholars for the Dream travel award, which provides funding toward presenting at this year's National Council of Teachers for English (NCTE) Conference on College Composition and Communication (CCCC) and a one-year membership to NCTE.

The Kutztown University Dance Team has been selected to participate in the 2014 Philadelphia St. Patrick's Day Parade on Sunday, March 16. The parade begins at noon at the intersection of JFK Blvd. and 16th St.

The Kutztown University Dance Team will perform at the Philadelphia 76ers game versus the Sacramento Kings on March 12 at the Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia. The team's performance is scheduled to begin between 6:15-6:30 p.m. The Kutztown University Dance Team is a completely student-run organization. They perform for KU sporting events, charity and community events. In 2013 they opened and closed the Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade.

The Kutztown University Women's Center and the Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance will present a student production of Eve Ensler's "The Vagina Monologues" on Thursday, Feb. 20 and Friday, Feb. 21 in room 218 of the McFarland Student Union Building. All proceeds benefit Berks Women in Crises, Turning Point of Lehigh Valley and the 2014 V-Day International Spotlight: One Billion Rising for Justice.

Kutztown University has announced the 2014 Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society inductees. The induction ceremony will take place Thursday, Feb. 13 at 7 p.m. in the McFarland Student Union's Alumni Auditorium.

Secondary Education Physics majors Andrew Marth and Robert Adams presented at the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) National Winter Meeting in Orlando,Fla., Jan. 4-7. They presented reading and writing strategies that can be used to meet common core standards in an inquiry based physics classroom. The AAPT is the premier national organization and authority on physics and physical science education --with more than 10,000 members worldwide.

Kutztown University students, faculty and staff worked in volunteer service to honor Dr. Martin Luther King's legacy on Jan. 20, 2014. Volunteers worked throughout Berks County and were joined by thousands of volunteers across the country for a national day of service.

Fatimah Freeman of Philadelphia has been awarded an internship with the state Department of Health as part of a 15-week internship sponsored by the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE). Freeman is a senior public administration major and social work and political science minor at Kutztown University. She is one of 14 students participating in The Harrisburg Internship Semester (THIS) program.

Kutztown University Cheerleading was once again named one of the top ten programs in the nation after their performance at the Universal Cheerleading Association College National Championships on January 18, 2014.

More than 1,600 students have been named to the Fall 2013 Dean's List at Kutztown University. To be eligible for Dean's List, an undergraduate student must be registered for at least 12 credits and have a minimum grade point average of 3.60.

Redshirt junior Ziad Haddad has been named the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Wrestler of the Week. Haddad, the top-ranked heavyweight in Division II, went 4-0 and helped Kutztown to a sixth place finish at the NWCA National Duals.

Kutztown University Cheerleading will compete for the Universal Cheerleading Association College National Championship Jan. 17-19 at Walt Disney World, Orlando, Fla.