Kutztown University of Pennsylvania

Despite suffering a stroke less than one year ago, Jennifer Sommers fights back to graduate from Kutztown University.

The Kutztown University Global Brigades (GB) chapter is traveling to Panama in January to aid impoverished South American communities which lack access to medical care. The global brigades organization is the largest student-led international nonprofit. It serves to resolve global health and economic disparities by working with volunteers and the community to implement health, economic and education programs to meet a community's development goals.

KU sophomore Corey Bechtel has earned a spot in the prestigious Forrest Wood Cup Bass Tournament, August 20-23, 2015, on Lake Ouachita in Hot Springs, Ark. The tournament is the nation's premiere bass event featuring the top 45 pros and co-anglers in the nation. Bechtel qualified for the event with a 9th place finish last month in the Wheeler Lake Invitational, Wheeler Lake, Ala., where he caught a three day total weight of 15.08 pounds. He competes as a co-angler.

Katy Douillette '17 is a thrill-seeker--she loves the excitement of a call from the fire station in the middle of the night; the rush of speeding to the scene; the majesty of a wave of water falling over flames that lick the sky far above her head. But she's also a people person. Douillette has been volunteering with the Campbelltown Fire Company since age 14. Now that she attends Kutztown University (KU), she volunteers at the Kutztown Fire Company simultaneously.

The Kutztown University Department of Electronic Media won two Crystal Pillar Awards at the Mid Atlantic regional Emmys Sept. 20 in Philadelphia, Pa. KU received four nominations from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) for the Crystal Pillar, the award given to colleges and universities. There are eight college and university production categories. KU swept the Live Sports Production category and received two nominations in the Arts and Entertainment category.

Theresa Gassert '14 participated in the American Sociological Association's (ASA) Honors Program this August, at their 109th annual meeting in San Francisco. Gassert, who received her bachelor's degree in sociology from KU, presented research from her senior honors seminar at a roundtable session.

Deidgre Green of Philadelphia is working for the state Department of Revenue as part of a 15-week internship sponsored by the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education.

Alexa Korber of Bernville is working for the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission as part of a 15-week internship sponsored by the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education.

Kutztown University has confirmed the graduation of 1,293 students. Commencement exercises were held May 10; however, some students had additional time to complete graduation requirements.

Thirty-two Kutztown University upperclassmen are spending their summer making sure incoming freshman get a solid start to their education. Connections, the freshman orientation program at KU, is in full swing for the month of June.

The Kutztown University Model United Nations Club traveled to Milan, Italy on May 19 to represent Kutztown University at the Milan International Model United Nations Conference at Bocconi University. Kutztown University's delegation was among the most highly awarded at the conference.

Senior Michael Lawrenson and junior Niku Kruger have been named to the 2014 USA Rugby AIG Collegiate All-American (MCAA) squad. Lawrenson comes to KU via Durban, South Africa, and Kruger is a product of Pretoria, South Africa. This is Lawrenson's second year on the squad.

Kutztown University has released the names of the 2014 Spring Semester Dean's List. The list includes 1,759 students. 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.

The Kutztown University women's rugby club will participate in the Collegiate Rugby Championship Invitational for sevens May 30-31. Friday's pool play will be held on the campus of Neumann College in Aston, Pa., with the championship slated for PPL Park in Chester. Kutztown is the only Division II program in the eight-team women's field.

The Kutztown University men's rugby team will head back to the Collegiate Rugby Championships May 30-June 1 at PPL Park, Chester, Pa. The event will be broadcast on NBC Sports and the NBC Sports Network. The team will open the tournament on Friday, May 30 with an 8 p.m. game versus Notre Dame. This game is not open to the public. On Saturday, May 31, the Golden Bears take on perennial powerhouse Dartmouth at 4:36 p.m. and then St. Joseph's University at 7:32 p.m.

Thirty-two junior and seniors completed the Career Success Certificate program during the 2013-14 academic year. This certificate program, open to all juniors and seniors, helps students gain a greater understanding of themselves, employer expectations, effective job search strategies, interview skills, and the role of social media in the hiring process. These students are equipped for their professional job search and are ready to advance on their ladder to success.

Ten freshman and sophomore students completed the Career Exploration Certificate program during the 2013-14 academic year. This certificate program, open to all freshmen and sophomores, helps students gain a greater understanding of themselves and the career development process and become better prepared to choose/confirm a major, research careers, gain related experience through informational interviewing and job shadowing, and plan for a successful internship search.

KU students, Kelly Morgano of Nazareth, Pa. and Kendra O'Donnell of Breinigsville, Pa. have been selected for a chance to partake in the annual PASSHE Women's Consortium 26th Annual Undergraduate Women's Leadership Institute.

Seven students have been inducted into the Lambda Pi Eta National Honor Society for Communication Studies. Lambda Pi Eta (LPH) is the National Communication Association's official honor society at four-year colleges and universities. As an accredited member of the Association of College Honor Societies (ACHS), Lambda Pi Eta has active chapters at four-year colleges and universities worldwide. Students must maintain a communication studies grade point average of 3.25.

Kutztown University students Anna Tellis and Tiffany Jones were named student ambassadors for the Division on Visual Impairment for the National Council for Exceptional Children, at this year's conference for the Council for Exceptional Children.

Five Kutztown University students were inducted into Gamma Theta Upsilon Geographical Honor Society. Gamma Theta Upsilon was founded in 1928 and became a national organization in 1931. GTU chapter activities support geography knowledge and awareness. A student must have a 3.3 overall grade point average and a 3.3 grade point average in geography to qualify for membership.

Kutztown University announced six new Kappa Mu Epsilon National Honorary Mathematics Society. KME 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.

Kutztown University senior Brittaney Eshbach, a history major with minors in mathematics and political science, was nominated to receive the 2014 Syed R. Ali-Zaidi Award for Academic Excellence. Each of the 14 Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) universities nominates one student to receive the award, which was established by Syed R. Ali-Zaidi, a founding member of the PASSHE Board of Governors.

Kutztown University inducted 19 students in to the Sigma Delta Pi National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society. Sigma Delta Pi is the only honor society devoted exclusively to students of Spanish in four-year colleges and universities.

Kutztown University has inducted 41 graduate and undergraduate students in to the Phi Alpha National Honor Society for Social Work. Phi Alpha fosters high standards of education for social workers and invites into membership those who have attained excellence in scholarship and achievement in social work.

Kutztown University associate professor of psychology Avidan Milevsky and senior psychology major Kristie Thudium have coauthored the upcoming book, "The Transitory Nature of Parent, Sibling and Romantic Partner Relationships in Emerging Adulthood." The book, which focuses on how sibling, parent and romantic relationships shift and influence each other in emerging adulthood, will be available in June from Springer Publishing.

Kutztown University inducted 21 new members in to the Psi Chi Honor Society during the 2013-2014 school year. Psi Chi is the International Honor Society in Psychology, founded in 1929. Membership is open to undergraduate and graduate students who are majoring in psychology, and who meet the minimum qualifications.

Kutztown University student Shaniqua Wells has been awarded a $1,000 scholarship from Air Products to fund her internship at Friend, Inc. Community Services in Kutztown.

Kutztown University junior Chloe Swope has received the Danzer Fellowship to study abroad at Reutlingen University in Germany. The fellowship, which is funded through the Danzer Foundation, awards the recipient a $3,000 tuition scholarship, plus 50% of additional school costs, and 4,000 euros for room and board, books and other living expenses.

The Kutztown University Chapter of the Alpha Phi Sigma Honor Society has inducted twelve new members. Alpha Phi Sigma recognizes academic excellence of undergraduate and graduate students of Criminal Justice, as well as Juris Doctorate students.