Pitt-Bradford Students Honored for Achievements at Convocation

BRADFORD, Pa. – More than 40 students at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford were recognized for their academic achievements and contributions to campus life at the university’s annual Honors Convocation held today.

Before the awards were given, Rick Nelson, associate professor of business management, gave the keynote address.

Fifteen students were named University Scholars, an honor given to juniors, seniors and students from the previous year’s graduating class who are or were in the top 2 percent of their class.

Those named University Scholars who were 2010 graduates were Jenelle M. Elmquist, a social studies 7-12 major from Sheffield; Kathy M. Long, an elementary education major from Kane; Ashley R. Neal, a sports medicine major from St. Marys; and Nicole J. Walter, an elementary education major from Gifford.

Those seniors named University Scholars were Joshua W. Flowers, a chemistry and chemistry education 7-12 major from New Columbia; Prashant Gabani, a biology and chemistry major from Bridgeville; Kathleen A. Plyler, a business management major from Titusville; Samila F. Sosic, an interdisciplinary arts major from Bradford; and Kaitlin M. Zapel, a human relations major from Bradford.

Juniors named University Scholars were Jeffrey Bosworth, a business management major from Bradford; Brenda Brandon, an elementary education major from Bradford; Elizabeth Dick, a psychology major from Latrobe; Sara A. Gligora, a sociology major from Milton; Laura L. Long, an athletic training major from Pittsfield; and Thomas Taylor, a business management major from Bradford.

Dr. Steven Hardin, vice president and dean of academic affairs, presented academic excellence awards to students with the highest academic performance in their classes: freshmen Marissa Sum Yin Poon, a business management major from Hong Kong, and Philip Graves, an engineering major from Cranberry Township; sophomores Jennifer L. Trippett, an interdisciplinary arts major from Lemont, and Paul M. Woods, a biology major from Port Allegany; junior Nicole M. Ewing, an accounting major from Kane; and graduating seniors Kathleen Plyler and Prashant Gabani.

Six seniors received Outstanding Achievement Awards, given by each academic division to the senior with the best academic performance: Janet McCauley Award for Behavioral and Social Sciences, Barbara S. Headley, a human relations major from Port Allegany; Biological and Health Sciences, Prashant Gabani and Ashley Neal; Communication and the Arts, Samila Sosic; Management and Education, Kathy Magnuson Long; and Physical and Computational Sciences, Joshua William Parslow, an applied mathematics and mathematics education 7-12 major from Westfield.

Other awards were presented to Heather Lynne Kelley, an accounting and business management major from Port Allegany, IMA Outstanding Accounting Student Award; Matthew Reiner, a computer information systems and technology major from Shinglehouse, David L. Blackmore Award for Business; Jessica Lynn Bogart, a business management and accounting major from North East, PICPA Excellence in Accounting Award; Sarah Brittany Dwyer, a business education K-12 and business management major from Warren, Education Student Award; Barbara S. Headley, Human Relations Award; Leslie K. Shallop, a nursing major from Bradford, ASN Student Nursing Award; Lindsey Renee Burkey, a nursing major from Clarendon, BSN Student Nursing Award; Michael J. Varone, an engineering science major from Lewis Run, Engineering Award; Michael J. Marcella, a biology major from Bradford, the American Chemical Society Award;

Andrew J. Braeger, an interdisciplinary arts major from Erie, Robert C. Laing Creative Arts Award in Art; Adriana Vaccaro, an interdisciplinary arts major from Bradford, Robert C. Laing Creative Arts Award in Music; Katherine G. Yeagle, a broadcast communications major from Newville, Robert C. Laing Creative Arts Award in Theater; Stewart B. Skeel, a writing major from Carlisle, Robert C. Laing Creative Arts Award in Writing; Mark J. Waidell, a broadcast communications major from Tamaqua, James D. Guelfi Award in Broadcast Communications; Alex W. Davis, a public relations major from Emporium, James D. Guelfi Award in Public Relations;

Lyndon C. Orinion, a computer information systems and technology major from Washington, D.C., the Student Life Award for Outstanding Leadership, Scholarship, Character and Service to the University; and Vogue A. Bernard, a human relations major from Shinglehouse, and Alisha M. Wisel, a sport and recreation management major from Lewisburg, the Student Affairs Special Recognition Award.