SCHUYLKILL HAVEN, Pa. — As the fall semester came to a close, Penn State Schuylkill faculty and staff gathered to recognize colleagues for their dedication, achievements and years of service during the campus’s annual awards and service honors celebration.
The event honored recipients of faculty awards for teaching, research, service and advising, along with staff members recognized for exceptional contributions to the campus community. This year also marked the introduction of two new staff awards presented by the Schuylkill Staff Advisory Council (STAC): the Schuylkill Excellence Award and the Schuylkill Rising Star Award.
Staff Awards
Outstanding Staff Award
Samantha Koch, administrative support assistant for Student Affairs, earned this year’s Outstanding Staff Award. The award is given annually to a full-time nonacademic employee who has provided exceptional service on behalf of the campus.
Colleagues praised Koch for her unwavering commitment to students and her willingness to take on additional responsibilities to address transportation, housing, food and social disparities. Nominators described her as the welcoming face of Student Affairs and noted her consistent support of students, staff and faculty across departments. In addition to maintaining the campus food pantry and overseeing the farmers market to improve student access to fresh food, Koch also supports Athletics and Student Affairs operations and offers lunchtime fitness classes for staff.
“Sam exemplifies kindness, professionalism and dedication,” one nomination read. “No matter how busy she is, she always takes the time to help.”
Schuylkill Excellence Award
Melinda Spolski, coordinator of counseling and student disability resources, earned the Schuylkill Excellence Award. This honor recognizes a staff member who motivates and inspires others, promotes belonging and inclusion, encourages growth, and demonstrates excellence in performance, collaboration and service.
Schuylkill Rising Star Award
Paige Waddell, student success specialist, was awarded the Schuylkill Rising Star Award. The award honors a staff member who has been employed at the campus for fewer than two years or has been recently promoted and has demonstrated initiative, commitment and a significant positive impact in their role.
Faculty Awards
Excellence in Research or Creative Accomplishments Award
Cathy Fiorillo, teaching professor of theatre and speech, earned the Excellence in Research or Creative Accomplishments Award. The award recognizes a sustained record of high-quality research or creative work.
Excellence in Service Award
Valerie Schrader, professor of communication arts and sciences, earned the Excellence in Service Award, in recognition of her exemplary service to the university and the broader community.
Excellence in Teaching Award
Jessica Saalfield, assistant professor of psychology, earned the Excellence in Teaching Award for honoring her commitment to outstanding teaching and student learning.
Excellence in Advising Award
Patrice Rimbey, assistant teaching professor of nursing, earned the Excellence in Advising Award for recognizing her dedication to student support and academic guidance.
Years of Service Awards
Also, during the ceremony, the campus community celebrated faculty and staff members who reached service milestone anniversaries in 2025:
35 years of service
- Mark Abel, assistant teaching professor of kinesiology and faculty athletic representative
- Mike Gallis, associate professor of physics
- Ping Wang, professor of mathematics and statistics
25 years of service
- Nicole Andel, teaching professor of english and humanities and program coordinator for letters, arts, and sciences
- Julie Meyer, instructional designer
- Mindy Spolski, coordinator of counseling and student disability resources
- Rosalie Yeager, administrative support assistant
15 years of service
- Catherine Cooper, administrative support assistant
- Alex Fidler, maintenance-utility
- Valerie Schrader, professor of communication arts and sciences
10 years of service
- Gianna Agnello-Porambo, director of admissions
- Lucas Redmond, associate professor of biology
- Don Somers, facilities supervisor and assistant director of business services
- Juyoung Song, associate professor of criminal justice and coordinator of student research and scholarship conference
- Deborah Spotts, administrative support assistant
- Bryan Valentine, chief student affairs officer and director of student affairs and athletics
- Travis William, assistant director of admissions
Five years of service
- D. J. Higgins, assistant teaching professor of film/video and music
- Timothy Moyer, police officer
- Jessica Saalfield, assistant professor of psychology
The annual celebration highlights Penn State Schuylkill’s commitment to recognizing the faculty and staff who contribute to student success, campus excellence and a strong, supportive community.