DUNMORE, Pa. — Each spring, Penn State Scranton honors staff, faculty and students who have enriched the academic fabric of the campus with special awards that recognize their accomplishments in select disciplines and/or student leadership and service. The awards are presented at a special dinner honoring the recipients.
The 2025 student awards and recipients are:
President Walker Awards: This award recognizes University students carrying a 4.0 grade point average for the first semester of their first year:
- Mia J. Angeloni
- Arik R. Deutsch
- Abigail R. Frey
- Ayla I. Healey
- Delilah P. Jones
- Shovan A. Luessi
- Odin M. Marrow
- Joshua R. Martin
- Courtney L. Nelson
- Brooklyn E. Weaver
- Alexa B. Williams
Evan Pugh Scholar Award: This award recognizes University juniors and seniors who are in the upper 0.5% of their respective classes and have completed at least 48 graded Penn State credits at the end of the fall semester of the academic year in which the award is given:
- Christian J. Dructor
- Michael C. DeWolfe
- Abigail A. Gaebel
- Elizabeth M. Morris
- Halle E. O’Neil
- Zamarra J. Vrabel
Outstanding Peer Tutor Award: This award recognizes student peer tutors committed to providing extraordinary service to students and the campus community in support of student success:
- Darla Lattimer
Outstanding Research Scholar Award: This award recognizes a student who has demonstrated excellence in scholarly research.
- Halle E. O’Neil
Outstanding Creative Accomplishment Scholar Award: This award recognizes a student who has demonstrated excellence in creative accomplishments.
- Rowan Mulligan
Michael and Stephanie Evans Nursing Grant: This award is presented to nursing students who have a GPA of 3.0 or higher have a demonstrated financial need. These funds are directed to costs associated with the Assessment Technology Institute (ATI) testing requirement for nursing students.
- Katie Zabrowski
Morgan and Ann Marie Evans Award in Nursing: This award is presented to a nursing student who has completed between 70 and 100 credits, is enrolled for a minimum of six credits, has a GPA of 3.0 or higher, and has a proven financial need.
- Omi Desai
Richard and Lois Ostroski Family Award for Adult Learners: This award honors and recognizes outstanding achievement by an adult learner who has obtained the highest GPA upon completion of their first year.
- Sarah Mueller
Patrick J. and Mary Jane Sheridan Award for Excellence in Business: This award recognizes outstanding achievement by a student enrolled in the bachelor of science degree in business who obtains the highest GPA at the end of their junior year.
- Chloee Rumford
Tabatabaie Family Award for Math and Science: This award recognizes full-time undergraduate students at Penn State Scranton majoring in a math or science degree program who are at least in the second semester of their first year and have a minimum GPA of 3.2.
- Grant Lewis
Walter Weber Memorial Award in Theatre and Speech Communications: This award honors and recognizes an outstanding student with an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher who has excelled in theatre or speech communications courses at Penn State Scranton. It was established by friends and colleagues in memory of Walter Weber, who taught these disciplines at the campus.
- Courtney Nelson
Academic Excellence Awards: These awards recognize students who have demonstrated outstanding academic achievement in their individual disciplines and who were nominated by faculty members of the discipline.
- Art — Brook Weaver
- Biological Sciences — Isabella Colyer
- Business — David Stoshick
- Communication Arts & Sciences — Odin Marrow
- Corporate Communication — Emma Ann Bannon
- Creative Writing — Evan Bannon, Nicholas Lowe
- Engineering — Peter Macdonough
- English — Halle O’Neil
- History – Olivia DeVore
- Human Development & Family Studies — Francesca Orellana
- Information Sciences & Technology — Richard Warnken
- Integrative Science – Brandon Shotto
- Math — Philippe Teyssonniere De Gramont
- Mechanical Engineering – Alexis M. Colasurdo
- Music — Alexander Timothy Karp
- Nursing — Lauren Sharpe
- Project and Supply Chain Management – Christian Joseph Dructor
- Psychology — Rhiannon Depew
- Spanish – Bobby Resio
Honors Program Certificates: These certificates recognize student members of Penn State Scranton’s Honors Program, which was established to broaden and enrich the education of outstanding students at Penn State Scranton who participate in a wide range of academic, social and cultural activities.
First Year
- Peyton Cook
- Connor DelRosso
- Delilah Jones
- Odin Morrow
- Anthony Tunis
- Brook Weaver
Second Year
- Haily Serpico
- Nicholas Crowley-Spisiak
Third Year
- Halle O’Neil
Fourth Year
- Rhiannon Depew
- Olivia Osborne
- David Stoshick
Faculty and Staff Awards
Each year, Penn State Scranton honors and recognizes high-achieving faculty and staff for their outstanding teaching, scholarship and service to the University. These awards are a surprise recognition to the faculty and staff who receive them.
Advisory Board Award for Teaching: This award, established in 1988 by the campus’ Advisory Board, recognizes a faculty member who has demonstrated innovative and dedicated teaching techniques in their academic endeavors.
- Bella Provenzano, assistant professor of psychology
Award for Excellence in Administrative Services: This award recognizes campus administrators and/or managers for innovative and creative program development.
- Molly Abdalla, research and instruction librarian
Award for Excellence in Support Services: This award recognizes staff assistants/technical services employees for their contributions to the teaching-learning climate of the campus.
- John Krehel, maintenance and operations
David and Joyce Mack Tressler Fund for Professional Development: Penn State alumni David and Joyce Mack Tressler established this fund to enrich the campus by providing funds for professional development initiatives and opportunities for faculty, staff, administrators and technical services employees.
- Julie Cardillo, enrollment services specialist
Dr. Richard J. and Sally Matthews Award for Scholarly Activity: This award is given to a deserving faculty member in recognition of their scholarly and research activities. It was created in 1988 by Advisory Board Member Richard Matthews and his wife, Sally.
- Phuong Truc Pham, associate professor of chemistry
Excellence in Academic Advising Award: This award recognizes a full-time faculty or staff member who advises students.
- Raymond Petren, associate professor of human development and family studies
Excellence in Teaching and Service Award for Part-time Faculty: Awarded to a part-time faculty member who has positively influenced students by demonstrating innovative and dedicated teaching techniques in their academic endeavors and contributing to the well-being of students through service to the campus.
- Shannon Brown, adjunct lecturer in English
Gertrude Hawk Chocolates Service Award: This award honors a faculty or staff member whose contributions have benefited the day-to-day activities of the students.
- Nikki Paolicelli, interim assistant director of student services and engagement/coordinator of student activities, student engagement
K. Bruce Sherbine Penn State Proud Award: This award recognizes a member of the campus community who has positively influenced students and employees, contributing to the prestige and well-being of the campus.
- Nicholas Tomaskovic, enrollment services specialist
To view an album containing photos of this year’s awards for students, faculty and staff, visit the Penn State Scranton Flickr page.