Kutztown University

Smith inducted into honor society

William A. Smith, of Catasauqua, was initiated into the honor society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest and most selective all-discipline collegiate honor society, during a Feb. 22 ceremony. Smith was initiated at Kutztown University, among 53 other students.

Smith is among approximately 25,000 students, faculty, professional staff and alumni to be initiated into Phi Kappa Phi each year. Membership is by invitation only and requires nomination and approval by a chapter. Only the top 10 percent of seniors and 7.5 percent of juniors are eligible for membership. Graduate students in the top 10 percent of the number of candidates for graduate degrees may also qualify, as do faculty, professional staff and alumni who have achieved scholarly distinction.

Phi Kappa Phi was founded in 1897 under the leadership of undergraduate student Marcus L. Urann, who had a desire to create a different kind of honor society: one that recognized excellence in all academic disciplines. Today, the society has chapters on more than 325 campuses in the United States, its territories and the Philippines. Its mission is “to recognize and promote academic excellence in all fields of higher education and to engage the community of scholars in service to others.”

Since its founding, more than 1.5 million members have been initiated into Phi Kappa Phi. Some of the organization’s notable members include former President Jimmy Carter, NASA astronaut Wendy Lawrence, novelist John Grisham and YouTube co-founder Chad Hurley. Each year, Phi Kappa Phi awards more than $1 million to outstanding students and members through graduate and dissertation fellowships, undergraduate study abroad grants, funding for post-baccalaureate development and grants for local, national and international literacy initiatives.

Founded in 1866, Kutztown University of Pennsylvania is a proud member of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education located on 289 acres nestled in the beautiful East Penn Valley in Berks County. As the region’s center for excellence in academics, culture and public engagement, KU’s programs and reputation for quality offer students the opportunity to discover lifelong avenues of learning and discovery. KU students select from more than 130 areas of study within four colleges in a diverse liberal arts academic environment. To complement their studies, KU’s NCAA Division II athletics program with 22 varsity sports joins the more than 160 student clubs and organizations providing students with a variety of activities for learning and discovery.

Rochester Institute of Technology

Dean’s list is announced

The following residents made the dean’s list at Rochester Institute of Technology for the fall 2021 semester. Full-time degree-seeking undergraduate students are eligible for dean’s list if their term grade-point average is greater than or equal to 3.4; they do not have any grades of incomplete, D or F; and they have registered for, and completed, at least 12 credit hours.

Bath: Michael Pagliaro, computer science program; David Blake, civil engineering technology program

Coplay: Sonya Shivok, civil engineering technology program

Northampton: Andrew Cochrane, motion picture science program; Lena Kugelman, chemical engineering program

RIT is home to leading creators, entrepreneurs, innovators and researchers. Founded in 1829, RIT enrolls about 18,600 students in more than 200 career-oriented and professional programs, making it among the largest private universities in the U.S. The university is internationally recognized and ranked for academic leadership in business, computing, engineering, imaging science, liberal arts, sustainability and fine and applied arts.

RIT also offers unparalleled support services for deaf and hard-of-hearing students. The cooperative education program is one of the oldest and largest in the nation. Global partnerships include campuses in China, Croatia, Dubai and Kosovo.

Bloomsburg University

Students graduate

Bloomsburg University held fall 2021 commencement ceremonies at the Haas Center for the Arts, Mitrani Hall, on campus, Dec. 10 and 11, 2021.

Overall, 461 students (85 graduate students and 376 undergraduate students) earned their degrees from the school of graduate studies, Zeigler College of Business, college of education, college of liberal arts and college of science and technology.

Bath: Nicholas Lessig, criminal justice; Kayla Marsh, Bachelor of Applied Science in technical leadership, cum laude; Thomas Smith, business administration-information technology and analytics

Catasauqua: Brianna Figueroa, art studio; Kristel Hernandez, Bachelor of Applied Science in technical leadership, magna cum laude

Coplay: Jared Strauss, communication studies

Walnutport: Paul Penner, electronics engineering technology

Whitehall: Diana Fleming, Bachelor of Applied Science in technical leadership, summa cum laude; Brianna Peacock, health sciences; Michelle Silva, Master of Science in Nursing-nursing

Bloomsburg University is one of 14 universities in Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education. The university serves approximately 7,600 students, offering comprehensive programs of study in five distinct colleges: college of education, Zeigler College of Business, college of liberal arts, college of science and technology and new honors college.

Drexel University

Hafner earns dean’s list

Macy Hafner, of Walnutport, earned dean’s list for the fall 2021 semester at Drexel University.

Drexel is a comprehensive global research university with a unique model of experiential learning that combines academic rigor with one of the nation’s premier cooperative education programs.

The university is one of Philadelphia’s Top 10 private employers and a major engine for economic development in the region. Drexel has committed to being the nation’s most civically engaged university, with community partnerships integrated into every aspect of service and academics.