Students Recognized at 67th Honors and Awards Convocation

The 67th Honors and Awards Convocation was held Sunday, April 17, at Penn State Behrend.Penn State Behrend presented more than 100 awards to students and student organizations at the 67th annual Honors and Awards Convocation on April 17.

The event, held in the college’s McGarvey Commons, recognized students in a variety of disciplines. All four schools — the School of Engineering, the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, the Black School of Business and the School of Science — were represented. Student life and Penn State Behrend Honors Program awards were also distributed during the program.

“This is an important event for the college because it points out in great detail the many different types of activities in which our students are engaged and how well they do them,” said Ken Miller, senior director of campus planning and student affairs.  “Students don’t generally seek recognition for the activities they engage in nor do they generally receive it. The program celebrates their efforts, re-affirms their importance, and will hopefully inspire others to participate to the degree to which they are able.”

Included in the awards presentation were the Special Service Awards, which recognize students in the areas of character, scholarship, leadership and citizenship. The winners of those awards are as follows:

  • Outstanding First-Year Student Award: Deniz Himmetoglu, a first-year undecided major from Istanbul
  • Irvin H. Kochel Award: Stephanie Ruggiero, a senior elementary and early childhood education major from Coraopolis
  • Thomas H. Turnbull Award: Joshua Sitter, a senior marketing major from Erie, and Eric Frei, a senior finance major from Poulsbo, Washington
  • T. Reed Ferguson Award: Yuanheng “Arthur” Wang, a junior English major from Chengdu, China
  • Eric A. and Josephine S. Walker Award: Tyler Tracy, a secondary education in mathematics major from Beaver Falls
  • John W. Oswald Award: Taylor Troyan, a senior nursing major from East Butler