Carlow University Honors Convocation 2025

Location and Time

Rosemary Heyl Theatre Antonian Hall
Friday, May 9, 2025 | 3:00 p.m.

Faculty Procession

Master of Ceremonies

Aimee Zellers, PhD
Interim Associate Provost and Associate Professor of Philosophy

Invocation

Michael J. Sherrill, MDiv, PhD
Director of Campus Ministry

Welcome

Kathy W. Humphrey, PhD
President of Carlow University

Keynote Address

Susan Rubisch-Gisler, PhD
Associate Professor of Business Management
2024 Recipient of the Sisters of Mercy Award for Excellence in Advising

Investiture of Faculty Emeritus

Emeritus status is an honor conferred by the university to show respect for a distinguished career. It says that having shown such merit, we will always recognize them as members of the Carlow Community. To be awarded emeritus status, a faculty member must be an Associate Professor or Professor, having served ten or more years at full-time status, and demonstrated their commitment to Carlow University’s mission and values

James Carmine, PhD
Associate Professor of Philosophy

Presentation of Awards

Kathy W. Humphrey, PhD
President of Carlow University

Matthew Gordley, PhD
Interim Provost, Dean and Professor, the College of Arts and Sciences

Rhonda Maneval, D.Ed., RN, ANEF, FAAN
Interim Provost, Dean and Professor, the College of Health and Wellness

Aimee Zellers, PhD
Interim Associate Provost
Associate Professor of Philosophy

College of Arts and Sciences

Department of Education and Liberal Studies

ART

The Artie Award for Excellence in the Visual Arts
Raelynn Hunter, Colleen King, Mandy Ruffing

The Critical Point Award in Art
Nour Chebli

COMMUNICATION

Communication Award for Perseverance
Denise Barnes

ENGLISH

Mother Catherine McAuley Award for Excellence in English
Keegan Flanagan

English Program Award for Excellence in Creative Writing
Maura Thomas-Wright

Marilyn P. Donnelly Award in Poetry
Maura Thomas-Wright

Jane Candia Coleman Award in Fiction
Grace Fritsch, Maura Thomas-Wright

Ellie Wymard Award in
Creative Nonfiction
Grace Fritsch

The Critical Point Award in
Creative Writing
Keegan Flanagan

The Critical Point Award
in Critical Writing
Claire Stevens

WOMEN’S & GENDER STUDIES

Award for Excellence in Women’s & Gender Studies
Lee Butler

DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES

Mendelian Award for Excellence in Biology
Sara K. Bushmen, Sydney L. Carr, Abigail G. Crawford, Leia M. Day, Kayla M. DeChicchis, Ava M. DeLeonibus, Jillian V. Durst, Michaela D. Generelli, Gillian D. Guzzo, Joshua D. Hagmaier, Sage L. Harger, Emiley M. Hillgartner, Ian D. McGuinness, Sophia M. Mead, Erin E. Mykich, Nathan J. O’Savage, Karlie A. Pavlic, Macy E. Pellegrini, Ava G. Rabin, Lamar I. Robinson, Emma C. Sekscinski, Sophia G. Simanski, Abigail L. Starr, Jensen R. Stolitza, Selia M. Werth

William A. Uricchio Award for Service to the Department of Biological Sciences
Hunter D. Kossar

DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS MANAGEMENT, ACCOUNTING & ETHICS

ACCOUNTING

Business Management, Accounting, and Ethics Academic
Excellence in Accounting Award
Anthony J. Nguyen

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

Business Management, Accounting, and Ethics Academic Excellence in Business Management Award
Lyndsey Shea Szekely

HEALTHCARE MANAGEMENT

Business Management, Accounting, and Ethics Academic Excellence in Healthcare Management Award
Lyndsey Shea Szekely

HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Business Management, Accounting, and Ethics Academic Excellence in Human Resource Management Award
Shaelyn P. Clark, Lyndsey Shea Szekely

Business Management, Accounting, and Ethics Sister Jane Scully Meritorious Academic Achievement Award
Lyndsey Shea Szekely

Business Management, Accounting, and Ethics Dr. Emerson Neil Milligram Exemplary Leadership Award
Juliette R. Rainey

DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTATIONAL AND CHEMICAL SCIENCES

COMPUTER SCIENCE

Sister M. Michael Rowland Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Computer Science
Susannah Davenport

CHEMISTRY

Dr. Cornelius W. and Jane A. Kreke Family Fund for Scholarship and Service to the Chemistry Program of Carlow University.
Talitha C. Brobst

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Leadership in Education Award
Sarah J. Durish, Sarah E. Fuller

Outstanding Service Award
Deanna N. Lucas

The Janet Simon, PhD ‘67, Woman of Spirit Scholarship Award
Madison P. Konieczki

Mother Irenaeus Dougherty Excellence in Teaching Award
Alexandra M. Piskopus, Holly L. Troesch

DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY, COUNSELING & CRIMINOLOGY

CRIMINOLOGY

Outstanding Student Award in Criminology
Senea Clemons

DOCTORATE IN COUNSELING PSYCHOLOGY

Doctoral Student of the Year
Barbara Annunziato

MASTER OF ARTS IN PSYCHOLOGY

Emerging Leader in Psychology Award
Katherine Naugle

PROFESSIONAL COUNSELING PROGRAM

Dr. Robert A. Reed Award for Counseling Excellence
Melissa Gentilcore

Dr. Travis W. Schermer Award for Counseling Advocacy
Rosslin Watson

Inspirational Change Agent: Professional Counseling Student of the Year Award
Maha Alahmad

UNDERGRADUATE PSYCHOLOGY

Emerging Scholar Award for Academic Excellence in Psychology
Rachel Levandowski, Jenna Marciniak, Cherie Thomas, Breanna Voelzke

Sister Rita Flaherty Award for Excellence in Psychology
Hannah Creely, Anna Leonard

Psychology Outreach Award
Kaiona McGowan

Psychology Research Award
Hannah Creely

DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL WORK

BACHELOR OF SOCIAL WORK PROGRAM

BSW Award for Academic Excellence
Kaitlyn Finnegan

BSW Award for Field Excellence
Kaitlyn Finnegan

College of Health and Wellness

School of Allied Health

DEPARTMENT OF SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY

Academic Excellence in Speech-Language Pathology Award
Marissa N. Avadanian

Clinical Excellence in Speech-Language Pathology Award
Sydney Delposen

Leadership in Speech-Language Pathology Award
Jordan N. Henderson

Outstanding Team Collaborator in Speech-Language Pathology Award
Marissa N. Avadanian

School of Nursing

GRADUATE NURSING

DOCTOR OF NURSING PRACTICE

Anne DeNardo McGowan DNP Leadership Award
Rebecca Syx

Rose Curran Leadership Award Family Nurse Practitioner
Mikayla Panchal

IMPACT Award for Commitment to Caring for the Community
Sarah Finney

Ann Kisak Award for Compassionate Excellence in Nursing Practice
Derick Nowacki

WOMEN’S HEALTH NURSE PRACTITIONER PROGRAM

Rose Curran Leadership Award
Megan Komar

UNDERGRADUATE NURSING

TRADITIONAL BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN NURSING

Caritas Christi Award for Academic Excellence in Clinical Performance (BSN)
Ireland Killen

Georgia Morello Decker Future Nurse Educator Scholarship Award
Marlena Battista, Lillian Hope, Megan Kellerman, Ireland Killen, Kayla Moran, Victoria Ress, Madyson Scott

The Leadership in Nursing Award for Excellence in Leadership and Service to the Community (BSN)
Abigail Altieri

LEADERSHIP IN NURSING

The School of Nursing Highest Academic Achievement Award (BSN)
Kaleigh Flavin

UNDERGRADUATE NURSING AT ST. VINCENT COLLEGE AWARDS

Highest Academic Achievement
Emily Thompson

Caritas Christi
Hope MacUmber

Leadership in Nursing
Morgan Penrose

UNDERGRADUATE RN TO BSN PROGRAM

The Caritas Christi Award for Excellence in Academic Achievement
Nazila Kimberley

The Anne Marie Emanuel Award for Educational Goals within their Community
Chad Hirosky

The Sister M. Loyola Daugherty Award for Excellence in the Discipline
of Professional Nursing
Jessica Harkins, Jerod Spyra

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH

RESPIRATORY THERAPY

Academic Excellence in Respiratory Care
Nathaniel Salego

Clinical Excellence in Respiratory Care
Samantha Dolnack

Service Excellence in Respiratory Care
Karley Dunhoff

SURGICAL TECHNOLOGY

Surgical Technology Program Academic Excellence Award
Lydia Garcia

Surgical Technology Program Clinical Excellence Award
Nadia Allen, Philip Vizza

College of Scholar’s Day Awards

UNDERGRADUATE SCHOLARS

Best Poster Award
Jehnna Szelc and Dr. Frank Ammer, “A Study on the Prevalence of Atopic Dermatitis in Domestic Dogs and Cats Within Western Pennsylvania”

Best Presentation Award
Morgan Trimbur, “The Impact of Non-Supine Versus Supine Positioning on Laboring Women: A Comparative Analysis of Labor Duration, Cesarean Rates, Maternal Comfort, Neonatal Presentation, and Birth Outcomes”

GRADUATE SCHOLARS

Best Poster Award
Hannah Creely and Dr. Jennifer Roth, “Sound Tracking and Localization in Blind Athletics”

Best Presentation Award

Katherine Fenster, Ashley Dupre, and Hannah Marze, “Empowering Choices: Enhancing Nutrition Label Confidence Through Education in Medically Underserved Communities”

Carissa Snedden, Adam Majsak, Lisa McDonaldson, and Theresa Ozeck, “Optimizing Hospital Costs: Data Entry Outsourcing”

Adjunct Faculty Excellence in Teaching Awards

COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES

EXCELLENCE IN UNDERGRADUATE TEACHING AWARD

Biological Sciences
Leigh Buckley, MS

Business Management, Accounting and Ethics
Nicholas R. DeWitt, MA

Education
Theresa Kowcheck, M.A.Ed.

Education
Susan Polojac, M.Ed.

Psychology, Counseling and Criminology: Criminology
Dennis Marsili, M.A.

Social Work, Sociology
Jennifer R. Kush, Ph.D

EXCELLENCE IN GRADUATE TEACHING AWARD

Business Management, Accounting and Ethics, Business Administration (MBA)
Jason Krall, MBA

Education
Kelly A. Noyes, Ed.D.

Psychology, Counseling and Criminology: Master of Science in Fraud & Forensics
Dr. Robert M. Elias, CPA

Psychology, Counseling and Criminology: Master of Arts in Psychology
Donald Laird, M.S., NCC, LPC

COLLEGE OF HEALTH AND WELLNESS

EXCELLENCE IN UNDERGRADUATE TEACHING AWARD

Public Health, Respiratory Therapy
Kira Berquist, MBA, RRT, RRT-ACCS

Undergraduate Nursing (BSN)
Jacquelyn Borkovich, MSN,RN

Undergraduate Nursing (PN)
Juliana A. Kundrat, MSN, RN, CEN, EMT

BSN at Saint Vincent College
Madison Short, BSN

EXCELLENCE IN GRADUATE TEACHING AWARD

Speech-Language Pathology
Amy H. Bernett, M.S., CCC-SLP

Graduate Nursing
Brandee Tenney, CRNP., NP-C

Faculty Promotion and Tenure for 2025-2026

PROFESSOR WITH TENURE

Dr. Kunal Bhanot, PT, PhD, FAAOMPT
Physical Therapy

Dr. Jacqueline L. Gartner-Schmidt, PhD, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathology

Dr. Pat Jameson, PhD, NBCCH
Psychology, Counseling & Criminology

Dr. Navpreet Kaur, PT, PhD, DPT, Dip ACLM,
Physical Therapy

Dr. Aimee Zellers, PhD
Interim Associate Provost

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR WITH TENURE

Dr. Amy Bowman-McElhone, PhD
Art, Communication & English

Professor Sarah Shotland, MFA
Art, Communication & English

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR

Dr. Jessica Huber, PhD, MSN, RN, CCRN, CPN,
Undergraduate Nursing

Dorothy Weber Cochran ’43 Award for Excellence in Faculty Scholarship and Research

Dr. Beth A. Zamboni, PhD
Professor of Mathematics

The Sisters of Mercy Award for Excellence in Advising

Dr. Fawn T. Robinson, NCC, ACS, LPC
Associate Professor & Director, Professional Counseling Programs

The Max and Esther Sestili Award for Excellence in Teaching

Instructor of Chemistry
Dr. Allison DeLuca, PhD

Mercy in Action Staff Award

Dr. Susan Dawkins, PhD
Director of The Community
Scholars Program

Janet Guidas
Manager, Annual Giving

Joseph G. Smith Award for Academic Achievement and Distinguished Service

Isabelle L. Finnegan

Award for Graduate Student Excellence

Maha K. Alahmad

Recession of Faculty

Please join us for refreshments on the second floor of the University Commons.

Honors Program Scholars 2025

Honors Scholars graduate with a cumulative GPA of 3.6 or higher, having completed all the requirements of the Carlow University Honors Program.

Abigail Crawford
Leia Day
Isabelle Finnegan
Ava Grew
Kathryn Iwaniuk

Shannon Meehan
Heidi Nientimp
Ava Rabin
Paige Ramsey
Skylyn Raypush

Jensen Stolitza
Maura Thomas-Wright
Selia Werth

CHAPTERS OF HONOR AND SERVICE SOCIETIES

Beta Beta Beta, Lambda Tau Chapter, Biological Sciences
Chi Sigma Iota, Chi Epsilon Mu Chapter, Counseling Academic & Professional Honor Society International
Kappa Delta Pi, International Honor Society in Education.
Lambda Beta Society, National Honor Society for Respiratory Care
Nu Rho Psi, Neuroscience Honor Society
Psi Chi International Honor Society, Psychology
Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing
Sigma Tau Delta, Alpha Nu Theta Chapter, National English Honor Society
The Carlow University Student Affiliates of the American Chemical Society