Harrisburg Area Community College

Over 100 Alvernia students presented their research at the Higher Education Council of Berks County (HECBC) Undergraduate Research and Creativity Conference, held Saturday, April 25, 2026, at Alvernia University's PLEX. Sponsored by the HECBC, the conference brings together five institutions of higher education in Berks County: Alvernia University, Albright College, Kutztown University, Penn State Berks, and Reading Area Community College. The 2026 theme, Minds in Motion: Research, Reflection, and Insight, highlights the importance of innovation and critical thinking across disciplines. "HECBC reflects what is best about higher education in Berks County, with students pursuing substantive research and creative work, faculty investing in student growth, and institutions working together to create opportunities," said Chair of John R. Post School of Engineering and Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Joseph Mahoney, Ph.D. "I am proud to have played a role in supporting a conference that gives undergraduate students a regional platform for their research, creativity, and scholarship." The annual conference provides undergraduate students with the opportunity to showcase their research and creative accomplishments while engaging with peers, faculty, and the community. It is open to students from all disciplines seeking to share their work and insights in a collaborative, professional environment. "The HECBC Conference was a great opportunity to share our research with others after working on it since August," said 5th-year occupational therapy major Karlee Smith. "We were able to present our topic, answer questions, and engage in scholarly discussions with people in attendance. It was also interesting hearing from fellow graduate students about their research topics." The conference allowed students to gain insights and form professional connections. By working alongside a faculty mentor, students used critical thinking skills, gathered data, and formed evidence-based conclusions to develop their research projects. "Being surrounded by so many driven individuals and engaging in scientific discussions across a wide range of age groups brought a deeper sense of meaning and community to my work," said senior biology major Owen Weiss. "Over the past 7 months, I have been working to uncover microorganisms that produce novel antibiotics against safe ESKAPE strains, with the goal of aiding in the fight against AMR (antimicrobial resistance). Thank you to Dr. Jamie Becker, Kevin Burns, and the Alvernia University lab staff for facilitating this project and their unwavering support throughout."

The Department of Psychology at Kutztown University hosted its annual Psi Chi Induction Ceremony Thursday, April 30, 2026. The ceremony honored 19 new members, who were inducted into Psi Chi, The International Honor Society in Psychology. Psi Chi is the International Honor Society for psychology majors, with chapters around the globe. University students majoring or minoring in psychology and with a minimum of 3.0 GPA are eligible to join Psi Chi. Since 1992, the KU Chapter of Psi Chi has held events and biweekly meetings for its members and other psychology students. Anyone is welcome to attend the meetings, where topics typically center around psychological research and graduate school. Psi Chi offers its new and ongoing members support programs for undergraduate, graduate, and faculty. Assistance with research projects and educational opportunities are available with membership. Members also receive valuable career resources and networking opportunities.

More than 140 Lebanon Valley College students representing academic departments across campus displayed their academic and creative work to an audience of faculty, peers, trustees, and administrators during the annual Inquiry Symposium.

The Kutztown University athletics department recognized 48 student-athletes Tuesday, April 14, as a part of a new class of the Pennsylvania Alpha Omega Chapter of Chi Alpha Sigma in the National College Athlete Honor Society. The luncheon recognized those student-athletes who excel in both the classroom and competition. Chi Alpha Sigma was founded in 1996 by then DePauw University head football coach Nick Mourouzis. His goal was to provide outstanding student-athletes with an opportunity to become connected within a fraternal association that aligns their educational and athletic successes for a lifetime. In order to be inducted into Chi Alpha Sigma, a student-athlete must attend a four-year accredited college or university that is a member of the NCAA, NAIA, USCAA or NCCAA. The honoree also must achieve at least junior academic standing by the fifth semester or seventh quarter, as determined by the certifying institution, and must have achieved a minimum cumulative grade-point average of a 3.4 (on a 4.0 scale).

Works by senior Art majors at McDaniel College are highlighted in two capstone exhibitions. "Senior Capstone Exhibition One" runs Tuesday, April 14-Friday, April 24, with an opening reception on Thursday, April 16, while "Senior Capstone Exhibition Two" runs Tuesday, April 28-Thursday, May 14, with a reception on Thursday, April 30.

The following students were named to the Dean's List for the fall 2025 semester at Grove City College.

La Salle University inducted 27 outstanding business students into Beta Gamma Sigma, the international honor society recognizing the top students at accredited business schools, on March 25, 2026. This prestigious honor is reserved for students who demonstrate excellence in academic achievement and leadership and who exemplify Beta Gamma Sigma's values of honor, wisdom, and earnestness. To be eligible for membership, the academic ranking of those being considered must place them in the top seven percent of the junior class, top 10 percent of the senior class, or top 20 percent of the graduating MBA class. Some students who earned recognition as an undergraduate received a second recognition as a graduate student. Beta Gamma Sigma is reserved for business programs accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), a distinction achieved by only about five percent of business schools worldwide. This year marks La Salle's 30th anniversary of Beta Gamma Sigma membership-a testament to the University's longstanding tradition of academic excellence.

Lebanon Valley College is excited to welcome new students to campus for the Fall 2026 semester.

On March 29, 23 students were inducted into McDaniel College's Delta of Maryland Chapter of the prestigious Phi Beta Kappa national honor society. Founded in 1776, the Phi Beta Kappa Society is the nation's oldest academic honor society.

The following students have been named to the Central Penn College Dean's List for the winter 2026 term.

The following students have been named to the Central Penn College Dean's List for the fall 2025 term.

Seven Lebanon Valley College student-athletes were named to the Middle Atlantic Conference Winter Sportsmanship Team.

Lebanon Valley College is pleased to announce that the following students have been accepted for admission at The Valley.

Thirty Lebanon Valley College winter student-athletes earned all-conference awards for their performances this season.

Nine Lebanon Valley College student-athletes received award recognition for their recent athletic performances.

Lebanon Valley College recognized more than 200 student-athletes who competed for Flying Dutchmen athletic teams this winter.

Southern New Hampshire University congratulates the following students on being named to the Honor Roll for the 2026 C-1 (Jan - Mar) term. Honor Roll is a term-specific achievement that recognizes learners who excel at SNHU. It was established in 2022 to help recognize academic excellence in our part-time and graduate learners. Eligibility for the SNHU Honor Roll requires full-time or part-time undergraduate, graduate, or coursework only online or campus students to earn an academic grade point average (GPA) of 3.5 or higher for an individual term. Please note: Full-time undergraduate students who receive the Honor Roll may also be eligible for the President's List or Dean's List. Honor Roll is awarded at the end of each term, while the President's List and Dean's List are recognized at the end of the 16-week campus terms or following paired 8-week terms for online students. While acknowledgment of the Honor Roll is an achievement, it is not a recognized university honor and has no bearing on eligibility for honor societies, Latin honors, or ceremonial honors at the time of conferral or during the Commencement ceremony, nor will it be noted on the student's academic transcript or diploma. Please see the university catalog for policies specific to Latin and ceremonial honors.

Nearly 400 undergraduate and graduate students participated in the Dec. 13 commencement exercises at Millersville University, where former Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Tim Mayza, a 2018 graduate, offered the address.

McDaniel College's annual student honors art exhibition features a variety of work from five senior Art majors. Titled "Fragments of Becoming," the exhibition runs Tuesday, March 3-Friday, March 20, in McDaniel's Esther Prangley Rice Gallery, Peterson Hall, at 2 College Hill, Westminster, Maryland. An opening reception takes place Thursday, March 5, 5:30-7:30 p.m., with a gallery talk at 6 p.m.

Lebanon Valley College is pleased to announce that the following students have been accepted for admission at The Valley.

Lebanon Valley College is excited to welcome new students to campus for the Fall 2026 semester.

Kutztown University field hockey set a new record with 10 Golden Bears earning National Field Hockey Coaches Association Division II Scholars of Distinction for 2025. The 10 members of KU include Marlee Fetrow (Birdsboro, Pa./Daniel Boone), Kiera Gallagher (Quakertown, Pa./Quakertown), Olivia Kirkpatrick (Annville, Pa./Palmyra), Emma Koehler (Lancaster, Pa./Penn Manor), Katie Lawless (Malvern, Pa./Great Valley), Lorelai Lehenky (Coatesville, Pa./Coatesville), Jordan Stroup (Millerstown, Pa./Greenwood), Jade Traynor (Pennsburg, Pa. Upper Perkiomen), Bella Thompson (Red Lion, Pa./Red Lion) and Taylor Vaccaro (Oley, Pa./Oley Valley). Fetrow, Gallagher, Lawless, Lehenky and Stroup all are multi-year scholars of distinction, all having been named last year as well. This NFHCA award program recognizes exceptional undergraduate student-athletes who have achieved a cumulative GPA of 3.9 or higher through the fall semester and were nominated by their NFHCA member coaches. The NFHCA recognized 144 outstanding undergraduate student-athletes overall as 2025 Division II Scholars of Distinction.

Kutztown University field hockey saw 20 members announced as National Field Hockey Coaches Association National Academic Squad members. The Division II National Academic Squad honors student-athletes who have achieved a cumulative grade-point average (GPA) of 3.5 or higher through the first semester of the 2025-26 academic year and who were nominated by their coaching staff. 440 student-athletes from 34 Division II institutions have been named to the 2025 NFHCA Division II National Academic Squad. The NFHCA Scholars of Distinction will be unveiled Friday, Feb. 13, followed by the NFHCA National Academic Team awards Tuesday, Feb. 17, and culminating with the announcement of the National Scholar-Athlete Thursday, Feb. 19.

Students were named to The University of Scranton Dean's List for the 2025 fall semester.

Congratulations to our talented Saint Francis University students named to the Fall 2025 President's List or Dean's Lists. To achieve either honor, students must have full-time status and attain a quality point average of 4.000 (President's) or 3.500 (Dean's) on 12 or more credits during a single semester, with no continuing or incomplete grades-except students in Independent Studies or Honors 444.

La Salle University congratulates the more than 700 traditional undergraduate students named to the fall 2025 Dean's List in recognition of academic excellence. Students who complete at least 12 credits and earn a semester grade point average of 3.5 or higher are placed on the Dean's List.

Pennsylvania Western University honored its fall 2025 graduates during simultaneous commencement ceremonies on December 13 across the California, Clarion and Edinboro campuses.

For a second straight year, students from Slippery Rock University who are preparing for careers in public relations were recognized by a Pittsburgh area professional association as the highest achieving students in the region. The Public Relations Student Society of America's SRU chapter, known as Rock PRSSA, was named the Public Relations Society of America Pittsburgh's 2026 PRSSA Chapter of the Year at the PRSA Pittsburgh Renaissance Awards on Jan. 29 in Pittsburgh. The rare back-to-back distinction for the chapter reflects its consistent performance and the applied, professional focus of SRU strategic communication and media program.

Wilson College is pleased to announce students named to the Full-Time Dean's List for the Fall 2025 semester. The Full-Time Dean's List contains the names of those students whose grade-point average for the work of the semester has been 3.5 or higher and who have completed at least 12 semester hours for the semester, at least nine of which received a letter grade. Wilson College congratulates these distinguished scholars on earning this academic achievement.

Alvernia University students, faculty, staff, and alumni came together on Monday to honor Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy through our annual Day of Service focused on community connection, creativity, and meaningful impact. Nearly 110 participants volunteered, engaging in hands-on service activities designed to support local organizations and address community needs. This year's project is part of a partnership with VOiCEup Berks and centers on the theme of Cultural Unity with a focus on Allyship. Students created individual artwork using canvas tiles and markers. Once finished, they photographed their pieces and uploaded them to a shared folder. These images will be used to assemble a larger digital mural to be displayed on Alvernia's campus. Participants were able to take their canvas tiles with them as a reminder of the day. "Service is a great opportunity to connect with your community and the different populations around you," said Jordan Thompson '26, a literature major. "Through Alvernia, I've had so many chances to get involved, like today's MLK Day of Service and working with local organizations, which really allows us to make a meaningful impact." Members of S.T.A.R., VOiCEup's youth leadership and service group, were also present. S.T.A.R. focuses on supporting youth-driven conversations and projects around racial equity in schools and the community. They guided students through the project, and one student leader offered brief remarks on allyship and student leadership. "Being able to blend my work at Alvernia with my role at VOiCEup Berks, empowering young changemakers to strengthen their communities, is what motivates me every day," said Katie Diamond Rothstein, program director for Generation Impact at VOiCEup Berks and an Alvernia adjunct faculty member. "I love working for and with Alvernia and I love working for and with VOiCEup Berks." The MLK Day of Service reflects Alvernia's commitment to experiential learning, civic engagement, and youth empowerment, encouraging students to translate classroom learning into action while making a difference in the community. "Service learning and service work are core values in my life," said Rothstein. "Our Franciscan tradition of showing up for one another is what life is all about. When given the opportunity, Alvernia students always step up to help, and that inspires me both inside and outside of the classroom."