Students honored for their achievements at annual Recognition Dinner

group of students pose in front of aquarium holding their award certificates

Award recipients at this year's Student Recognition Dinner pose for a photo with Associate Professor of Corporate Communication Kim Flanders in front of the Electric City Aquarium and Reptile Den after the ceremony with their award certificates.

Credit: Penn State

June 22, 2022

By Morgan Sewack

DUNMORE, Pa. — After two years of being held remotely due to COVID-19, Penn State Scranton’s annual Student Recognition Dinner was able to be held in person. To help make the event extra special, and a bit unique, event planners decided to go off campus, and hosted the event at The Electric City Aquarium and Reptile Den, located in The Marketplace at Steamtown in downtown Scranton.

Held each spring, the much-anticipated Student Recognition Dinner honors students and student clubs that excel in academics, leadership and service to the campus community. Typically held on campus, with this year’s change in venue, students, faculty and staff were able to tour the aquarium facility and interact with the fish and reptile exhibits in the beginning of the program while enjoying appetizers and hors d’oeuvres.

Director of Student Services and Engagement Matthew Nied then kicked off the formal, awards portion of the program, which also included guest remarks from Penn State Scranton alumnus and Director of Strategic Communications Amy Gruzesky.

This year’s awards and recipients are as follows:

Eric A. & Josephine S. Walker Award, which is given to the student who has most improved the reputation of the University through extracurricular activities: Emily Scarfo.

Patrick J. Rose Award for Excellence in Student Leadership and Service, which recognizes outstanding achievement by an undergraduate who has completed at least two semesters at Penn State Scranton: Maria Veniamin.

Greater Scranton Penn State Chapter “Pride of the Lions” Award recipient, which is presented annually to a student whose qualities of leadership, scholarship, citizenship, and character have positively influenced others: Lucy Adams.

Excellence Service to Students Staff and Faculty Award: Matthew Nied, director of student services and engagement, and Margret Hatch, associate professor in biology.

Lion Ambassador Awards: Emily Scarfo and Sarah Robinson

THON Dancers: Deyniel Desarden and Natalie Schield

Unsung Hero Awards: Matthew Howard, Carlos Salazar, Nicholas Sherman and Parkston Myers

Above and Beyond Awards: Kylie Lynch, Amanda Rzucidlo and Olivia Maikranz

Rising Star Awards: David Stoshick, Morgan Sewack, Molly Morgan, Francesca Orellana and Raymond Ondrako

Good Samaritan Awards: Ayushi Patel, Patricia Ryan, Pujan Patel, Rachel Veniamin and Vidhiben Patel

Student Faculty Fee Committee: Molly Morgan, Christabel Silitonga, Jakob Mangold and Abhiram Prodduturi

Peer Mentor Awards: Maria Veniamin, Dhruvi Patel, Morgan Sewack, Sarah Marble, Nikhita Gurukula, Brooke Kloss, Jessica Kehl, Udit Patel, Huiting Chen, Alexandria DeWolfe, Ashleigh Earyes, Kimberlyn "Kim" Sanchez, Jordan Coles, Isabella Muncie, Christabel Silitonga, Rachel Veniamin and Rylie Nealon

Peer Tutor Awards:

Level 3 – Completed at least 30 hours of training and 75 hours of tutoring: Taylor Burdick, Daniel Grant and Rachel Veniamin
Level 2 – Completed at least 20 hours of training and 50 hours of tutoring: Lucy Adams and Logan DeSanto
Level 1- Completed 10 hours minimum of tutor training and 25 hours of tutoring: Jared Griffin, Alex Hamilton, Megan Lucey, Aryan Patel, Kaylee Salony, Christabel Silitonga, Madison Tricarico and Grace Ursich

Club Awards:

Anime Club
BSU – Black Student Union
Business
CAB
Cheerleading
Engineering
HDFS – Human Development and Family Services
ISA – Indian Student Association
Intervarsity
IST – Information Sciences and Technology
Lion Ambassadors
LEG – League of Extraordinary Gamers
Lending a Helping Paw
LGBTQA+
Young Republicans
Music Club
Psychology
SAAC – Student Athlete Advisory Committee
SOL – Student Organization of Latinos
SNA – Student Nurses Association
Track and Field
Tennis
THON
Volleyball

Most Improved Award: Business Club

Outstanding Educational Program Award: SAAC, BSU, ISA, Engineering Club, S.O.L., and SGA for raising awareness and educating student body during Women’s History Month.

Best Fundraising Event: THON’s Purse Bingo event

Best THON Contribution: SGA’s “Dancing 4 Diamonds” THON Prom

Community Impact Award: Cheerleading Squad

Best Club Event: Indian Student Association’s Diwali event

Club Event of the Year: Student Services and CAB’s Jesse McCartney Concert

Excellence in Diversity: Parth Patel

Student Government Awards: