McKeesport, PA. – On Wednesday night, Penn State Greater Allegheny held their 36th annual honors convocation ceremony inside the Wunderly Gymnasium honoring students for their academic success. Among the many honorees were ten PSUGA athletes receiving honors for their work both in the classroom and outside of the classroom.
The night began with a processional featuring PSUGA faculty and staff and the singing of the National Anthem by PSUGA Junior Katie Chuahong. The first honorees of the night were Women’s Basketball player Tina Clybourn (Pittsburgh, PA./Brashear HS) and Men’s Basketball player Koran Flemming (Wilkinsburg, PA./Westinghouse HS) who each received the Bruce A. Heyworth and Andrew J. Traina Athletics Memorial Award. The awards are offered to full-time undergraduate students who have achieved above average academic records, competed in an intercollegiate sport, and exhibit the qualities of good sportsmanship.
Up next were a trio of award winners for the JoAnn E. Burley Leadership Scholarship that recognizes campus students who demonstrate leadership qualities in the classroom and community. Men’s Basketball players James Fields (Parkville, MD./Loch Raven HS) and Jordan Jenkins (Pittsburgh, PA./University Prep) and Softball player Keira Williams (Penn Hills, PA./Penn Hills HS) received the award.
After the faculty/staff awards were handed out, the focus shifted to campus and Community scholarship awards. Volleyball player Alexa Kent (McKeesport, PA./McKeesport HS) received the G.C. Murphy Company Foundation Scholarship and teammate Carolina Mejia-Moya (Pittsburgh, PA./Allderdice HS) got the Dr. Edward Sichi Jr. Memorial Student Recognition Award. Holly George (Homer City, PA./Homer-Center HS) was next receiving the Honors Award receiving 1st Semester Honors Recognition.
The two bigges award winners of the night were Track & Field athlete Raeann Sleith (North Huntington, PA./Norwin HS) and Softball player Haley Snyder (Connelsville, PA./Connelsville HS). Both ladies were inducted into the Psi Chi Psychology Honors society to start the night. Sleith would then go on to win first place in the PSUGA Chancellor’s Visual Art award, which was established to promote the growth of active creative community in and around PSUGA.
Snyder wrapped up the night receiving the President Sparks Award (PSA). The PSA is awarded annually to undergraduate students who have earned a 4.0 GPA based on at least 36 graded Penn State credits completed by the end of the fall semester of the academic year when the award is given. Snyder was one of only three recipients of the award pacing the academic achievement of the PSUGA athletics department.
In total Men’s Basketball led the award winners with three, Volleyball and Softball each had two, and Women’s Basketball and Track had one award winner each. Honorees were recognized on stage in the gym and were invited to a light refreshment party after the ceremony.
PSUGA athletics congratulates all its award winners and looks to continue to provide the highest level of athletic and academic experiences for their players.