Alumni Society Presents Spring Awards
The College of Health and Human Development Alumni Society board of directors presented its annual awards for students, faculty, and staff during two ceremonies on March 30, 2007.
Edith Pitt Chace Award
Elizabeth “Beth” Hahn
Junior, Human Development and Family Studies
The Edith Pitt Chace Award is presented annually to a student who demonstrates outstanding scholarship and leadership in the College of Health and Human Development and at Penn State.
Elizabeth “Beth” Hahn is a Schreyer Honors Scholar who maintains a 3.75 grade-point average. A Human Development and Family Studies major, Beth is interested in gerontology and her senior thesis will explore gender differences in healthy aging related to topics such as social support and resource utilization for older men and women. She volunteers at the Village at Penn State and as a math tutor at State College Area High School. She also works with Dr. David Almeida in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies on his National Study of Daily Experiences (NSDE) research study.
Beth is a member of Kappa Omicron Nu and Phi Eta Sigma honor societies. She served as “OPPerations Captain” for THON 2007 and is a member of the Nittwits Penn State Basketball Fan Club. She is currently a member of the College of Health and Human Development Women’s Leadership Initiative.
Student Service Award
Shartaya Mollett
Senior, Human Development and Family Studies
The Student Service Award is presented to one student annually whose interests and actions enhance the College of Health and Human Development and its Alumni Society by promoting service to individuals, families, and communities and encouraging and fostering personal and professional development.
A senior Human Development and Family Studies major, Shartaya Mollett has made the most of her student experience both in and out of the classroom. She is actively involved in the Blue and White Society and the Student Awareness Committee of Multicultural Affairs and has previously been a member of the HHD Student Council. She currently works as both a student staff assistant in the Paul Robeson Cultural Center and a research assistant on Dr. Lori Francis’s Family Health Study in the Department of Biobehavioral Health. In addition, she was a member of the 2005-2006 class of the Women’s Leadership Initiative.
Shartaya has devoted much of her time at Penn State to helping others. She is a member of the advisory board for FastStart, a mentoring program for first-year students from African American, Latino, Hispanic, Asian, and Asian/Pacific American backgrounds. She currently serves as a residential assistant in a residence hall and has previously volunteered on a patient floor at Mount Nittany Medical Center.
Shartaya is a member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars. She is also a Ronald McNair Scholar, a Bunton-Waller Scholar, and a recipient of the HHD Alumni Society’s Life Promise Award. The respect that Shartaya has earned from her peers is best illustrated by the fact that she was named the 2006 Penn State Homecoming Queen.
After graduation, Shartaya will attend graduate school at the University of Pittsburgh.
Faculty Appreciation Award
Kay Salvino, president, HHD Alumni Society; and Resham Patel, Kinesiology student, present the Faculty Appreciation Award to Dr. Robert Ricketts
Dr. Robert Ricketts
Senior Lecturer, Department of Kinesiology
The Faculty Appreciation Award is presented to one individual annually who actively promotes relationships among students, faculty, staff and alumni above and beyond the demands of his/her job.
Robert Ricketts has worked in the Department of Kinesiology for thirty years and is deeply committed to the success of the department’s students and alumni.
Since its inception, Dr. Ricketts has coordinated the annual JumpStart retreat for first-year students in the College of Health and Human Development, shaping the crucial first days of these students’ Penn State experiences. Dr. Ricketts is known for telling his students to “Get Involved!” and to make the most of their student experiences. As adviser to the Kinesiology Club, Dr. Ricketts actively supports the club’s activities, including the Kinesiology Career Fair, alumni roundtable, and 5K Run.
Dr. Ricketts excels at building connections among kinesiology students and alumni. He frequently invites alumni to speak to his classes and has served as a facilitator at the College’s annual Mentoring Program workshops. He frequently assists students in obtaining internships with local organizations including the State College YMCA and the Second Mile. He is a former member of the board of directors of the HHD Alumni Society.
Staff Appreciation Award
Suzanne “Sami” Heim
Kitchen Manager, General Clinical Research Center
The Staff Appreciation Award is presented to one individual annually who actively promotes relationships among students, faculty, staff and alumni above and beyond the demands of his/her job.
Suzanne “Sami” Heim has worked as the kitchen manager at the General Clinical Research Center since 2001. In that capacity, she is involved in research studies that have a nutritional focus or component, assisting with menu development, recipe testing, food preparation, and staff scheduling. She also interacts with faculty, study coordinators, graduate and undergraduate students, and research participants.
Sami has been described as efficient and precise in her management of the kitchen. Those who nominated her for the award applauded her ability to work with a variety of people, to maintain a fun and safe work environment, and to “go the extra mile,” giving tours to faculty and students, writing recommendation letters for students who work in the kitchen, and conducting a weekly “virtual staff meeting” via email.
Alumni Recognition for Student Excellence
The Alumni Recognition for Student Excellence Awards are given to one graduating senior in each of the College’s academic units.
Front Row: Ashley Kibe, Resham Patel, Janelle Kisiday, Alexis Schmidt
Back Row: Jennifer Heffner, Matthew Wess, Jill Fiscus, Dana Webster
Not Pictured: Christine Murawski
Dana Webster
Dana is a Biobehavioral Health major from Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania. A Schreyer Honors Scholar, she maintains a 3.91 grade-point average and is a member of the Health and Human Development Honor Society and the National Society of Collegiate Scholars.
Dana is a Lion Ambassador and a member of the HHD Student Council. As a member of the Student Council, she served as the coordinator for the organization’s “Jeans for Teens” program and coordinated a College-wide food drive benefiting the State College Food Bank. During her time at Penn State she danced in THON, served as a mentor in the College’s JumpStart program, and was involved in the Blue and White Society, the Biobehavioral Health Society, and intramural co-ed volleyball. She also served as a research assistant for Dr. Stephen Petrill’s Western Reserve Reading Project, about which she is writing her honors thesis.
After her graduation, Dana plans to attend the Pennsylvania College of Optometry to earn her Doctor of Optometry degree.
Janelle Kisiday
Janelle is a Communication Sciences and Disorders major who has a 3.99 grade-point average. She received the Evan Pugh Scholar Award as a junior and is a member of Golden Key Honor Society and the HHD Honor Society. She is the president of the National Student Speech Language Hearing Association student chapter and has participated in THON and the Blue and White Society.
Following her graduation, Janelle plans to pursue a doctor of audiology degree.
Ashley Kibe
Ashley is a Health Policy and Administration student from Orwigsburg, Pennsylvania. A Shreyer Honors Scholar, she is a member of Mortar Board National College Senior Honor Society and maintains a 3.9 grade-point average. She is a member of the Master of Health Administration Association and a past member of the Health Policy and Administration Club and Habitat for Humanity.
In May, she will receive her BS and MHA degrees. She is one of two finalists for a competitive fellowship and is also searching for other potential career opportunities in the field of health care administration.
Matthew Wess
Matthew is a Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Management major from Cresson, Pennsylvania. He maintains a grade-point average of 3.93 and is a member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars, Eta Sigma Delta International Hospitality Management Honor Society, and Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society.
Matthew is president of Eta Sigma Delta and a member of the Penn State Hotel and Restaurant Society student chapter. After graduation, he will move to Irvine, California, to be a food and beverage corporate management trainee at the Hyatt Regency Irvine.
Alexis Schmidt
Alexis is a Human Development and Family Studies major from Pittsburgh. She holds a 3.99 grade-point average and is a member of Kappa Omicron Nu, an honor society for students in the human sciences, and the National Society of Collegiate Scholars.
Alexis is a member of the College’s Women’s Leadership Initiative and serves as secretary of the Human Development and Family Studies Undergraduate Student Organization (HDFS USO). She is also a member of the Penn State Navigators and the Grace Notes, an a capella group. After her graduation, she will attend the University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work to pursue a master’s degree.
Resham Patel
Resham is a senior Kinesiology major from East Brunswick, New Jersey. She is past president of the Kinesiology Club and is serving her second year as president of the Health and Human Development Honor Society. She is a past participant in the College’s Women’s Leadership Initiative and has served as a Kinesiology peer mentor and a senior leader of JumpStart. She is a student representative to the Faculty Senate.
Resham maintains a grade-point average of 3.6. She also is the alumni chair of Mortar Board National College Senior Honor Society. She received the HHD Alumni Society’s Edith Pitt Chace Award in 2006.
Jill Fiscus
Jill is a Nursing major from Sigel, Pennsylvania. She maintains a 3.86 grade-point average and is a member of Delta Mu Sigma Honor Society, the National Society of Collegiate Scholars, and Sigma Theta Tau Honor Society. She is also a member of the Student Nurses Association and the Blue and White Society and was a member of the THON Fundraising Committee at Penn State DuBois in 2004.
Following her graduation, Jill will work as a graduate nurse in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh.
Jennifer Heffner
Jennifer, a Nutritional Sciences major from Enola, Pennsylvania, maintains a 3.96 grade-point average. As a member of the Penn State Navigators, she leads a Bible study and has done community service in Denver, Colorado, and Atlanta, Georgia, during Spring Break.
Jennifer is a recipient of several nutrition scholarships. After graduation she will complete a dietetic internship.
Christine Murawski
Christine is a Recreation, Park and Tourism Management major from Old Forge, Pennsylvania. She maintains a 3.9 grade-point average while being active on and off campus. She is currently vice president of programming for the Blue and White Society, was a dancer in THON 2007, volunteers at Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center, and served as a Penn State Adventure Recreation trip leader. She also volunteers with “Lil’ Lions,” a program run by the Second Mile that allows underprivileged children to spend time with positive role models.
Christine is a Schreyer Honors Scholar and is a member of Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society. Following graduation, she hopes to pursue a career in adventure programming or environmental education and perhaps an advanced degree in recreation or law.
