Lebanon Valley College

Dr. Johannes Dietrich, Newton and Adelaide Burgner Professor in Instrumental Music and conductor of the LVC Symphony and Chamber Orchestra, earned third place in The American Prize in Orchestral Programming contest, the Vytautas Marijosius Memorial Award, 2017–2018. The national competition included finalists Cornell University, Davidson College, Oklahoma State University, and the University of Washington. According to their release, The American Prize is a series of new, non-profit, national competitions unique in scope and structure, designed to recognize and reward the best performing artists, ensembles, and composers in the United States based on submitted recordings.

Dr. Robert Valgenti, chair and professor of philosophy and director of the E.A.T. (EAT) Research Program, received the 2018 “Excellence in Instruction” award from the Agriculture, Food and Human Values Society. They, along with the Association for the Study of Food and Society, co-sponsor international food studies conferences annually, including five of which Professor Valgenti and his EAT student researchers have attended and presented in the past.

Jeff Bates ’16, former student trustee, received the Graduate Student of the Year Award at the Association for Student Conduct Administration annual national conference in Jacksonville, Fla., in February. Jeff is a second-year student in the College Student Development Program at Appalachian State University.

Kaitlyn Partington ’17, business administration and digital communications, was recognized by the New Jersey Ad Club among the Best Marketing & Communications Professionals Under 40. Partington, one of just 30 to be so honored, is a marketing assistant at Paradigm Marketing & Design in Mt. Tabor, N.J.

According to a release on the Paradigm website, “To be considered for the award, nominees must demonstrate a profound impact on their respective fields and companies. They also have to exhibit qualities such as leadership, career progress, community involvement, and creating and/or achieving recognition from their peers, the public, or their employers.”

The marketing and communications team, under the leadership of Molly O’Brien-Foelsch, was recognized for its work on the College’s latest iteration of its website. Lebanon Valley College was named a Merit Winner during the 33rd Annual Educational Advertising Awards, organized by Higher Education Marketing Report.

Olajiwon McCadney, assistant director of intercultural affairs & inclusive programming, was named winner of four awards at the American College Personnel Association (ACPA) College Educators International convention in Houston, Texas. Nominated by colleagues and LVC students, McCadney was honored by the Coalition for Multicultural Affairs (Outstanding Contribution to Multicultural Education), Commission for Social Justice Educators (Outstanding Social Justice Educator, Trainer, or Mentor), Coalition for Sexuality and Gender Identities (Public Service Award), and Coalition for Men and Masculinities (Outstanding Men’s Program Award). He earned the Outstanding Men’s Program Award due to his creation of two LVC student programs: Men of Distinguished Excellence (MODE) and Men Influencing the Community House (MITCH), the latter of which was funded through a President’s Innovation Fund grant.

Robert Tesoriero ’19, a biochemistry & molecular biology major and music minor from Ridgewood, N.J., received an Honorable Mention accolade in the field of life sciences from The Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation. Tesoriero plans to pursue a Ph.D. in biotechnology. He was mentored by Dr. Walter Patton, chair and associate professor of chemistry, and Dr. Michelle Rasmussen, assistant professor of chemistry. Dr. Philip Benesch, director of external scholarships & fellowships, helped guide Tesoriero through the process.

Kelly Jacobs ’18, an economics major and politics minor, and Dr. Rebecca Urban, associate professor of biology and director of environmental science, were recently named 2018 PERC Campus Sustainability Champions. “The Campus Sustainability Champion title is awarded to students, faculty, administrators, and staff of Pennsylvania colleges and universities who have made meaningful contributions benefiting social, economic and/or environmental sustainability on their campus, in their community, or in society at large. Contributions can be in areas of teaching, research, co-curricular programs, campus culture, community service, and campus operations, including food recovery.”

Kelly was nominated for her work on the Sustainability Advisory Committee (SAC) and as a SAC data intern, compiling the College’s Annual Carbon Footprint. Kelly also founded the student Environmental Club and served as its president for several years. Kelly will graduate in May and plans to attend graduate school to continue her studies of sustainability.

Dr. Urban was nominated for her work on the Sustainability Advisory Committee and for leading the creation of the environmental science major. She is the driving force behind the annual Earth Days activities, and was instrumental in developing the environmental science major and curriculum. In addition, she created the proposal to designate 20 acres on the north side of campus as the Wood Thrush Research Preserve. The new serves as an academic resource for faculty and students. Preserving the area will open up even more opportunities for future classes, individual research, and environmental initiatives.

McNees Wallace & Nurick LLC Attorney Rachel Hadrick, Esq., ’06 is the Widener Commonwealth Law School Black Law Student Association’s 2018 Professor Starla J. Williams Service Award recipient. The Professor Starla J. Williams Service Award is presented to an individual in an effort to recognize their efforts to promote diversity within the legal community. Hadrick was a music recording technology major and physics minor at LVC.

Dr. Phylis Dryden, professor emerita of English, received an honorable mention in the 2017 Able Muse Write Prize (for Poetry & Fiction) competition. Dr. Dyden’s piece, “Woman-with-Bump-on-Her-Nose,” presents a whimsical view of her Iroquois ancestry. She wa one of just two authors to receive this distinction.