College Notes
PUSATERI WINS
Dillon Pusateri of Bethel Park won the speaker award for Novice Crossfire during the 2022 National Educational Debate Association National Championship held at Slippery Rock University.
Pusateri and his partner, Ella Bloom also won the Novice Crossfire division.
There are three formats in the NEDA competitions: Traditional, Crossfire and Rapid Fire. Crossfire is a two-vs.-two debate about the Traditional category’s resolution, but it’s a shorter format and pre-policy, meaning debaters don’t have to come up with a plan and instead debate for or against the resolution.
A senior political science major, Pusateri helped Slippery Rock finish second in the competition behind champion Cedarville University from Ohio.
Debate teams from 10 colleges and universities competed in the year’s culminating event for NEDA, which is one of several organizations that host collegiate debate competitions and conferences for its members.
HANNA SECOND
Timothy Hanna of Bridgeville placed second during the Youngstown State University’s Greek Sing event. A junior, he earned runner-up honors for the Open Class Award.
Hanna is a telecommunications major and a member of Theta Chi fraternity.
WHITE COATS
Shane Fiorentini of Bethel Park and Kellianne Nerlich of Pittsburgh were two of the 37 members of the first class of Thiel College’s new Physician Assistant Studies program to receive their white coats.
The white coats these students received represents their completion of the first half of their studies in the 27-month P.A. program at the college.
TWO INITIATED
Jennifer Pitts of McMurray and Lucy DePretis of Pittsburgh were initiated into the honor society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines.
Pitts, a Seton La Salle High School graduate, attends Ithaca College, while DePretis is a Youngstown State University student.
Membership in the society is by invitation only and requires nomination and approval by a chapter. Only the top 10% of seniors and 7.5% of juniors are eligible for membership. Graduate students in the top 10% of the number of candidates for graduate degrees may also qualify, as do faculty, professional staff and alumni who have achieved scholarly distinction.
Founded in 1897, Phi Kappa Phi was create to recognize excellence in all academic disciplines. Its mission is to recognize and promote academic excellence in all fields of higher education and to engage the community of scholars in service to others.
Mokricky honored
Alexis Mokricky was inducted into Phi Alpha Epsilon. The Lebanon Valley College honor society recognizes academic achievement and volunteer service.
A Chartiers Valley High School graduate, Mokricky is pursuing a bachelor of science in biology.
To be eligible for this award, students must achieve a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.6, complete at least 24 credits of coursework and achieve the “bronze” level of service hours at the conclusion of the fall semester prior to graduation.