West Chester University: First-Gen Students Honored At Inaugural

Press release from West Chester University:

February 2, 2021

First-generation college students are the first in their families to go to college.
Neither of the student’s parents, nor step-parents, nor legal guardians, completed
a bachelor’s degree.

Students qualify for induction into Tri-Alpha by earning at least 30 credit hours
toward a baccalaureate degree and achieving an overall undergraduate GPA of at least
3.2. First-generation graduate students must have completed the equivalent of at least
one term (9 or more graduate credits) and have a GPA in their graduate program of
at least 3.5.

Of nearly 170 eligible WCU students, 56 completed the application form for this inaugural
cohort.

According to Tri-Alpha’s national website, those who accept membership “recognize
your responsibility to your family and to future generations of firsts, to finish
what you started, to be their compass leading them to their destination when the way
seems uncertain, to be their light in darkness, and to support others in their own
journeys of ‘firsts.’ … You accept the obligation of thanking those who paved the
way before you, and who made this journey possible for you. … You accept the responsibility
of helping others as you have been helped, or as you perhaps wish you had been helped,
to serve as mentors and guides for the next group of students to step foot on a college
campus as the first in their family or circle of friends.”

A second induction ceremony will take place during Family Weekend in September.

WCU’s undergraduate inaugural inductees, their majors, and hometowns are:Trevor Banks, Exercise Science, Pre-PT Concentration, YorkKara Bethas, Accounting, Spring Grove, PAZoe Campanella, Psychology, music minor, PhiladelphiaMitzi Colin Lopez, Political Science, CoatesvilleFaith Crawford, Psychology, CoatesvilleTiana Douglas-Brown, Psychology, PhiladelphiaRebecca L Eck-Olsen, Marketing and Business Management, Trondheim, NorwayNebiyou Elias, Actuarial Science and Statistics, King of PrussiaLauren Fitting, English Literature, DevonIoanna Gerasimidis, Biology, microbiology concentration, Upper DarbyNicole Haslett, English Writing, BensalemKelly Heyduk, Early Grades Preparation, Levittown, PAKaitlyn Juhasz, Marketing and Finance, Lake Ariel, PAMadison Justice, Communication Sciences and Disorders, Cape MayVictoria Knowles, History/Social Studies Teaching Certification, Media, PA Shelby Kreglow, Psychology, Slatington, PAAndrew Lavin, Political Science, DowningtownMadison Maine, Communication Sciences and Disorders, Minors: Deaf Studies and Early
Intervention, Freehold, NJLena Morella, Anthropology, Stroudsburg, PAAlexis Moyer, Middle Grades and Special Education, BoyertownLauren Myers, PsychologyBenjamin Naroden, Communication Studies, Hillsborough, PAMorgan Peyton, Early Grades Preparation PreK-4, Montgomeryville, PAOlivia Quinones, Theater, Minors: psychology and music production, Allentown Kelsey Schwalm, Marketing, Hegins, PAJasmine Seals, Early Grades, Trenton, NJHannah Stevens, Music Therapy, Minors: music history and psychology, Hatfield, PAAshleigh Stokes, Pre-Physical Therapy, Warrington, PAKeerston Underkoffler, Exercise Science Pre-occupational therapy concentration, ElizabethtownBrianna Wagner, Early Grades Preparation PreK-4, CoatesvilleNicole Walker, Social Work, DowningtownMacy Wright, Early Grades Preparation, PK-4 Accel, Elverson

WCU’s graduate inaugural inductees are pursuing master’s degrees unless otherwise
indicated:Michole-Chanee Allen, Social Work, Chester, PATamerra Bailey, Doctor of Public Administration, Bronx, NYMelissa DelColombo, Speech Language Pathology, Philadelphia Heather Doyle, Public Health-Health Care Management, Harrisburg, PAAlexandria Evans, Public Health-Community Health, Drexel Hill, PAHector Febo, Public Administration, Mount Pocono, PASarah Foster, Doctor of Public Administration, Ruston, LAMichelle Gherardi, Doctor of Public Administration, Lancaster, PAGrace Grant, Speech Language Pathology, Drexel HillKerrie Green, Social Work, PhiladelphiaAmber Howard, Social WorkGamine Howe, Social Work, PhiladelphiaAmanda Kennedy, Doctor of Public Administration, New Braunfels, TexasHo Lee, Community Nutrition, Dongducheon, South KoreaBridget Marley, Public Health-Community Health, Havertown, PAJacqueline Maxwell, TESOL, ExtonJoseph Michetti, Counselor Education: School Counseling, EaglevilleRhonda Parham, Public Administration, PhiladelphiaCynthia Prempeh, Public Health, GhanaMariama Quist, Higher Education Policy and Student Affairs, PhiladelphiaNikki Ross, Public Health-Health Care Management, Bridgeport, PAMelissa Rowedder, Human Resource Management, Horsham, PARyan Wasser, Philosophy, Allentown, PALindsay Zavislak, Doctor of Clinical Psychology, Philadelphia

Tri-Alpha was founded March 24, 2018, at Moravian College in Bethlehem, PA. The honor
society exists as a not-for-profit (501(c)3) organization.

This press release was produced by West Chester University. The views expressed here are the author’s own.