Cedar Crest College

Alpha Sigma Lambda is the premier national honor society for non-traditional adult students in higher education, established in 1946 to recognize academic excellence among students balancing work, home, and education. It boasts over 300 chapters, making it the largest chapter-based honor society for adult learners. Qualifications to be invited for induction include: "Student members must have completed a minimum of twenty-four (24) graded semester hour credits or the equivalent and shall be matriculated students in an undergraduate degree program in an institution that is regionally accredited in the U.S or recognized by the Ministry of Education of the country in which the program operates. These college credits may not include transfer credits. All twenty-four credits must be taken through and graded at the matriculating institution and must be included in the student's cumulative GPA. At least twelve credits of student's total credits should be earned in courses in Liberal Arts/Sciences, not including applied Arts/Sciences courses. Accepted transfer courses may be added to the 24 credits earned at this institution until the Liberal Arts/Sciences requirements are fully satisfied. Student members shall be selected from the highest twenty percent of the students who have twenty-four graded credits and are matriculated in an undergraduate degree program. Student members selected must meet minimum GPA from their institution. The cumulative scholastic record of the student as interpreted by the institution where membership is to be conferred shall be the basis for computing scholastic eligibility." (from Alpha Sigma Lambda website) On April 17, 2026, we were pleased to induct five new members. They are Hassan Slem Alhamami, Andrea Anfuso, Danielle Colona, Michelle Rieder, and Maureen Vooz.

Delphi, the esteemed honor society at Cedar Crest College, recognizes students who have completed 86 or more total credits (including at least 60 graded credits of academic work at the college) and maintain a cumulative grade-point average of 3.8 or above. These exceptional students are honored as members of Delphi.

Graduate Nursing faculty (Jacklyn DelPrete, Alicia Shelkin, and Melissa Tracy) and Family Nurse Practitioner students (Julianne Fritz and Miranda Raub) had a successful lobby day for Full Practice Authority for Nurse Practitioners in Harrisburg on June 1, 2026. The opportunity was coordinated by the Pennsylvania Coalition of Nurse Practitioners. Our Cedar Crest College group handed out materials outlining the current bills for full practice authority in both the State Senate and House of Representatives to at least 20 senators and representatives to encourage support by legislators. Alicia Shelkin and Melissa Tracy had a scheduled meeting with Rep. Clint Owlett and Jacklyn DelPrete, Miranda Raub, and Julianne Fritz had a meeting in Sen. Nick Miller's office with his legislative assistant. We were able to discuss the legislation and advocate for our profession to practice at the full scope of our education and training. Meetings were followed by a press conference in the Capitol rotunda by several legislators and the Pennsylvania Coalition of Nurse Practitioner representatives. It was an excellent opportunity to spread the voice of nursing in policy!

The Lutz Center for Community Service hosted four students for their "In the Valley, For the Valley" Alternative Spring Break from March 1 - 6, 2026. Takyra Batz, Assistant Director for Community Engagement & Leadership Development, and Cara Cavall, Program Coordinator, coordinated and led the week of service and local exploration. We followed our "In the Valley, For the Valley" model that focuses on sharing our Greater Lehigh Valley community needs, businesses, and sites without requiring a cost to attend the program. The participants received the following (and more) experiences: Godfrey Daniels Tour & Open Mic Night, The Willow: Inspirit Senior Living in Macungie (3 hours), Museum of Indian Culture, PBS39 (3 hours), exploring Bethlehem, JuxtaHub (3 hours), Allentown Farmer's Market, downtown Allentown, Lehigh University's Art Gallery, and much more. The following students used their time off for Spring Break to serve others: Seniors: Stella Oen and Madelyn Updegrove, Junior: Cam Beverage, and First Year: Fox Pisch.

The Cedar Crest College Department of Biological Sciences, and Department of Chemical & Physical Sciences is proud to acknowledge the accomplishments of its research programs. Nine Cedar Crest College students presented their data at the 101st Annual Meeting of the Pennsylvania Academy of Science, April 17-19, 2026, with a total of nearly 139 presentations from 38 universities, colleges, and institutions (including a few high schools!), our nine posters and talks placed us near the top of the list for sponsoring institutions. The conference concluded with an awards ceremony where travel grants, research grants, and the Anne Spychala Presentation Awards were distributed. Cedar Crest College received four awards: Honorable Mention for poster presentation (Natalie Devine), and undergraduate research grants (Karlee Kelly, Jessica Shults, and Colleen Braica).

Cedar Crest College celebrated its annual Founding Day on Sept. 3 outside Blaney Hall, marking the College's 159th anniversary. Among the celebration's featured speakers were President Elizabeth Meade, Provost Dr. Robert Wilson, and Dr. Calley Stevens Taylor, with guest speaker Allentown Mayor Matt Tuerk who officially proclaimed September 3, 2026 as Founding Day of Cedar Crest College in the City of Allentown. "As we reflect on the wisdom, foresight, and audacity of our founders, we recommit ourselves to their vision: to open the doors of education and opportunity for today's generation and for all those yet to come," said President Meade. Founding Day also offered an opportunity to celebrate the people who bring that mission to life. Members of the Cedar Crest community were recognized for their academic achievements, leadership, and contributions to the College. Several students were recognized and presented with awards: - Sydney Jeker '27 was honored with the Susan Everitt Hudgins Prize for exhibiting strong academic excellence and leadership skills. - Laura Eastman '27 was honored with the Haff Award for earning the highest academic average in nursing at the completion of her junior year. - Alyssa Schiavone '29 was honored with the First-Year Valedictory Award for earning the highest academic average during her first year at Cedar Crest. A reception followed the ceremony, bringing the Cedar Crest community together to celebrate the College's history, its people, and the achievements of its students and faculty-with hors d'oeuvres, beverages, and, of course, cupcakes.

During January winter break of 2026, multiple students participated in the Winter Job Shadow program. - Shelby Buskaritz - Genesis Pagan - Olivia Wanner - Mackenzie Pickard - Ashly Rodriguez - Jenine Mostafa - Stephanie Lake

The Cedar Crest College Department of Biological Sciences, and Department of Chemical & Physical Sciences is proud to acknowledge the accomplishments of its research programs. Nine Cedar Crest College students presented their data at the 101st Annual Meeting of the Pennsylvania Academy of Science, April 17-19, 2026, with a total of nearly 139 presentations from 38 universities, colleges, and institutions (including a few high schools!), our nine posters and talks placed us near the top of the list for sponsoring institutions. - Keira Davies (research advisor: Dr. Jeanne Berk) Comparison of the sensitivity of azo dyes as a replacement for beta-naphthol in the Modified Griess Test used in Forensic Science. - Natalie Devine (research advisor: Dr. Andre Walther): Using Yeast Two Hybrid analysis to study how phosphorylation affects the interactions of Replication Protein A with cancer proteins. - Morgan Goldring and Lily Decker (research advisors: Dr. Jeanne Berk and Dr. Jenny Hayden) Synthesis and antibacterial studies of novel Mannich bases from lawsone, vanillin and 1 aromatic amines and copper complexes. - Ashlee Kitzhoffer (research advisor: Dr. Jenny Hayden) Exploring stagnant water as a source of antibiotic-producing bacteria: isolation and genetic characterization. - Olivia Norris (research advisor: Dr. Andre Walther): Differentiating beer yeast strains with quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction using High Resolution Melt Analysis. - Jessica Shults and Karlee Kelly (research advisor: Dr. Andre Walther): Investigating how RPA phosphorylation influences DNA adaptation and DNA repair in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. - Madelyn Updegrove and Corinne O'Connor (research advisor: Dr. Jenny Hayden) The regulation of DNA repair by lysine acetylation in Mycobacteria.

On Saturday, April 25th, 2026, students Weronika Swojak and McKenna Kulick participated in the Lehigh Valley American Chemical Society (LVACS) Ned Heindel Organic Chemistry Scholarship Competition. This year, there were 15 student participants representing Cedar Crest College, DeSales University, Lafayette College, Lehigh University, Moravian University, and Muhlenberg College. The competition entails taking the ACS Organic Chemistry Examination, submitting a brief one-page letter of recommendation from the student's organic chemistry professor, and writing an essay on a topic in organic chemistry. Weronika's paper, "Misunderstandings of Organic Chemistry During COVID-19," discussed the use of amantadine as a treatment. McKenna's paper, "Epinephrine: The Life-Saving Chemical in My Purse," discussed its synthesis and role in saving lives.

Nineteen Cedar Crest College students attended or presented their data at the 10th Annual Meeting of the Lehigh Valley Molecular and Cell Biology Society at Lafayette College, April 22, 2026. The evening symposium hosted a total of 51 posters and 4 micro talks from 8 regional colleges and universities. The conference concluded with a Keynote talk by a Lafayette alum, Dr. Nicholas Grams, who is a Senior Scientist II at Dispatch, which is a biotech company that focuses on designing, building, and testing oncolytic viruses for treatment of late-stage, treatment-resistant cancers. Oral Presentations by students: - Jocelyn Miller, Allison Alamorian, Awaiz Zahra (research advisor: Audrey Ettinger): a molecular essay to quantify differences in neurogenesis in the model system Rocio octofasciata. Poster Presentations by students: - Lara FitzSimons* (research advisor: Jenny Hayden) Finding antibiotic producers in soil samples taken from Cedar Creek Park - Ashlee Kitzhoffer (research advisor: Jenny Hayden): Exploring stagnant water as a source of antibiotic-producing bacteria: isolation and genetic characterization. - Olivia Norris* and Alexandra Paul* (research advisor: Andre Walther) Differentiating beer yeast strains with quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction using high resolution melting analysis - Jessica Shults and Karlee Kelly (research advisor: Andre Walther) Investigating how RPA phosphorylation influences DNA adaptation and DNA repair in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Students indicated with an asterisk (*) were supported by the NASA TOWERS Program at Cedar Crest College while conducting these projects.

On Thursday, November 6th, Jazmyn Davis, Savannah Aguilera, and Sydney Jeker attended the Second Annual Lehigh Valley Nonprofit Impact Conference hosted by the Volunteer Center of the Lehigh Valley at Wind Creek Event Center in Bethlehem. Jazmyn, Savannah and Sydney all seized the opportunity to network and speak with individuals from multiple professional backgrounds - such as CEOs, Program Managers, Volunteer Coordinators, and much more. They also shared that they were challenged to explore their leadership and communication skills by speaking in three breakout sessions that they attended throughout the day.

Corinne O'Connor, Graduate Area Coordinator for the Office of Housing & Residence Life presented twice this past Saturday, October 11th at the Mid-Atlantic Association of College & University Housing Officers (MACUHO) Student Staff Live-in (SSLI) Conference at Goldey-Beacom College in Wilmington, Delaware. Corinne presented two sessions to student staff member attendees from around the mid-Atlantic region. One session was "Wisdom about Wellness: Taking Care of Yourself and Residents" and the second session was "Let's Get Better Together: Supporting your LGBT+ Residents." For the second presentation, Corinne invited two of our Resident Advisors (RAs), Cam Beverage and Catherine Legutko, to co-present with her. Corinne, Cam, and Catherine all did an amazing job and both presentations were well received by the attendees.

Senior social work student, Caitlyn Anders, recently presented her research, The Impact of Time Management Among College Students, at the National Association of Social Workers, Pennsylvania Conference on Tuesday, October 7, 2025. At the Social Workers Level Up Conference, Caitlyn's research poster won 2nd place during the student poster session. Caityln conducted research during the Social Work Research Methods Course Fall 2024 and Spring 2025 semesters. Dr. Chelsea Toth, Associate Professor of Social Work, served as Caitlyn's research faculty advisor. Caitlyn was also the 2024-2025 Cedar Crest College Social Science Undergraduate Capstone award recipient.

Joshua Lucas, a senior student in the Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner program, presented a poster at St. Luke's 13th Annual Pulmonary and Critical Care Symposium on October 4, 2025. His presentation focused on the ambulation of patients receiving Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) therapy in the Intensive Care Unit. The work was well received by critical care and pulmonary physicians, nurses, and fellows, who offered positive feedback recognizing its potential to reduce the effects of patient immobilization.

On Saturday, May 9, Cedar Crest College honored the Class of 2026 during its 156th Commencement Ceremony at PPL Center in Allentown, Pa. Graduates and their loved ones gathered to mark this significant milestone, celebrating the knowledge, skills, and experiences gained during their time at Cedar Crest. The event highlighted the values of leadership, service, and community that are integral to the Cedar Crest spirit. We are immensely proud of each and every graduate. Your resilience and commitment have brought you to this moment, and we are excited to see the remarkable contributions you will make in the future. Congratulations, Class of 2026!

On Saturday, May 10, the PPL Center in Allentown filled with students, staff, faculty, and supporters to celebrate the accomplishments of Cedar Crest College's Class of 2025 at Commencement. Graduates and their loved ones gathered to mark this significant milestone, celebrating the knowledge, skills, and experiences gained during their time at Cedar Crest. The event highlighted the values of leadership, service, and community that are integral to the Cedar Crest spirit. We are immensely proud of each and every graduate. Your resilience and commitment have brought you to this moment, and we are excited to see the remarkable contributions you will make in the future. Congratulations, Class of 2025!

Congratulations to the exceptional students who have been named to the Dean's List for the Spring 2025 semester. This esteemed recognition highlights the dedication and academic prowess required to achieve a grade point average of 3.65 or higher. These students have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to their studies, setting a high standard for excellence within our institution. Please join us in applauding their achievements and celebrating their place on the Spring 2025 Dean's List.

Congratulations to the exceptional students who have been named to the Dean's List for the Fall 2024 semester. This esteemed recognition highlights the dedication and academic prowess required to achieve a grade point average of 3.65 or higher. These students have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to their studies, setting a high standard for excellence within our institution. Please join us in applauding their achievements and celebrating their place on the Fall 2024 Dean's List.

This November 16, 17, 18 at 7:00 p.m. and 19 at 2 p.m., Cedar Crest College's Department of Performing Arts presents DanceWorks, a yearly showcase featuring original work choreographed by Cedar Crest dance alumnae and current students. By design, DanceWorks challenges choreographers to push the limits of their creativity and create their dances on a 10x10 ft stage. A visual feast, the show features a variety of assorted styles such as jazz, contemporary, step, and modern dance. Saturday's performance will also feature a Q&A session with the choreographers to get inside the minds of the artists, discussing their inspirations and individual creative processes. Led by the guidance and artistic direction of Sarah Carlson, this year's choreographers include: Madison Anusky, '23 Corinne Mundy, '24 Dannica Mitchell, '24 Haven Black, '24 Emma Redman, '24 Abby Engle, '24

This March 23, 24, 25 at 7 p.m. and March 26 at 2 p.m., Cedar Crest Performing Arts will present Jane Martin's controversial play, "Keely and Du." Performances will be held in the Tompkins College Center & Samuels Theatre on the campus of Cedar Crest College, Allentown, PA. Tickets may be purchased online at cedarcrest.edu. The cast includes: Du - Sofia Barbour Keely- Rosemarie Kramer Walter- Andrew Galindez Cole- David Lippincott Prison Guard- Mahek "Jayden" Dhawan Orderlies- Chelsi Fread, Lizbeth Parra, Ashly Rodriguez- Ascencio For information, please visit https://www.cedarcrest.edu/academics/performing_arts/events.shtm

On Monday, January 15, Cedar Crest College students, faculty, and staff gathered for the College's second annual Martin Luther King Jr. breakfast to commemorate MLK's legacy through powerful speeches, performances, and commitments to future acts of service. The morning started with impactful and powerful words from Student Government Association President Noor Hussain, '25, and a Step Dance performance choreographed by Corinne Mundy, '24, performed by herself, Jahniya James, '26, Elayah Toney, '26, and Erika Butler, '27. Further highlights included keynote speaker Dr. Damary Bonilla-Rodriguez, spoken word poetry performed by Dieruff High School group Spittin' Truth, and closing remarks from President Meade.

In Spring 2022, Cedar Crest College named Giovanna Sodano as the winner of a four-year, full-tuition scholarship. Sodano competed against more than 80 students from 14 different states at the College's 13th Annual Scholarship Competition held in February 2022.