Cedar Crest College

On Saturday, October 17th, Felicia Kern (Nursing), Emily Krupski (Business), Karen Long (Business), and Glenna Weeks (Early Childhood Education) were inducted into the Delta Pi chapter of Alpha Sigma Lambda. To be eligible for membership in Alpha Sigma Lambda, the national honor society for adult learners, students must have earned at least 24 graded credits and achieved a GPA in the top 20% of adult undergraduate students at the college.

At the 46th annual meeting of the Northeastern Association of Forensic Scientists held virtually from October 14-17, Cedar Crest College won 5 of 8 student awards. Considering everything that has happened this year, this is quite an accomplishment. The award and recipients are as follows: Kimberly Hane - Recipient of the George Neighbor Memorial Scholarship; Amber Rose - Recipient of the George Chin Memorial Scholarship; Kirsten Siegfried - Recipient of the Carol De Forest Research Grant (mentor-Lindsey Welch); Alexandra Arabio - Recipient of the Peter De Forest Research Award (undergraduate division) (mentors - James Hammer, Larry Quarino); Amber Rose - Recipient of the Peter De Forest Research Award (graduate division) (mentor - Thomas Brettell).

Bringing criminal justice professionals to campus and sponsoring activities for the well-being and entertainment of the campus community. President - Victoria Kohn VP - Adrian Mast Secretary - Treasurer - Zaria Berry

We are a club that studies the Bible and investigates the scriptures, to get to know Jesus and spend time in fellowship with each other. President - Megan Dougherty VP - Chelsea Tito Secretary - Valerie Van Boven Treasurer - Abigail Thompson

To educate about the importance and relevance of history and political science. President - Kendal Nichols VP - Carlie Gausch Secretary - Treasurer -

Enthuse about literature club. President - Shaylin Troiano VP - Secretary - Shaylin Troiano Treasurer - Nicky Gupta

Open to all students of Cedar Crest who are interesting in participating in volunteer opportunities and nutrition-related activities. President - Anna Rasmussen VP - Moriah Wiedemeier Secretary - Jennifer Santa Treasurer - Cassandra Ponce

To educate, host events, and spark interest in local and global environmental and sustainability issues. President - Kiera Shellhammer VP - Cassidy Niederland Secretary - Kassie Root Treasurer -Kaylyn Brindisi

President - Madisyn Yakscoe Vice President - Alivia Moore Secretary - Samantha Briskin Treasurer -

Psi Chi, an affiliate of the American Psychological Association and American Psychological Society, is the national honor society in psychology. It is open to students with either a major or minor in psychology who have completed at least three courses in the department, have a "B" average, and a cumulative average placing them in the upper third of their class. Lifetime membership is achieved through a formal installation by invitation and is held usually in the spring and fall. President - Mercury Waguespack Vice President - Melanie Paolini Secretary - Brenna Desborough Treasurer - Jennifer Schreiner

Social Work Club is open to any student who is interested in current coal issues and policy. As a club, we aim to meet the needs of the growing number of students entering the many areas related to Sociology and the Social Sciences. President - Shayonna Escalera VP - Secretary - Treasurer -

To give people the opportunity to engage in physical activities. President - Erika Schwoyer VP - Kaitlyn Kozdron Secretary - Telena Jones Treasurer - Rachel Savini

We represent the residents of the Halls. President - Ashley Wilkins VP - Dana Wood Secretary - Carly Wood Treasurer - Khara Ekes

To promote social engagement at Cedar Crest College. President - Kara Brownlie VP - Rebecca Fox Secretary - Leannie Jusino Treasurer - Daria Warner

Kimberly Hane, a senior Forensic Science and Genetic Engineering double major, has been awarded the George W. Chin Memorial Scholarship, which includes $2,000 and an Associate membership for one year in the NEAFS organization. The review committee felt she was "a well deserving candidate for this scholarship, with strong recommendations from [her] advisors, and well thought out aspirations and goals." In addition to being a strong academic, Kim is a lab assistant in the Department of Biological Sciences and has been conducting forensic DNA-based research in the laboratory of Dr. K. Joy Karnas, Professor of Biology, since her first semester at Cedar Crest. Her primary research project focuses on the use of quantitative PCR for crime scene bloodstain identification, but she has also been advancing a second study examining the use of oral cavity specific microbes to differentiate expirated and impact blood spatter. Kim has previously been awarded research grants from the Pennsylvania Academy of Science and Beta Beta Beta Honor Society to conduct these research projects, and she hopes to present her data in regional and national meetings this year. She will be applying for PhD programs in Molecular Biology and Genetics to continue her academic pursuits after graduation.

Kirsten "KP" Siegfried, a graduate student in the Masters' Program in Forensic Science, has been awarded the Carol De Forest Forensic Science Research Grant for her proposed project titled "Detection of benzodiazepines in biological samples through optimization of chemiluminescence reagents." This grant is in the amount of $2,500, and will be used to fund the purchase of chemicals and research supplies, in addition to funding travel to the annual meeting of the North Eastern Association of Forensic Scientists in Fall 2021. At this meeting, KP will present the results of this research. This project is being advised by Dr. Lindsey Welch, Associate Professor in the Department of Chemical & Physical Sciences.

Welcome to Cedar Crest College!

The Aspire program provides opportunities for incoming first-year students to engage in full-time original scientific research prior to the start of the fall semester. By participating in Aspire, students get a jump start on the transition to college, start earning college credit early, sharpen key academic skills, and learn research skills through hands-on learning guided by experienced faculty. Students in Aspire will work directly with a faculty member in the biological, chemical, or physical sciences, to learn about what inspires faculty to ask research questions and develop research designs and get hands-on experience collecting and analyzing data. Student Mentors: Brianna Gregory Rachel Justice Ashley Wilkins

Cedar Crest College celebrated its 150th Commencement Ceremony. The event was an abbreviated outdoor ceremony held on the steps of Blaney Hall on the Cedar Crest College Campus on August 15, 2020. Graduates were separated into several time slots and were presented with their diplomas one at a time to keep with social distancing guidelines. President Elizabeth M. Meade, PhD and Provost Robert Wilson, PhD each gave brief remarks before conferring the degrees. College prizes and awards were announced and students graduating with honors wore corresponding cords, traditionally presented during the ceremony. Each graduate was permitted only a small number of family or friends to watch in order to maintain health and safety guidelines.

Cedar Crest College celebrated the Class of 2020 virtually this year by providing students with a message from President Elizabeth Meade, posting online pictures, and creating a website dedicated to the graduates. The website can be found by visiting: https://www.cedarcrest.edu/may9/index.shtm.

Melissa Rogers, a 2020 graduate of the Master of Science in Forensic Science Program, recently had a manuscript accepted for publication. Her manuscript titled "Use of RGB Values in the Periodic Acid-Schiff Color Test to Determine the Presence of Vaginal Fluid" will appear in Science and Justice, the official publication of the Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences. This is the most recent publication of the Cedar Crest forensic science program dealing with sexual assault investigation. It is also the third publication from the forensic science program in 2020. Other authors of the paper include Janine Kishbaugh, Larry Quarino, and Amrita Lal-Paterson (Delaware Department of Forensic Science).

The Dean's List recognizes students who have earned a grade point average of 3.65 or higher in the academic semester.

Two members of the Doctoral Nurse Anesthesia Program Class of 2022 recently received the following awards: Dominick Richards was awarded the Art Zwerling Memorial Scholarship through the AANA Rebecca Satterfield was awarded the AANA Dean M. Cox Memorial Scholarship

Delphi is the college's honor society for undergraduate students. Students who have a cumulative grade point average of 3.8 at the end of their junior year or their senior year are recognized as members.

Each year, senior students present their research and senior project findings to the campus community through posters, presentations, and information sessions.

The following seniors performed and created websites based on their senior capstone projects: Emma Gerstein Video Presentation link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnY7r1xixiw&feature=emb_logo Website: https://perfectlyuselessmovement.wordpress.com/ Andrea Abdale Video Presentation link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BH7nuw78OkY&t=1062s Website: https://andreaabdale1.wixsite.com/brokeneccentric Marissa Madson Video Presentation link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AYgWBRcsbM&feature=youtu.be Website: https://marissamadson8.wixsite.com/marissamadson Yesenia Paula: Video Presentation link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPjKhIXRJWs Website: https://yeseniapaula.wixsite.com/mysite Jannelle Mohney Video Presentation link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTDLA_Brg9M Website: https://jkmohney98.wixsite.com/mysite-1

The Education Department had eight students complete their thesis projects as part of the Master in Education. The department would like to recognize the following: Lindsay Steiner: Acquisition of Early Literacy Skills based on Entering Age of Kindergarten Taylor Keinert: The Effects of Homework on Students' Overall Success Aida Rivera Gonzalez: Attitudes & Perceptions of Students in Higher Education in the United States Toward Foreign Language Lauren Berback: Academic Differences of English as a Second Language (ESL) Programs Tara O'Brien: Teachers' Perceptions of Ideal Recess Timing and Duration by Grade Level Lindsay Nelson: Mindfulness and Behavior Management Jodie Thomas: Teachers' Perceptions of Parent Involvement in their Child's Education Zachary McMichael: Tutoring Resources at the College Level: An Investigation of Students' Perceptions

Kayla Bills been selected to participate in the 2021 NEW Leadership Pennsylvania Summer Institute at Chatham University. NEW Leadership Pennsylvania is a residential program that provides college women with the knowledge and skills to become effective leaders in politics, public policy and public service. This six-day program will introduce college students to women leaders who will share their insights on developing their leadership potential. To participate, the students were required to complete a campus application as well as a program application process.

Alexandra (Ally) Arabio '21 will be a distance intern with the Center for Statistics and Applications in Forensic Evidence (CSAFE) this summer. The CSAFE is a consortium of four universities: Carnegie Mellon University, Iowa State University, University of California at Irvine, and the University of Virginia. Ally will be working with the group on her undergraduate research that she is performing with Dr. James Hammer and Dr. Lawrence Quarino, which is developing a geometric model for handwriting comparison.

Three senior Psychology students orally presented (virtually) the findings of their year-long research projects on April 22nd to the Psychology Department. The titles and names of the students are: "The Influence of Reading Words and Passages of Differing Arousal Levels on Performance and Affect" by Sohinaz Lozano; "The Effect of Presentation and Medium on Recall and Recognition" by Avery Wanamaker; and "The Influence of Colors and Valence of Words on Affect and Memory" by Stephanie Guldin. All three students worked under the direction of Dr. Kerrie Baker, Professor of Psychology. These presentations were to have taken place at Lehigh University on April 25th as part of the LVAIC Undergraduate Psychology and Neuroscience Conference.