Student of the Month award recipients for the 2017-2018 academic year are:
March 2018
Emma Osenbach, a sophomore at Penn State Hazleton, has been named Student of the Month for March 2018.
She is a geoscience – hydrogeology major. She is chair of the Student Affairs Committee for campus Student Government Association and is a member of the cheerleading squad.
Her nominator wrote, “Emma excels both academically and in the clubs she is active in. She has so much on her plate, yet still is able to make everything possible.”
Osenbach is the daughter of Kevin and DeAnn Osenbach and is a graduate of Tamaqua Area High School.
February 2018
Kevin Hinkle, a sophomore majoring in engineering science with minors in nanotechnology and mathematics, has been chosen as the Penn State Hazleton student of the month for February 2018.
He is a tutor in the Math Dimension on campus and also participates in the Math Olympiad.
“When it comes to helping others, he is selfless and wants everyone to fully understand all the topics they have to learn because he knows that’s the key to being a successful engineer,” one of his nominators wrote.
“Kevin is a peer tutor in the Math Dimension. Because students know that, they often ask him for help even when he is not working. He never refuses. He’s always kind enough to take time out of his own studies to help anyone who asks,” another nominator wrote.
After earning his bachelor’s degree, Hinkle plans to work with micro/nanotechnology. A graduate of Mother of Divine Grace School, he is the son of Robert and Donna Hinkle, Weatherly.
January 2018
McKenzie Prutsman has been announced as the Penn State Hazleton Student of the Month for January 2018.
She is a junior majoring in rehabilitation and human services with a minor in psychology. As a member of the basketball team at Penn State Hazleton, she has been a three-time All American, has been selected for the All American student athlete team for the past two years and scored her 1,000th career point in 2018. She also assists with intramural sports on campus.
Prutsman is the daughter of Eric and Tonia Prutsman of Jasper, New York.
After graduation, she hopes to work in a hospital and help people who have suffered from a traumatic brain injury.
“Dr. Kramer has had a major impact on me at Penn State Hazleton. She is very passionate about what she does and she is very knowledgeable about the health field. I have learned a lot from her in the time I’ve known her. One day I hope to create a similarly positive impact on as many lives as she has,” Prutsman said.
November 2017
Madeline “Maddie” Vetter has been named the Student of the Month for November.
She is a junior studying Intermediate English education (grades 4-8) who will transition to Penn State Harrisburg in spring 2018 to complete her bachelor’s degree with a minor in English as a second language. She hopes to eventually pursue a doctoral degree and also complete an associate degree in radiology to become a technician.
“Maddie is a hardworking student who really cares about this campus and her fellow classmates. She’s always willing to help others, and is positive (and smiling) in her daily actions,” her nominator wrote.
Vetter is the daughter of Dawn and Harry Vetter, of Hazleton, and is a graduate of Marian Catholic High School.
She worked in the campus admissions office and as a tour guide as a member of Penn State Hazleton Lion Ambassadors. She works at a senior assisted living facility and during the summers she works in administration for the Hazleton Area School District. She also volunteers at the Hazleton Integration Project tutoring children.
“I think every single person who I have crossed paths with on this campus has impacted me. From the maintenance men and women, to the dietary staff, our chancellor, public men and women who use the library, other students, professors, and staff members have all made me aware of something I was not before and have shown me various ways of looking at the world around me. I couldn't be more blessed to have spent two and a half years at this campus,” Vetter said.
October 2017
Lauren Nietz, a junior majoring in rehabilitation and human services, has been named Student of the Month for October.
Nietz is a graduate of Marian Catholic High School and the daughter of Coaldale residents Rita and Jeff Nietz, an alumnus of Penn State Hazleton.
She is involved in THON at Penn State Hazleton. She also organized a collection of backpacks and other bags at Penn State Hazleton for local foster children this semester, garnering more than 300 bags for the children to transport their possessions. The bags were given to a Hazleton organization, Brandon’s Forever Home, that works with foster children in Luzerne County. The children can choose a bag and fill it with anything they want or need from Brandon’s Forever Home, which is stocked with clothing, toys and books. Before the organization’s founding in 2014, foster children were given a garbage bag to take their things from home to home.
Nietz plans to earn a master’s degree in a field related to rehabilitation and human services and spend her career working with children who have behavioral issues. Her experience with Brandon’s Forever Home allowed her to gain firsthand experience about the populations she will work with. She was also able to see the motivation of others who are making a difference and learn from them.
September 2017
Mari Magabo, a senior at Penn State Hazleton, has been selected by campus faculty as the September Student of the Month, the first to be selected as part of the new initiative.
Magabo is majoring in engineering with the alternative energy and power generation track. She hopes to pursue a career in alternative energy and sustainability.
“I think that all my professors in the engineering department, and Dr. Starling, have helped me tremendously as a student by providing me guidance and knowledge in my field,” she said.
Magabo previously served as vice president of the Student Government Association and was part of the Faculty Senate and Music Club.
She is a graduate of Hazleton Area High School and is the daughter of Artemio and Myrene Magabo, of Hazleton.