Awards Convocation Recognizes Academic Excellence

Students across disciplines were honored this past Thursday for academic excellence at Northampton Community College (NCC)’s Awards Convocation. The annual celebration is a capstone to the academic year, recognizing outstanding students for their accomplishments. 

Some of the most prestigious awards handed out included the Hites Family Foundation Higher Education Endowment Scholarships and Nancy A. Taylor Endowed Scholarships as well as recognition of the Phi Theta Kappa Hites Transfer Scholarship and Coca Cola Gold Scholar Award and the All-Pennsylvania Academic Team. Award recipients were called to the stage to accept their awards while faculty and guest presenters listed their achievements and future plans. Guest presenters included representatives from Discover Lehigh Valley, Just Born, Northampton County Bar Association, and Norton. 

This year’s Trustee Leadership Award recipient, Adam Sbardelli, delivered the student address. Sbardelli will officially receive his award at next month’s Commencement ceremony when he graduates with an associate degree in communication studies. 

Sbardelli discussed the impact that the NCC faculty has had on his own development as a leader. Saying that some might see a community college as a steppingstone on the way to bigger, better things, Sbardelli discussed how important an accessible education is to students like him who may not be able to afford the higher price tag of many colleges and universities. Sbardelli, who is the first in his family to go to college, cited the top-notch faculty and applauded their willingness to put students above their own professional gain, calling that true leadership.  

Sbardelli’s praise of the faculty left David A. Ruth, Ph.D., president of NCC, emotional before he returned to the podium to deliver closing remarks. After thanking the faculty and staff for their dedication to student success and the families, friends, and supporters in attendance, Ruth turned his attention to the student honorees.   

“Please know that you make the entire NCC family so very proud,” he said. “No matter where you go or what you go on to achieve, we are always in your corner, and we believe so much in your talent and your potential.” 

A reception for students and their guests immediately followed the ceremony. 

The following is the complete list of students recognized at this year’s Awards Convocation as well as students honored at previous awards ceremonies:  

Awards Convocation: 

Coca Cola Academic Team Gold Scholar  

Amanda Alfaro 

Phi Theta Kappa Hites Transfer Scholarship 

Olivia Collumb  

All Pennsylvania Academic Team  

Amanda Alfaro, Debra Leedy, Ei Thanzin Myo, Alexis Stapleton, and Karolina Zakova 

American Advertising Federation/Greater Lehigh Valley Ad Club Creative Achievement Award 

Madeleine Wolf 

Ann Richards Computer Science and Information Technology Student Award 

Jarrod Gibiser 

Award for Excellence in Academic Writing  

Sawyer Strom 

Bethlehem Women’s Club Nursing Award  

Stephanie Warren 

Business Capstone Excellence Award  

Tiasha Ennis and Tyler Mack 

Eastern PA Chapter of the American Institute of Architects Award  

Kyla Kim and Noah Krajcirik  

The Friends of Gregory Purdon Memorial Award for Excellence in Art 

Nadia Parascandolo

Heart of Hospitality Award (Discover Lehigh Valley) 

James Spring 

Hites Family Foundation Higher Education Endowment Scholarship     

Amanda Alfaro, Kristen Ramirez, and Michelle Wright  

Honors Program Award  

Karolina Zakova 

Just Born Business Award  

John Walsh 

Liberal Arts Award  

Karolina Zakova 

Marconi Award for Media Production  

Valentina Talero 

Marketing Insight Award  

Tyler Mack 

Nancy A. Taylor Endowed Scholarship  

Enrique Adon-Torres and Sydney Harper 

Newman Civic Fellows Award  

Vincent Caminneci 

Norman R. Roberts Theatre Scholarship Fund Award  

Maxwell Wetherhold   

Northampton County Bar Association Award  

Emily Woodman  

Pan African Caucus Educational Scholarship (PACES)  

Ja’nayia Campbell, Faith Klump, and Miyoshy Stallings 

Awards Received at Previous Ceremonies: 

American Welding Society Foundation Award   

Logan Garner 

Irvine Freshman Leadership Award  

Madison Garcia 

Outstanding Funeral Service Education Student of the Year  

Ryan James 

Pennsylvania Funeral Directors Association Award  

Jennifer Lees 

Eastern Pennsylvania Funeral Directors NBE Award  

N’Dia Escobales  

Practical Nursing Clinical Performance Awards 

Michelle Mazzarella and Jennifer Winter 

Registered Nursing Awards 

Leadership:

Shaina Velasquez  

Clinical:

Rachel Samuels