Penn State Honors 174 Students for Academic Excellence

When 174 students achieve exceptional grades in a single semester, it's worth celebrating with breakfast and recognition.

Penn State's Office of Scholars Programs held its fifth Scholars of Excellence Celebration on February 16, honoring students who earned outstanding GPAs during Fall 2025. The Monday morning event in the HUB brought together honorees, staff, and academic partners to acknowledge what happens when students receive structured support.

"When 174 scholars rise to the level of excellence in a single semester and 74% of our cohort earns between a 3.0 and 4.0 GPA, that tells a powerful story about what is possible in community," says Senior Director Morgan H. Okello. The numbers back up her enthusiasm: since launching in 2023, the celebration has conferred 844 awards total.

The honored students come from five scholarship programs, including Bunton-Waller Fellows, Lenfest Scholars, and Milton Hershey Scholars. Among them is Ulises Henriquez, a nuclear engineering major from El Salvador who will serve as student marshal for his program's graduating class. Norma Sannon, pursuing both a master's in international affairs and a bachelor's in global studies, spoke about the value of excellence alongside Henriquez.

The Office of Scholars Programs supports approximately 600 students annually across multiple campuses. Their team includes academic coaches, graduate assistants, program assistants who live in the first-year dorm community, and mental health interns from the Herr Clinic.

Why This Inspires

The celebration exists because Director of Academic Engagement Joseph Appel noticed something important: while staff spent significant time helping struggling students, most scholars were actually excelling. He proposed honoring their success too, and now those students see their names displayed on an Excellence Wall that updates each semester.

"Each time I attend the Scholars of Excellence breakfast, I'm reminded of the community that has supported me from day one," said Anhjay Brown, the inaugural student speaker and senior in Information Sciences and Technology. "Seeing the scholars I started with motivates me to keep moving forward."

The program works because it balances intervention with celebration. Students know someone notices when they struggle, but they also know someone celebrates when they succeed.