Local Residents Among Students Honored at The University of Scranton

2015 Jul 1

Emily Ann Goss of Morristown, Michelle T. Graham of Succasunna, Melissa C. Olsakowski of Randolph, and Amanda Jo Sonzogni of Long Valley were among the 59 members of The University of Scranton's undergraduate class of 2015 honored for academic excellence, service or both at Class Night on May 29. Also recognized were the University's two Fulbright scholarship recipients for the 2015-2016 academic year.

Goss was the recipient of the Excellence in Early and Primary Education Award. An early and primary education major, Goss graduated summa cum laude. She was Treasurer of Kappa Delta Pi, the international honor society. Goss was a member of Alpha Lambda Delta, the national honor society of freshmen; and SECUS, the Student Education Club of the University of Scranton. She plans to pursue a Masters in Special Education and teach in her hometown. Goss was a graduate of Morristown High School.

Graham received the Professor Joseph P. Harper Award for Excellence in Physics. A member of the Honors Program, Graham graduated summa cum laude with a biophysics major and a mathematics minor. She was a member of Alpha Lambda Delta, the national honor society of freshmen; Sigma Pi Sigma, the national honor society in physics; the Institute of Electric and Electronic Engineers; the University of Scranton Physics Club; and the American Sign Language Club. Graham tutored at the Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence for four years. She plans to attend graduate school for biomedical engineering and to become an American Sign Language interpreter. Graham was a graduate of Roxbury High School in Succasunna.

Olsakowski received the Excellence in Latin American Studies Award. She graduated summa cum laude with a major in biology, a minor in Spanish, and a concentration in Latin American studies. Olsakowski was a member of Alpha Lambda Delta, the national honor society of freshmen; Alpha Epsilon Delta, the national health pre-professional honor society; Beta Beta Beta, the national honor society of biology; Phi Lambda Upsilon, the national chemistry honor society; and Alpha Sigma Nu, the national Jesuit honor society. She participated in HPO, the Health Professions Organization; FSRP, the Faculty/Student Research Program; SFTMP, the Student-Faculty Teaching Mentorship Program; and the Leahy Community Health and Family Center. She was the Vice President of the Leahy Student Advisory Board. Olsakowski volunteered for Head Start Preschools and the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. She tutored at the Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence. After graduation, Olsakowski will be an AmeriCorps and Community HealthCorps volunteer for the Zufall Health Center in Morristown. Olsakowski graduated from Randolph High School.

Sonzogni received the Excellence in Entrepreneurship Award. She graduated magna cum laude with a double major in entrepreneurship and marketing and a minor in operations management. Sonzogni was a member of the Business Leadership Honors Program; Alpha Lambda Delta, the national honor society of freshmen; and Omega Beta Sigma, the women's business honor society. She was President of the Business Club. Sonzogni was a member of "Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges," the Lean-In Women's Circle, and the Entrepreneurship Mentoring Group. She traveled to Rwanda with the entrepreneurship program, and she studied abroad in Copenhagen. Starting July 2105, she will work for Goldman Sachs in New York City. Sonzogni was a graduate of West Morris Central High School in Chester.