First-generation honor society at University Park inducts inaugural class

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Eta Psi chapter of Tri-Alpha, a national honor society for first-generation college students, inducted its first members on April 22 at a ceremony in the Pattee and Paterno Library’s Foster Auditorium.

The inaugural class included 55 student members who are enrolled across 13 Penn State colleges, pursuing 32 different majors and hailing from 13 different states, and also included 18 spring graduates. The student members also include four executive leaders from First-Gen Advocates, a student organization at University Park that promotes awareness, advocacy and support for the broader first-generation student community. In addition to students, the class inductee class included 14 alumni and five “honorary” faculty/staff members.

Members took a pledge to “recognize your responsibility to your family, to future generations and yourself to finish what you have started, to be a source of support to your community (especially when the way seems uncertain) and to support your peers in their journeys of being ‘first.’”

The induction ceremony was supported by Megan Gilpin, outreach coordinator for University Libraries at Penn State; donors Mike and Diane Katzaman, who were also inducted; the First-Gen Advisory Council and included giveaways for families and guests donated by the Penn State Parents Program.

Juan Armando Veruete, assistant dean for Undergraduate Affairs in the Smeal College of Business, was inducted as an alumni member on April 22.

“I joined Tri-Alpha because I think it's important for first-gen students to have examples of what is possible through education,” Veruete said. “More importantly, Tri Alpha provides first-gen students with a supportive community that sends a strong message that 'Yes' you belong here and even more importantly that we believe in you. Sometimes all it takes to motivate a student to overcome barriers is knowing that they have one person in your corner cheering them on. I hope that Tri-Alpha will grow year after year so that first-gen students will have many people in their corner. I know that we will highly encourage it among our first-gen students in Smeal.”

About Tri-Alpha and how to apply to the Eta Psi chapter

Tri-Alpha is a nonprofit (501(c)3) chapter-based membership organization located at colleges and universities within the United States. An active Tri-Alpha chapter promotes academic excellence and provides opportunities for personal growth, leadership development, and campus and community service for first-generation college students. Induction into Tri-Alpha is earned by outstanding academic achievement and lasts a lifetime. The society’s mission is to encourage and reward academic excellence among first-generation college students pursuing an associate’s or bachelor’s degree. Undergraduate students, graduate students, alumni, faculty, staff and administrators can apply for membership.

The Eta Psi chapter is overseen by the Student Success Center, a central student support office aligned with Undergraduate Education. Eta Psi is advised by Denise Poole, the center’s director. Eta Psi is one of five Tri-Alpha chapters at Penn State. The other campuses with Tri Alpha chapters include Penn State Abington, Penn State Lehigh Valley,  Penn State Altoona and Penn State York. A total of 243 new members were inducted this spring across all five chapters. Tri-Alpha members who are changing campus or those transferring to Penn State University Park from another institution may seamlessly join the Eta Psi chapter community with adviser approval.

The 2025 Tri-Alpha Eta Psi application will launch on the national First-Gen Celebration Day (Nov. 8) and remain open until Feb. 3. More information can be found at success.psu.edu.

Members inducted into the 2024 class

The following members were inducted into the 2024 class of the Eta Psi chapter of Tri-Alpha:

Student Members

College of Arts and Architecture

• Luke Mark Kranyak

College of Agricultural Sciences

• Angelina Hope Fontanez
• Mickaela Gregory
• Madison Jurcik

Smeal College of Business

• Jason S. Batista
• Carla Bravo
• Tyquann Anthony Crawford
• Ayaan Ehtesham
• Nicole Guzman
• Lydia Imoleayo Mabamije
• Samantha McArthur
• Joseph Rosero Rueda
• Brianna Meaghan Schroeder
• Shyanne Torres

Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications

• Logan A. LaFromboise
• Cristian Mexquititla
• Lauren Smeraldo
• Sadie Wilhelm

College of Education

• Talia Alise Daley
• April Komal
• Alexandra Gabrielle Mac Pherson
• Denise Poole
• Renata Scott

College of Earth and Mineral Sciences

• Shihua Han

College of Engineering

• Tobey Field
• Nathaniel Hendricks (inducted 2023 at Penn State Lehigh Valley)
• Alexis Kaylor
• Taras Kowal
• Jacob Noel
• Cody Steiert
• Xinyi Zhou

College of Health and Human Development

• Vincent Allsup
• Deanna Chodkowski
• Aryana Isabel Harris
• Sophia Noelle Ianni
• Mandy Prescott
• Madison Walsh

Huck Institutes of Life Sciences

• Jessica E. Brown

College of Information Sciences and Technology

• RaeNeice Dunbar
• Marissa Tolomeo

College of the Liberal Arts

• Kaylie Rose Lusk
• Lauren Mazzatesta
• Delany Stephanie Moreno
• Aliana María Román
• Gabrielle Olivia Stokes

Eberly College of Science

• Nicole Bobbie
• Samantha Caballero
• Gabrielle Davis
• Alyssa DeFelice
• Mauricio Gamonal
• Madison Gugger
• Natalia Guzman
• Cheyenne Hileman
• Alex Pepper
• Nina Sampogne
• Leah Marie Sanchez

Honorary Members

• Melissa C. Johnson, associate vice provost, Undergraduate Education
• Patricia Klug, director, Chaiken Center for Student Success, College of the Liberal Arts
• Clarence Lang, dean, College of the Liberal Arts
• Becky Moore, academic adviser, College of Education
• Tammy Shannon, academic adviser, College of Agricultural Sciences

Alumni Members

• Jillian Barskey, class of 2021
• Jamie Campbell, class of 2023
• Dawn Sedorovich Chianese, class of 2005 and 2008
• Noel Claudio, class of 2014
• Jill Callahan Engle, class of 1990
• Donna M. Helsel, class of 1991
• Michael E. Katzaman, class of 1973
• Diane M. Katzaman, class of 1971
• Roderick Lee, class of 2008
• Olivia K. Lewis, class of 2015
• Johanna M. Ramos, class of 1999
• Jeffrey Thomas, class of 2022
• Juan Veruete, class of 1996
• Dynisty Wright, class of 2023

About the Student Success Center 

The Student Success Center is part of Penn State Undergraduate Education. The Student Success Center opened in 2019 and is located at 325 Boucke Building on the University Park campus. The center supports undergraduate students and their advocates by contributing to a University-wide culture of care and assisting students as they strive toward academic goals and degree completion. Learn more at success.psu.edu.