Honors Student Association

The Honors Student Association (HSA) provides its members with social and service opportunities aimed toward building its members' characters and fostering a commitment to lifelong learning. Paralleling the goals of West Chester University's Honors College, HSA prepares students to become forces for positive change in both the campus and broader community with focus on leadership, academia, and service.

Thanks to all of the HSA members who completed a combined 2,860 hours of community service this past year!

In recognition, HSA received the Community Service Leadership Award for 2014-2015.

Community Service

Throughout the year, HSA offers its members opportunities to volunteer many hours of service on campus, in the local West Chester community, and surrounding areas. Community service is at the tenets of HSA because HSA's members believe being able to focus time and attention on someone else's needs not only sets a foundation for leadership ability but parallels one's character. As Dr. Dorothy Height, a great civil and women's rights activist once said, "without community service, we would not have a strong quality of life. It's important to the person who serves as well as the recipient. It's the way in which we ourselves grow and develop." Some projects and events they participate in includes Adopt-a-Block, food drives, Fall Clean-up at the Hickman, various needs at the Friends Association, service trips abroad, American Red Cross Blood Drives, WCU Banana Day, and fundraising runs on campus such as the Bringing Hope Home Halloween 5k.

Leadership

HSA provides students with opportunities to put leadership into practice. The organization offers upwards of twenty-five formal leadership positions, including executive-leadership roles and committee positions. Through entirely student-planned social events, service efforts, and meetings HSA allows members to utilize hallmarks of leadership, including creativity, delegation, communication, and team building. Additionally, leadership development is encouraged throughout the organization through programming aimed at developing more engaged and active leaders and citizens.

Academia

While service and leadership inspire much of the programming of HSA, a passion for celebrating and promoting academia remains a common thread throughout the organization. HSA organizes events such as the Outstanding Faculty Reception, which recognizes faculty members who students have identified as providing excellence in the classroom. Additionally, HSA has worked to partner student-to-faculty research partnerships, most recently resulting in the publication of project contributed to by HSA's Erin Yentz related to the Literacy and Cultural Heritage Map of Pennsylvania.

Quick Links

HSA Logo

Executive Board

Matthew Lienhauser Headshot

Matthew Lienhauser

Position: President
Major: Computer Science
Year: Senior

Ollie Desarno Headshot

Ollie DeSarno

Position: First Vice President
Major: Communication Studies
Year: Junior

Elise Klingaman headshot

Elise Klingaman

Position: Second Vice President
Major: Psychology
Year: Junior

Michael Nangle headshot

Michael Nangle

Position: Secretary
Major: English Education (Literature)
Year: Sophomore

Julianna Zak

Position: Treasurer
Major: Nursing
Year: Junior

Coordinators (Extended Exec.)

Carrie Smith headshot

Carrie Smith

Position: Aid to South Africa Coordinator
Major: Cell & Molecular Biology (Pre-Medical Program)
Year: Sophomore

Anna Dyska Headshot

Anna Dyska

Position: Alumni Coordinator
Major: Mathematics (BSED)
Year: Senior

Kaylee Richard Headshot

Kaylee Richard

Position: CCC Coordinator
Major: Business Management and Marketing
Year: Sophomore

Alyssa Harvey

Position: Community Service Coordinator
Major: Public Health
Year: Sophomore

Anna Hewitt Headshot

Anna Hewitt

Position: Fundraising Coordinator
Major: Nursing
Year: Junior

Erica Knorr headshot

Erica Knorr

Position: Immediate Past President
Major: Forensic Chemistry & Toxicology
Year:

Kartik Kumar Headshot

Kartik Kumar

Position: Recruitment Coordinator
Major: Cell & Molecular Biology
Year: Sophomore

Becca Shoemaker headshot

Becca Shoemaker

Position: Social Coordinator
Major: Communication Sciences & Disorders
Year: Senior

Directors

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Katie Coyle

Position: Public Relations
Major: Communication Studies
Year: Junior

Alex Dwyer headshot

Alex Dwyer

Position: Jazz Combo
Major: Music Education: Instrument
Year: Senior

Juah Toe Headshot

Juah Toe

Position: Sports & Recreation
Major: Psychology
Year: Junior

Nicole Faiola headshot

Nicole Faiola

Position: Choir
Major: Education: Voice
Year: Junior

Mark Gu tierrez headshot

Mark Gutierrez

Position: Historian
Major: Communication Studies
Year: Sophomore

Kathleen Shultz headshot

Kathleen Shultz

Position: Dance Captain
Major: Biology: Secondary Education
Year: Senior

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Zach Davis

Position: Trivia Night
Major: Accounting
Year: Freshman

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Sabrina Avanzato

Position: Date Auction
Major: Molecular Biology
Year: Freshman

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Melissa Roth,

Position: Dine & Donate
Major: Early Grades Prep/Special Education
Year: Junior

Morgan Murphy Headshot

Morgan Murphy

Position: Adopt- a- Block
Major: Business Management
Year: Sophomore

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Ryan Smith

Position: TAG Executive Director
Major: Accounting
Year: Sophomore

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Emily Matthews

Position: TAG Logistics Director
Major: Public Health
Year: Sophomore

Jacob Mann Headshot

Jacob Mann

Position: Honors House Sustainability/Graduate School Fair
Major: Geoscience: Earth Systems
Year: Junior

Matthew graves headshot

Matthew Graves

Position: Alumni Database Manager
Major: Chemistry/Biology
Year: Sophomore

Beth Brunnquell headshot

Beth Brunnquell

Position: Outstanding Faculty
Major: Early Grades Preparation
Year: Junior

Helena Mckendrick headshot

Helena McKendrick

Position: Student-Faculty Research
Major: Middle Grades Education
Year: Junior

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Sarah Croft

Position: International Outreach
Major: Political Science: International Relations
Year: Sophomore

Courtney Purdy headshot

Courtney Purdy

Position: HSA Happenings Editor
Major: Exercise Science & Pre-Occupational Therapy
Year: Sophomore

Molly Parkes headshot

Molly Parkes

Position: HSA Happenings Graphic Designer
Major: Mathematic Education & Special Education
Year: Sophomore

Alex Kuhn headshot

Alex Kuhn

Position: Technology
Major: Computer Science: Applied & Computational Mathematics
Year: Sophomore

Hannah Laboski Headshot

Hannah Laboski

Position: SGA Senator
Major: Early Grades Preparation
Year: Senior

Aid to South Africa Committee Chairs

Ollie Desarno headshot

Ollie DeSarno

Position: Assistant Director
Major: Communication Studies
Year: Junior

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Blair Cunningham

Position: Assistant Director
Major: Music Education & Violin Performance
Year: Senior

Kirsten Laughlin headshot

Kirsten Loughlin

Position: School Outreach
Major: Early Grades Prep/Special Education
Year: Sophomore

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Aly Magness

Position: Music & Entertainment
Major: Political Science: Government & Politics
Year: Freshman

Aly Magness headshot

Aly Magness

Position: Games and Activities
Major: Political Science: Government & Politics
Year: Freshman

Anna Dyska headshot Anna Dyska

Anna Dyska

Position: Games and Activities
Major: Mathematics (BSED)
Year: Senior

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Sabrina Avanzato

Position: Food and Vendors
Major: Molecular Biology
Year: Freshman

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Sophia Long

Position: Fundraising Advancement
Major: International Business
Year: Junior

Samantha Henderson Headshot

Samantha Henderson

Position: Fundraising Advancement
Major: Cell & Molecular Biology
Year: Senior

Kaylee Richard headshot

Kaylee Richard

Position: Media Hype
Major: Business Management & Marketing
Year: Sophomore

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Carly Lare

Position: Decorations & Awareness
Major: Exercise Science: Pre-Physical Therapy
Year: Freshman

Hank Kahl headshot

Hank Kahl

Position: Webmaster
Major: Computer Science
Year: Junior

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Julia Edwards

Position: Logistics
Major: Pure Mathematics
Year: Sophomore

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Justin Sartor

Position: Treasurer
Major: Mathematics/Actuarial Science
Year: Sophomore