WHEELING, W. Va. – Wheeling Jesuit University will introduce this year’s inductees into Alpha Sigma Nu, the national Jesuit honor society, at a ceremony scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday, April 26 in WJU’s Chapel of Mary and Joseph.
Alpha Sigma Nu honors students who distinguish themselves in scholarly pursuits, loyalty to the ideals of Jesuit education and service to others.
WJU’s Fr. Michael Steltenkamp, S.J., noted the exclusivity of these nominations. “Alpha Sigma Nu is the premier honor society on each Jesuit university campus. To qualify for induction, one must be recognized for excelling in academics, service to others, and fidelity to values represented by Jesuit tradition. Even then, only a limited number of juniors and seniors are inducted each year.”
WJU Alpha Sigma Nu chapter was recognized in 2005 by the University of Kentucky’s Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues as a model program for the 27 other Jesuit institutions of higher learning, as it is the only school whose service project of delivering leftover bread from grocery stores and bakeries to Wheeling’s Catholic Neighborhood Center is a year round operation.
This year’s inductees participated in a wide array of service projects in addition to the “Daily Bread” runs, including immersion trips to New Orleans and El Salvador.
Below is the complete list of 2013 inductees, and a summary of the works that have earned each membership in this special group.
Shriya Adhikary is a senior communications and international studies major from Annandale, Va. A resident assistant (RA) for three years, she served as news editor for the student newspaper, The Cardinal Connection and secretary for the Circle K. She participated in the New Orleans immersion trip, is a member of the International Studies Honor Society, received the Gloriam Award, is a Laut Scholar, and a member of Ignatian Honors College. After graduation, Adhikary plans to working for a non-profit agency in the Washington, D.C. area.
Brandi Bahmer is from Barnesville, Ohio and is a junior biology major with minors in chemistry and psychology. She has been a member of the WJU Key Club International, an Arrupe Scholar, a Mendel Club member and has been on the women’s lacrosse team. Bahmer participated in services trips to East Wheeling and Mingo County, W.Va., volunteered at the Welty Home, Marshall County Animal Shelter, Schrader Environmental Center and the Smart Center. She has been involved with the Disc Dance, Special Olympics, Marshall County Youth Club and the Ronald McDonald House in Morgantown.
Sarah Creamer is an elementary and secondary education and English major from St. Albans, W.Va. She has been active in music ministry—playing the flute at Sunday masses. A member of the Mother Jones House, Creamer has been a staff member of Jewelweed and has served as its co-editor. She participated in the Kairos Retreat, the New Orleans immersion Trip twice, the El Salvador immersion trip and the Big Laurel Wood chopping trip twice. A staff writer for the Cardinal Connection, she has been a writing tutor for the Academic Resource Center, is a Laughlin Chapel volunteer and is a member of Circle K. A member of the Laut and Ignatian Honors programs, Creamer has won the Gloriam Award, and is vice president of Sigma Tau Delta, the English honor society. She will be teaching elementary school in the Mississippi Delta Region as a 2013 Teach for AmeriCorps.
Robert (Zac) Currence is a junior from Morgantown, W.Va. majoring in athletic training. He won the Gloriam Award and was named to the NCAA WVIAC Commissioner’s Honor Roll for men’s soccer. Currence also participated in the New Orleans immersion trip and was a speaker for the Freshman Overnight Retreat, He helped with Special Olympics, Super Sunday, the kickball tournament for autism and the “Spring into Spring Clothing Drive.” Currence also assists with the bread runs to the Catholic Neighborhood Center. He is a resident assistant and was on the soccer team.
Jennifer G. Elias is a Wheeling native majoring in business management. Currently, the President of the French Club, she has been in Student Government for four years and is its president. A member of the College Activities Board, she has been a recipient of the Gloriam Award for the past three years. Named Collegian of the Year as a sophomore, Elias was a Laut scholar during her freshman and sophomore year and a Luceat her sophomore year as well. She volunteers as manager of WJU’s swim team. She hopes to attend graduate school and pursue an M.B.A.
Ashley Ann Fagert, is from Durham, N.C., is a doctoral student in physical therapy. She is vice president of the Physical Therapy Club and will be going to Peru to perform PT outreach to the underprivileged who cannot afford health care. She served as co-chair for the “Let’s Get Physical 5K Walk/Run” and volunteers at Catholic Social Ministry, the annual Ogden Race, Oglebay’s Oktoberfest,and the Easter Seals Trick or Treat. Fagert also put together shoeboxes of presents for Operation Christmas Child, which were sent to Africa and Venezuela.
Vera Filatova is a senior from Portland, Maine, who is majoring in biology. She has served as president of the Beta Beta Beta, the biology honor society, and has received the WV Space Grant Undergraduate Fellowship. She has been involved in cancer research at both the University of Pittsburgh and WJU, and will continue her neuroscience research at WVU. A member of the WJU Dance Team, she serves as a WJU peer instructor, and is a member of the WJU Mission and Identity Team and cheerleading squad. She has been a student ambassador, a Kairos Angel and Freshman Overnight Angel. After graduation, Filatova plans to enroll in the physician’s sssistant program at Marietta College.
Donald (Luke) Kopp is from Clarksburg, W.Va. and is a junior majoring in criminal justice and minoring in computer science. He has served on the Campus Activities Board and will serve as its president next year. Kopp also is the president of the Criminal Justice Club, assists in Campus Ministry and has served with Cardinal Connection as its sport/special event photographer. A Luceat for one year, he has been an RA and member of Student Government. A volunteer-counselor for the American Legion Mountaineer Boys State, he also volunteers as an umpire for Little League Baseball.
Amanda Elizabeth Kyle is a junior nursing major from Wadsworth, Ohio. An RA for two years, she served as a participant and director for the freshman overnight retreat, participated in Kairos 16 and served as a small group leader in Kairos 18. Kyle is a member of the Chamber Singers and the Student Nursing Association. She is an Arrupe Scholar and has received the Gloriam Award. She also has been a HESS mentor, an Appalachian Institute student ambassador and has participated in a service trip to Mingo County. A volunteer at the Florence Crittenton Home and Wheeling Hospital, she is a lifeguard at WJU.
Colin P. Lawler is a senior from Cherry Hill, N.J. majoring in integrated marketing communications. He has been a member of the men’s swim. Serving as a student ambassador, he was also the “Freshmen Overnight” team leader, participated in the Ohio County Relay for Life and has volunteered at Special Olympics. After graduation, Lawler plans to continue working at WTRF-TV 7 in Wheeling where he has been employed for the past 2 years.
Ryan Naumann is a junior from Valley Grove, W.Va. majoring in criminal justice. A member of student government for two years, he has served as a Luceat, an Admissions ambassador, and entertainment chair of the Campus Activities Board. Performing many roles within campus ministry, he has been both vice-president and treasurer of the Criminal Justice Club.
Michael Durant Probert is a senior from Frederick, Md. majoring in athletic training. Probert traveled to New Orleans on this year’s immersion trip, and is a member of the rugby team. He also sings with WJU’s Music Ministry at evening masses and is a four-year member of the WJU Chamber Singers. Probert is also a member of the Mendel Club and the Athletic Training Club. He hopes to one day earn a degree of Physician Assistant.
Katie Riordan is a junior nursing major from Beaver Falls, Pa. A Laut Scholar, she has participated in three freshman overnight retreats, served as a mentor with the HESS program and the adolescent mentoring program. She is a lector and eucharistic minister in Campus Ministry, has been a member of WJU Pep Band, and has been accepted at the Mother Jones House for her senior year.
Allison R. Santer is a senior from Poca, W.Va. majoring in English with a minor in psychology. As a Laut Scholar, she has volunteered at the Welty Home and Faith in Action Caregivers. She headed up a project with the Ignatian Honors Society that entailed writing letters to soldiers overseas and sending them goods. Santer served as the news and arts & living editor for the Cardinal Connection. She is a member of Justice And Peace in Our Time, Sigma Tau Delta, the fund raising team for the Ignatian Honors Society, secretary for Sigma Tau Delta and staff member of Jewelweed. Santer also is nvolved with the HESS program and plans to attend law school after graduation.
Andrew Dillon Smith of Washington, Pa., is a junior majoring in biology with a minor in chemistry. He has served as a mentor with the Adolescent Mentoring Program, is an RA, and works as a research assistant during the summer at WJU. Smith has received the Gloriam Award, led the Freshman Overnight Retreat, and participated in the fall wood chopping trip to Mingo County. He is a member of Beta Beta Beta, the Mendel Club, and volunteers at Wheeling Hospital. Smith is an Eagle Scout and currently serves as a Boy Scout troop leader.
Bailey Nathan Warfield is a junior from Jerusalem, Ohio with a double major in English and philosophy. Captain of the WJU golf team, he is a student ambassador and delivers bread to the Catholic Neighborhood Center. He is a mentor for the HESS program, took part in the Special Olympics program and is an organist at his parish.
Sarah Marie Williams is a senior nursing major from Pataskala, Ohio. On the staff of the Cardinal Connection, she is a member of the Chamber Singers, and the Student Nurses Association, serving as its treasurer. She was part of the wood chopping trip to Mingo County and has participated in immersion trips to Camden, N.J., New Orleans, and El Salvador. Williams lives at the Mother Jones House and volunteers at Laughlin Chapel and the Catholic Neighborhood Center.
