Educational Development Program will honor outstanding alumna and students March 25
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The Educational Development Program (EDP) at SUNY Fredonia will celebrate its 28th annual awards ceremony at 4 p.m. on March 25 in the Horizon Room of the Williams Center. Campus and community members are welcome to attend the event free of charge.
The event will recognize student achievement in the classroom as well as community contributions. EDP students earning at least a 2.7 grade point average while completing 12 or more credits during the spring and fall 2009 semesters will receive academic certificates. Silver certificates go to students with a 2.7 to 3.29 GPA, while gold certificates are given to students who have a GPA of 3.3 or higher. This year, 89 silver and 41 gold certificates will be presented..
Students are not the only ones who will be acknowledged for their accomplishments. Campus departments and alumni will also receive credit for their achievements. This year, Lograsso Health Center will be awarded the Exemplary Service Award, which recognizes the support and dedication of those who have been crucial in helping EDP accomplish its mission.
EDP will also present its Distinguished Alumni Award, which celebrates the success of an EDP graduate who has accomplished personal and career goals and demonstrated a commitment to leadership and academic excellence. Audrey Pitts, a 1982 graduate who is the administrator/vice president of Progressive Home Health Services in New York City, will be Fredonia’s 28th recipient of this honor.
“Celebrating our students’ accomplishments in this public forum and acknowledging their academic successes encourages them to remember their power to excel and sets the perfect example for other students to believe in themselves and understand that hard work matters,” said Janet Knapp, EDP Interim Director. “This event also provides the opportunity for our program to thank the campus and community for their support and assistance in serving EDP students.”
During a private ceremony preceding the event, eight new members will be inducted into Fredonia’s Alpha Mu chapter of the Chi Alpha Epsilon National Honor Society. Founded at the West Chester University of Pennsylvania in 1989 by Dr. Elbert M. Saddler, Chi Alpha Epsilon recognizes the academic achievements of students admitted to colleges and universities through non-traditional criteria. It aims to promote continued high academic standards, foster increased communication among its members, and honor academic excellence. Fredonia’s chapter, started in 1999, will now have 144 inductees, all of whom have been EDP and Full Opportunity Program full-time students who achieved a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better for two consecutive semesters.
SUNY Fredonia’s EDP is part of the state-wide Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), which is an academic support program for underprepared and financially disadvantaged students. EDP serves the needs of those who are capable of collegiate study but need assistance exploring their specific capabilities. The EDP staff includes a director, counselors, secretary, and peer advisors, who are committed to the personal and educational development of all students and strive to develop within each student a strong sense of responsibility, pride and commitment.
