AU
Andrew Umbel
  • Accounting
  • Class of 2014
  • Friendsville, MD

Six Garrett County Students Recognized With Frostburg State University Honors

2014 Jun 9

Six local students were among the graduate and undergraduate students recognized at Frostburg State University's Honors Convocation in May.

Kristen DeWitt of Oakland, who received departmental honors in psychology and sociology, was a member of several notable organizations, including Psi Chi, the Sociology National Honor Society Alpha Kappa Delta and the National Society of Leadership and Success, where she was the community service and fundraising executive board chair. She also received the National Engaged Leader Award. Dewitt served as an undergraduate learning and lab assistant for FSU's general psychology courses and conducted research in her Sociology Capstone class on the attitudes of college students toward casual sex, dating and marriage. She will present a research poster at the prestigious American Psychological Association meetings in Washington, D.C., in August. Her volunteer activities are extensive. At present, she is completing an internship at the Massie Unit, an addictions treatment facility, and plans to pursue a master's in counseling psychology. A graduate of Southern High School, she is the daughter of David and Sandy DeWitt.

Hannah Hare of Swanton, who received graduate program honors in reading, earned a bachelor's in early childhood/elementary education from FSU in 2012. She has displayed a wonderful leadership style, through her direction and coordination of the Second Annual Children's Literature Centre Book Award Banquet and the Spring Festival of Children's Literature. Hare also secured Maryland State Department of Education continuing credits offered for the very first time at this year's Spring Festival of Children's Literature. The defining evidence of Hare's kindness and gentle soul was when Will Hillenbrand, children's author and illustrator, recently dedicated his new book, "Snowman's Story," to her. Hare's career goal is to be an elementary teacher. A graduate of Northern Garrett High School in Accident, she is the daughter of Mary Ann and James Hare of Swanton.

Summer Mossman of Swanton, who received departmental honors in law and society, graduated with a double major in law and society and political science, and a minor in psychology. She successfully participated in a summer internship with the Cumberland City Police Department and accepted a Bloom Scholarship to attend the West Virginia University College of Law next fall. She was a member of Pi Sigma Alpha Political Science Honor Society and Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society and was on the dean's list every semester. Mossman is a graduate of Southern Garrett High School in Oakland. She is the daughter of Joy Undutch-Jenkins of Swanton.

Andrew Umbel of Friendsville, who received departmental honors in accounting, worked steadily while attending FSU and just completed an internship with Turnbull, Hoover and Kahl, CPAs. Umbel was inducted into the Beta Gamma Sigma Business Honor Society and received an Associate Degree Scholars Award, the Turnbull, Hoover and Kahl Scholarship and the Hot Stove Scholarship. He is also very active in the stewardship of his church and involved in various volunteer activities, providing local community service as well as aid for international victims of conflict, poverty, natural disasters, disease and famine. Umbel plans to become a CPA. A graduate of Northern Garrett High School in Accident, he is the son of Roy and Sonya Umbel of Friendsville.

Meghan Voelkel of Accident, who received departmental honors in mathematics, studied tessellations of the plane for her capstone project, a topic that allowed her to combine her mathematical and artistic talents. She was an active member of Kappa Mu Epsilon, the national mathematics honors society. Outside of academics, Voelkel was very active as a volunteer. This past summer, she spent six weeks in Peru assisting local communities in Cusco. She coordinated FSU's Read to Succeed program through AmeriCorps and was an advisor for the local chapter of Alpha Phi Omega, a national service fraternity. A graduate of Northern Garrett High School, she is the daughter of Mike and Carol Voelkel.

LaDawn Yoder of Grantsville, who received departmental honors in social work, spent a year in India and made shorter trips to Guatemala, which gave her a well-grounded perspective on life. She has a strong record of University and community awards and service and was instrumental in raising funds to address the worldwide issue of human trafficking. Yoder's career goal is to work with agencies that fight against human trafficking through prevention, empowerment, aftercare and reintegration. She was a member of the Phi Alpha Honor Society for Social Work and has been accepted into the University of Maryland's School of Social Work Graduate Program. Yoder, who was homeschooled through the Christian Liberty Academy in Arlington Heights, Ill., is the daughter of Paul and Linda Yoder of Hyndman, Pa.