Six members of the Medaille Mavericks women's bowling team were recently named to the National Tenpin Coaches Association (NTCA) 2017-18 All-Academic list. Medaille's Ysobel Conrad, Caitlyn Cornish, Mackenzie Derleth, Carla Hansen, Jennifer Stewart and Morgan Walsh are among the 268 student athletes recognized by the NTCA. To be recognized, a student athlete must have a cumulative GPA of 3.4 or higher for the academic school year.

Student volunteers from Medaille College recently ventured to Gooseneck Hill Waterfall Sanctuary to help the owners clean up their facility after damaging winter ice storms. Gooseneck Hill has over 700 waterfowl and 70 different species. Medaille volunteers included Shannon Butler, Jessica Culbert, Isabella Devine, Coryn Griffith, Rebecca Lesser and Alexandria Whiting-Mahoney.

Medaille College is proud to congratulate all of its 2018 graduates! Visit Medaille's Flickr page to view commencement photos from the May ceremonies by photographer Nancy J. Parisi, as well as photos and videos from the pre-ceremony gathering. To view official backdrop photos from Medaille's Alumni Association, visit medaille.edu/gradphotos. In addition, search #MedailleGrad18 on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for social media highlights.

Medaille College softball standout Laura Kratzke has been selected for a 2018 Fastpitch News (FPN) NCAA Division III All-American Honorable Mention. The sophomore received numerous honors during and following the Mavericks' 2018 season, including an award as Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) Player of the Year and spots on the AMCC All-Conference First Team as both a pitcher and as a designated player.

Medaille College student Andrew Parks, a pitcher on the Mavericks baseball team, has been selected as a recipient of the 2018 Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) Faculty Athletics Representatives Award. Parks and Penn State Behrend's Jordan Oberlande were chosen from among 18 student athletes named to the All-Academic Team. Parks, a communication major at Medaille, has recorded a 3.98 GPA through his junior year.

Medaille College student Brittney Schechterly recently helped train a Labrador Retriever named "Alan" for Guiding Eyes for the Blind, a nonprofit organization that provides trained dogs to people who are blind or visually impaired. Before starting as a trainer, the process involved an interview and extensive pre-placement classes. Schechterly received Alan in December 2016 as a six-week-old puppy. Weekly and then monthly classes followed. Finally, on March 18, 2018, Schechterly drove Alan to Yorktown Heights, NY, so he could begin training school. "I said goodbye, but stayed to watch his training test. The test lasts about 15 minutes and is held in front of a small audience and a panel of judges. Alan passed his test and impressed the judges so much that they put him on breed evaluation, which means he could be used as a stud to breed other future guide dogs." Schechterly takes great pride in Alan's performance, and the role she played in his success: "No matter what career path he chooses, Alan has made me so proud. I look forward to hearing about his progress throughout the next few years." One of Schechterly's professors at Medaille, Bernadette Clabeaux, Ph. D., says no one is better suited to be a trainer than Schechterly. "Brittney is an excellent student with a compassionate heart," Dr. Clabeaux says. "Her work with Guiding Eyes exemplifies her kindness. I had the privilege of watching Brittney practice her training skills with Alan and watched the connection between them grow over this year."

Medaille College sophomore Shawn Filas, a member of the Mavericks baseball team, was recently named to the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) All-Conference Third Team. Filas finished the 2018 campaign with a .330 batting average. 33 hits, 29 RBIs, a .460 slugging percentage and a .380 on-base percentage.

The Medaille College Mavericks softball team had a stellar 2018 season, one that saw postseason honors for a number of players. Earning spots on the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) All-Conference First Team were seniors Lauren Kocher and Sharon Trigilio, as well as sophomore Laura Kratzke. Earning a spot on the AMCC All-Conference Third Team was junior Mercedes Sulzbach. In addition, Kratzke was named the AMCC Softball Player of the Year.

Medaille College sophomore Connor Priester, a member of the Mavericks baseball team, was recently the subject of a feature story in the Niagara Gazette. The article discussed his journey from North Tonawanda to Medaille and highlighted his on- and off-field successes. In the feature, Medaille head coach Josh Sova calls Priester a "jack of all trades," adding, "If we had 10 Connor Priesters on our team, we'd be a pretty good team." Priester is studying sport management at Medaille and contributes to the "Beyond the Box Score" podcast. This summer, he will serve as a coach for the NT Americans Showcase Team.

Medaille students showcased their work at Student Research, Scholarship and Creativity Day on May 4. The second annual event featured the work of undergraduate and graduate students, as well as members of Medaille's distinguished faculty. Check out an album with photos from throughout the day on Flickr.

Poems, stories, art and photography from Medaille students is highlighted in the 2018 issue of Prelude, the College's literary magazine comprised entirely of student work. The 2018 issue can be read in its entirety on Medaille.edu. And check out photos from the Prelude publication party held on May 3 on Flickr. Students involved in the creation of the magazine include:

Medaille students, faculty and staff came together with students and families from the Valley Community Association (VCA) on April 27 to celebrate another year of Science in Bloom. The only program of its kind in the area, Science in Bloom fosters interest in science by engaging Buffalo Public Schools students enrolled in the VCA after-school program in college-level labs while being mentored by Medaille students. Participants in the program this year as teaching assistants or helpers were Marissa Brockway, Daniele Card, Clare Christy, Amanda Hartman, Michelle Magee, Belal Mohamed and Jennifer Ray.

Students in Medaille's master's in elementary education program recently made presentations and volunteered at the Niagara Frontier Reading Council (NFRC) spring professional development event on the topic "Media Literacy in the Era of 'Fake News.'" Sabrina Ruffolo presented on "Effective Strategies for Teaching Elementary Students About Fake News" and Jaclyn Kasprzak presented on "The Four Cs of 21st Century Learners: Teaching Elementary Students about Critical Thinking, Communication, Collaboration and Creativity." Fellow graduate students Danielle Blahowicz and Sierra Chojnacki volunteered to host the donations for Nicaragua raffle project. The mission of the NFRC is to promote literacy education, encourage professional development and provide community service that fosters literacy within Western New York.

International students in two classes at Medaille College recently partnered with the Resource Council of Western New York on a community-based learning project. As part of the "Read to Me Project," each Medaille student read a book and created a craft with a child during the after-school program; each child who participated went home with a book and the craft he or she made. Medaille students in assistant professor Lucy Czesak's Advanced College Writing for Multilingual Students course (ENG 202) included Juan Montoya, Pablo Ballesteros and Inmi Wi. Students in assistant professor Ping Zhu's College English-as-a-Second Language Conversation course (ESL 110) included Mingshuo Wang, Yunseon Choi, Bobae Nam and Mohamed Maalim.

"Is there a universal moral code?" That was the topic of a recent debate hosted by the newly formed Medaille College Debate Club. Adjunct professor Dr. Nicole M. Jowsey led a team that included Medaille students Javonne Bolden, Justin Garrett, Jordan Lux and Marissa Pecorella. Department of Social Sciences chair Dr. Timothy A. McCorry led a team that included Medaille students Melissa Chudzinski, Monique Davis, Daquan Williams and T'Zyah Vance. Dr. Jowsey's team used works by Immanuel Kant, St. Thomas Aquinas, Aristotle, St. Augustine and Martin Luther King, Jr., while Dr. McCorry's team used the works of Immanuel Kant, Hannah Arendt, Lawrence Kohlberg and Michel Foucault.

The Medaille College women's lacrosse team earned its second straight Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) Championship with a 23-7 victory over the D'Youville Spartans on April 24. Congrats to the Mavs, head coach Russell Allen, and assistant coaches Jody Lang and Sarah McCabe on the title. See the full Mavs roster at the Medaille Athletics website.

Medaille College sophomore Mitchell Ali, a midfielder on the Mavericks men's soccer team, has earned a spot on the FC Buffalo roster for 2018. The Wolves are the area's National Premier Soccer League team. Last year, Ali scored a career-best 11 goals and 28 points for the Mavs, earning him Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) All-Conference First Team honors, as well as a 2017 United Soccer Coaches NCAA D-III Men's All-Great Lakes Region Second Team selection. FC Buffalo opens its 2018 season on May 18 when the Wolves take on the Fort Pitt Regiment at All High Stadium in Buffalo.

A total of 104 Medaille College student-athletes recently received Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) Academic All-Conference honors. To be named to the Academic All-Conference Team, a student-athlete must earn at least a 3.2 cumulative GPA. Of the 104, 61 Mavericks earned at least a 3.5 cumulative GPA, resulting in Individual Peak Performer honors. The full list of Mavericks who received Academic All-Conference honors is below.

The Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) recently announced its 2017-18 Winter Sportsmanship Teams, and the list includes three Medaille Mavericks. Medaille's Winter Sportsmanship selections are freshman Elizabeth Minnard (bowling), sophomore Xavier Cisternino (men's basketball) and sophomore Deejah Burgess (women's basketball). The student-athletes were selected by their teammates for displaying good sportsmanship throughout the season.

Medaille College student Morgan Bedford has been chosen as a finalist for the InfoTech WNY BETAS (Buffalo Emerging Technology Awards Showcase) in the Student in Technology category. The category recognizes students who distinguish themselves in technology studies, demonstrate solid academics, and possess good character. The BETAS dinner and technology showcase will be held on May 3 at Buffalo RiverWorks. Bedford is a business administration - management information systems major at Medaille. She plays third base for the Medaille Mavericks softball team.

The Medaille College First-Year Experience (FYE) recently recognized students who completed the "Power of You" Leadership Development Program. The eight students are Tavon Brimmage, Kabura Elias, Stanley Simpson, Charlotte Ellis-Chamberlain, Mariah Sanders, Dajsha Laguerre, Qurana Brown and Aliyah Dandy.

An article written by a Medaille College graduate student, three Medaille professors and a local psychologist has been accepted for publication in the Psychology & Psychological Research International Journal. The article, titled "Psychology and Mental Health Practice: A Crisis of Leadership," was coauthored by doctor of clinical psychology student Marissa Peressotti; Medaille clinical associate professor Susan C. Steffan; Medaille clinical associate professor William G. Weeks; Medaille assistant professor Keith Klostermann, Ph.D.; and Theresa Mignone, a psychologist at the Buffalo VA Medical Center. (Peressotti is a member of Dr. Klostermann's research team.) This interdisciplinary collaboration looks at the role of mental health and psychology in leadership training.

Medaille College junior Kelsey Beres, a member of the women's lacrosse team, was recently recognized in stories on WKBW-TV Channel 7 and Sports Union WNY. The stories detail Beres's path to athletic success, which included a hiatus from lacrosse. Today, she is one of the Mavericks' most impactful players. "Go for it. Don't be afraid," Beres told WKBW's Jenna Callari. "Just push and work hard and it'll all be worth it." The West Seneca native is majoring in early childhood education at Medaille.

Medaille College has named the following students to the Dean's List for the fall 2017 semester. Students that meet the requirements of a minimum of 12 credit hours and earn a grade point average of 3.5 or higher for all credit hours carried during that semester are placed on the Dean's List.

Medaille College senior and Mavericks women's basketball captain Dani Reinwald capped off a record-setting career by sweeping the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) postseason awards. The Clymer, NY, native was named AMCC Player of the Year and AMCC Defensive Player of the Year. In addition, she was selected for the AMCC All Conference First Team. It was the third straight time Reinwald has been named to the AMCC All Conference First Team, and she now becomes the first Maverick in program history to be named both AMCC Defensive Player of the Year and Player of the Year.

Student participants in Medaille's Emerging Leaders Certificate program recently took part in Leadership Training Day. During the day-long event, students discussed what leadership is, why it is difficult to define, what it looks like, and why it is important to understand how others communicate differently. Students participating in Leadership Training Day included Aliyah Dandy, Vanessa Delgado, Kiarra Hall, Abigail Hlawn, Lynzee Hoffman, Alyssa Murzynowski and Rodshaleek Pino.

Students in Medaille's master's in elementary education program recently made poster presentations at the Niagara Frontier Reading Council (NFRC) Winter Professional Development Event on Literacy and STEAM (Science Technology Engineering, Art and Math) Education. Students presented as part of their Technology for the Elementary Classroom course under the guidance of Medaille clinical assistant professor Mary Beth Scumaci. The following students are pictured from left: Katie Hartog presented on coding and girls in STEM; Brittney Zielinski presented on SMASH math; Patrick Eustace presented on the use of Legos to enhance engineering and architectural skills; Danielle Blahowicz presented on the pedagogy and importance of STEM/STEAM education in the curriculum; and Sierra Chojnacki researched the area of technology and apps to enhance literacy skills. The students had the opportunity to network and participate in the event with local educators, librarians, administrators and community members. The mission of the NFRC is to promote literacy education, encourage professional development and provide community service that fosters literacy within Western New York.

Medaille College student Grace Krzan of Orchard Park, NY, has been accepted into the College of Veterinary Medicine at the Ohio State University. "Grace is an intelligent, hard-working student whose dedication has helped her achieve her goals," says Dr. Bernadette Clabeaux, clinical assistant professor in Medaille's Department of Science, Mathematics and Technology. "Over the summer, Grace was also a participant in the Loop Abroad program studying wildlife conservation. We are so proud of you and everything you've accomplished, Grace!"

Medaille College student Marissa Brockway of Camillus, NY, has earned a spot at Lincoln Memorial University College of Veterinary Medicine. She is a supplemental instructor for Medaille's BIO 170 and BIO 171 courses and is president of the Vet Tech Club. "Marissa has worked so hard and been so dedicated in her biology and vet tech courses," says Dr. Bernadette Clabeaux, clinical assistant professor in Medaille's Department of Science, Mathematics and Technology. "We are very proud of her achievements. Congratulations, Marissa!"

Medaille College student Leanna Hoover of Rochester, NY, has been accepted into the College of Veterinary Medicine at the Ohio State University. "Leanna is an exceptional student," says Dr. Bernadette Clabeaux, clinical assistant professor in Medaille's Department of Science, Mathematics and Technology. "She has consistently done well in her biology and vet tech courses, and all of her hard work has paid off. Congratulations, Leanna!"