Published: July 30, 2008 12:43 pm      

Success stories | AF&AM reappoints Johnstown resident

The Rev. Julius C. Porcher Jr. of Johnstown has been reappointed as right worthy grand chaplain of the Most Worshipful Hiram Grand Lodge, AF&AM Inc. of Pennsylvania.

Porcher is a member of Living Stones No. 51 AF&AM of Pittsburgh.

C. Cambria graduate receives award

Jennifer M. Beach, daughter of Marc Beach and a 2004 graduate of Cambria Heights High School, Patton, has received the College Chemistry Award presented by the Society for Analytical Chemists of Pittsburgh.

She received a degree in chemistry/forensic investigative science from West Virginia University.

Beach was a member of the honor college and Phi Lambda Upsilon National Chemistry Honorary.

She was on the dean’s and president’s lists and received the Willard Hodge and M.J. Garlow scholarships.

Ebensburg resident earns Juris Doctor

Ryan C. Frank, son of Robert and Shirley Frank of Ebensburg, has earned a Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School, Cambridge, Mass.

Frank was a member of the student government.

He was recognized for performing more than 1,000 hours of pro bono work while he was a student.

He is a graduate of George Washington University.

IUP junior earns honorable mention

Simone Marcus of Somerset has received an honorable mention at the national 2008 Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival competition.

Marcus, a junior theater major at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, was recognized in the Alcone Makeup Design Award category for her makeup designs for “The Beauty Queen of Leenane.”

Collegian is named outstanding senior

Bethany Peracchino of Sidman has been named as an outstanding senior by the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants and La Roche College, Philadelphia.

She was recommended for the award for her success in the classroom and potential for a career in accounting.

Laurel Valley grad is on dean’s list

Joshua M. James, son of Rod and Darla James of Fairfield Township, Westmoreland County, has been named to the spring semester dean’s list at Rochester (N.Y.) Institute of Technology.

He is a freshman studying mechanical engineering technology.

James is a 2007 graduate of Laurel Valley High School, New Florence.

C. Township graduate earns doctorate

Alicia J. Saylor, daughter of Barry R. Saylor of Davidsville and Dr. Candice J. Dunn of Lancaster County, has earned a doctorate in neuroscience from the Medical University of South Carolina.

She is the granddaughter of Robert and Audrey Saylor of Davidsville and Ed and Mabel Rusnak of Salix.

Saylor’s dissertation work during the past six years has been “Brain-derived Neurotrophic Factor Maintains the Integrity of Striatal Spiny Neurons: Interactions with Amphetamines.”

She has published several articles in various neuroscience journals.

A 1998 graduate of Conemaugh Township Area High School, Davidsville, she received a bachelor’s degree in psychobiology from Albright College in 2002.

Saylor has accepted a staff position at Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, N.Y., where she will instruct neuroscience courses and establish and oversee a neuroscience lab.

UPJ freshman receives scholarships

Douglas Zubal, son of John and Judy Zubal of Johnstown, has received an academic excellence scholarship, a presidential scholarship, an academic competitive scholarship and a Wal-Mart scholarship during his freshman year at Pitt-Johnstown.

Zubal is majoring in mathematics and civil engineering technology.

He was on the dean’s list during the fall and spring semesters of his freshman year.

Zubal is a member of the UPJ Rugby Club and plays AAABA baseball.

He is a graduate of Richland Senior High School, where he received the Air Force Math/

Science Award, Computer Science Award and Physical Education Award; was a member of the National Honor Society; and was an All-American Scholar.

He is employed by PennDOT as a summer engineering intern.

Brother, sister receive degrees

Scott and Dana McAllister, son and daughter of James and Barbara McAllister of Johnstown, have earned degrees.

Scott McAllister earned a doctoral degree in chemical engineering from Princeton University.

The title of his thesis was “Mathematical Optimization and Algorithmic Development for Protein Structure Prediction.”

In 2006, he received the Charlotte Elizabeth Procter Honorific Fellowship, which provided funding for his independent research in the areas of rearrangement clustering techniques, molecular discovery applications and generalized assignment problems.

A 1998 graduate of Westmont Hilltop High School, he received a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Penn State in 2002.

He is a senior engineer at Exxon Mobil in Fairfax, Va.

Dana McAllister graduated magna cum laude with a master’s degree in physician assistant science from St. Francis University, Loretto.

She was listed in Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges and is on the national dean’s list.

In addition, serving as co-president, she helped create a new campus chapter of Students Working Against Tobacco.

She is a 2003 graduate of Westmont Hilltop High School.

McAllister is employed by Marple Medical Associates, a cardiology group in Broomall, Delaware County.