Mansfield University Home PageAwards are given out based on Awards Criteria.
2009 - 2010
Danielle Kleckner chosen as "Outstanding Senior in Criminal Justice"; Rachel Boyll Nominated as an "At-Large" Nominee
Danielle Kleckner, a senior with a 4.00 GPA, is the Department of Criminal Justice’s nominee for Mansfield’s "Outstanding Senior Award." Danielle was last year’s "Outstanding Junior in Criminal Justice."
Danielle interned with the PA Attorney General’s Office last summer in State College, in their Bureau of Narcotics Investigation. There she assisted in the surveillance of controlled buys of narcotics with confidential informants, prepared for and attended trials and preliminary hearings of defendants, and assisted on scheduled narcotics raids. At Mansfield, Danielle is a member of the Criminal Justice Club and is a founding member of Alpha Phi Sigma National Honor Society in Criminal Justice.
Danielle is graduating this May after just spending three years at Mansfield. After graduation, Danielle will pursue her M.A. in Criminal Justice at Penn State University.
Rachel Boyll is also being nominated as an "At-Large" nominee by Dr. Thornsley. Rachel has spent the last six years at Mansfield and is graduating in May with a duel major in both Forensics and Criminal Justice. She also has been the department’s student worker for six years. Rachel is from San Diego, California, and is awaiting word as to where she will be attending graduate school for forensics – hopefully either at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, Penn State, or at the University of California at Davis.
36 CJ Majors Graduate on December 19, 2009
A total of 36 criminal justice majors graduated on Saturday, December 19th during Mansfield University's 145th Commencement.
Five students received their A.S. degree while 31 students received their B.S. in Criminal Justice. Robert Cocheran, Tyler Noel and Jacob Sander graduated Cum Laude. Jacob Sander also graduated as a member of Alpha Phi Sigma National Criminal Justice Honor Society. Alpha Phi Sigma was just installed at Mansfield in November 2009.
Students receiving their A.S. in Criminal Justice Administration included Mark Dittrick (Akron, PA), Christopher Ford (Port Treverton, PA), Adam Morgan (Milan, PA), Anthony Neu (Susquehanna, PA) and David Shaffer ( Beaver Springs, PA).
Students receiving their B.S. in Criminal Justice Administration included Andrew Bair (Mainesburg, PA), Joshua Barrett (Wellsboro, PA), Ryan Bernaiche (Hollis, ME), Charles Brubaker (Mansfield, PA), Timothy Burke (Wellsboro, PA), Evan Buschbasher (Eldridge, PA), Ryan Calkins (Westfield, PA), Robert Cocheran (Columbia Cross Roads, PA), Melanie Fleming (Mansfield, PA), Jeremy Furman (Cogan Station, PA), Benjamin Gould (Cohocton, NY), Jared Ingram (Bellefonte, PA), Jason Kaley (Pittsburgh, PA), William Kmett (Sayre, PA), Peter Meyer (Newtown, PA), Ronnie Montgomery (Addison, NY), Branden Morseman (Horseheads, NY), Tyler Noel (Irvona, PA), Tasha Oldham (Williamsport, PA), Lee Richie (Herndon, VA), Ryan Riley (Windsor, NY), Nathaniel Robinson (Wellsboro, PA), Jacob Sander (Jersey Shore, PA), Eric Sira (Horseheads, NY), Chad Smith (York, PA), Zach Stager (Mansfield, PA), Rick Stewart (Blossburg, PA), Luke Straniere (Wellsboro, PA), Tyler Wales (Millerton, PA) and Ashley Woods (Covington, PA).
43 CJ Majors Graduate on May 2, 2009
Criminal justice majors made up more than ten percent of MU’s total graduating seniors (353) as 40 seniors received their B.S. degree in Criminal Justice Administration during the 144th Spring Commencement on May 2, 2009. An additional 3 students received their Associate of Science degree in Criminal Justice Administration. Those graduating are as follows:
Magna Cum Laude – Megan A. Sprowls
Cum Laude – Bryan M. Falcone, Matthew Moroski and Daniel G. Wentsler
Honors Program Graduate – Matthew Moroski
B. S. Graduates – Christof Ambrosch (Troy, PA), Thersa Anson (Baldwinsville, NY), Anthony Battisti (Columbia Cross Roads, PA), Tessa Bieber (Williamsport, PA), Robert Brown (New Columbia, PA), Dustin Butler (Knoxville, PA), Alexis Cantando (Horseheads, NY), Mark Carter (Mansfield, PA), Courtenay Clark (Sayre, PA), Denise Congdon ( Hop Bottom, PA), Julisa Epps (Philadelphia, PA), Michael Farrington (Milford, PA), Chad Foust (Troy, PA), Marissa Franchak (Brackney, PA), Megan Goddard (Springwater NY), Alyssa Greenwalt (Lawrenceville, PA), Joshua Herman (West Milton, PA), Jeffrey Hindman, (New Albany, PA), Miranda Johnson (Johnsonsburg, PA), Douglas Kolb (Perkasie, PA), William Ledward (Uniondale, PA), Roi 
Ligon ( Philadelphia, PA), Stephanie Longbaugh (Carlisle, PA), Joseph Nagey ( Sabinsburg, PA), Shannon
O’Neil (Binghamton, NY), Brian O’Rourke (Corning, NY), Edward Otto (Wellsboro, PA), Brian Pinkney (Mansfield, PA), Katelyn Plaska (Manalapan, NJ), Veronica Rivera (Philadelphia, PA), Amber Seagraves (Williamsport, PA), Kyle Smith (Mansfield, PA), Charles Sweeney (Corning, NY), Amanda Taylor (Springfield, PA), Daniel Wentsler (Lebanon, PA) and Matthew Zimmerman (Hanover, PA).
A.S. Graduates – David Burd (Wapwallopen, PA), Tasha Fessenden ( Millerton, PA) and Jason Serfas (Gillet, PA).
2008-2009
Outstanding Senior & Outstanding Student in Criminal Justice
JUSTINE TAYLOR
Justine Taylor, a December 2008 Summa Cum Laude graduate, was nominated by the Department of Criminal Justice faculty as their choice for the 2008-2009 “Outstanding Senior in Criminal Justice.” This nomination allows Justine Taylor to compete with nominated seniors across the university for the award of “Outstanding Senior.”
Justine Taylor was recommended primarily because of her Summa Cum Laude honors, as she graduated with a 3.963 G.P.A., and her completion of Mansfield University’s Honors Program. Her independent research project for her Honors Program was entitled “The Need to Compensate the Wrongfully Convicted in Pennsylvania.”
Justine was also recognized for her being named the Outstanding Junior in Criminal Justice and the department’s Outstanding Student in Criminal Justice for the 2007-2008 academic year. In 2008 Justine was also honored with the Honors Program Book Award for the Highest QPA in the Senior Class and the campus-wide Mansfield Foundation Departmental Scholars Award.
According to Dr. Scott Thornsley, her advisor and mentor for her Honors Program, “Justine Taylor is hands-down the best undergraduate student I have taught in my 14 years of teaching at the undergraduate level, both at Mansfield University and at Troy State University. She is an excellent writer, and was capable of doing graduate level work during her junior year here. I have no doubt she will be successful at the graduate and doctoral level, and it would please me to no end if she were to apply for an academic teaching position at Mansfield before I finished my career here.”
Justine is currently living in Middletown, Pennsylvania where she is pursuing her graduate degree in criminal justice policy from Penn State – Harrisburg, and working for the Dauphin County District Attorney’s Office. Justice is awaiting word as to her acceptance into Penn State’s doctoral program in Law, Crime, and Justice, one of the nation’s leading programs in criminal justice.
Outstanding Junior in Criminal Justice
Danielle Kleckner
My experience within the Criminal Justice Department of Mansfield University can only be described as one full of unique opportunities to help better prepare me for a future in the field of Criminal Justice. As I begin to finish up my major, I look back at all of the classes that I have taken within the department. There is no doubt in my mind that what the Mansfield University Criminal Justice Department has to offer is unique and challenging to the point that it causes you to think critically and become more analytical in your thought process within the field. In other words, it prepares you to enter into a field in which these qualities are seen as a necessity in order to be successful.
The classes that are offered cover a full range of the multiple aspects of the field of Criminal Justice, looking into those of corrections, policing, juvenile delinquency, judicial criminal process, etc. Not only are the classes important in the makeup of the department, the professors are also extremely helpful and are set out to help you along the way. The Criminal Justice Department also has a great student community.
Through Lambda Alpha Epsilon, a professional criminal justice fraternity and the Criminal Justice Club, students with the same interests look out for one another and look to increase upon their common interests in the field of Criminal Justice. All together, through all of the aspects that make up the Criminal Justice Department, Criminal Justice here at Mansfield University is extraordinary. I could not imagine myself getting the same quality of education and enjoying it as much as I have here at Mansfield, from anywhere else. When I do graduate and leave Mansfield University, I will leave knowing that I have been effectively challenged in my knowledge of Criminal Justice and have been fully prepared to enter into the field and be successful.
Outstanding Sophomore in Criminal Justice
Jackie Karlovich- Marlboro, NJ
Coming into Mansfield as an undecided major, I made a point of enrolling in a variety of introductory level classes. My second semester of my freshman year I figured I would try out Intro to Criminal Justice. I really enjoyed the class and my interest in criminal justice grew. The classes are engaging and the curriculum is fascinating.
Throughout the major, there is the opportunity to explore the different career paths within the field. Criminal justice offers a wide range of opportunities and the CJA department at Mansfield offers the tools needed to take advantage of those opportunities.
Oustanding Freshman in Criminal Justice
Tyler Morse, Jersey Shore, PA
When asked how he feels about his first year at Mansfield University Tyler had this to say: “My Freshman year here at Mansfield flew by. The classes were more difficult than I had imagined, but if I ever needed help, all I had to do was ask. Especially the Criminal Justice Professors like Dr. Thornsley and Dr. Ryan, in which they were willing to help me with any questions or problems that I had. I am very glad that I chose to study Criminal Justice here at Mansfield University because the professors actually take the time to know your name."
2007-2008 Outstanding Senior in Criminal Justice
Robyn A. Traviasano
She was Mansfield’s women’s soccer co-captain from 2006-2008; vice president of the student government in 2006-2007; a student government senator from 2005-2008; a member of the Student Athletic Advisory Board; and Lambda Sigma Honor Fraternity. Robyn graduated May 10, 2008 Cum Laude.
Her soccer coach, Tim Dempsey, said this of Robyn: “Robyn has been a great representative of our women’s soccer program over her four years here. Over her fours years on the women’s soccer team, I do not believe Robyn missed a single practice and she started every game of her college career. That speaks of her dedication and desire to excel. She is your consummate student-athlete. No matter what you asked of her, she would do it – and do it with a smile – to the best of her ability. You could always expect 100% from her no matter what the task. That is the biggest reason why I know Robyn will be successful in the years ahead – she is not afraid to get involved and take on responsibility and when she says yes to something, she is in it 100% to the end. I am really happy for her that she is getting this honor. Having watched her manage all of her athletic, academic, and outside organizational responsibilities over the past four years, I know she is very deserving of it."
Outstanding Sophomore in Criminal Justice Administration
Derek Warke
Hanover Area High School, Wilkes-Barre, PA
I transferred to Mansfield University from a private, liberal arts college because of Mansfield’s criminal justice program. Here Mansfield University is one-third the cost of where I had previously attended, which has made it more affordable for my family as well as myself. You would think that I was leaving a far superior education with my previous school, but I quickly discovered that MU was not only providing me with a better liberal arts education, but also with a superior and interesting criminal justice education as well. Criminal justice courses are more varied here, interesting and more-in-depth than what I was receiving previously. I couldn’t get any courses in criminal justice there [at my private liberal arts college]. Here I can.
Other Awards for 2007-2008 Academic Year
Outstanding Freshman in Criminal Justice Administration: Jennifer Messner
Outstanding Junior in Criminal Justice Administration: Justine Taylor
Outstanding Student in Criminal Justice Administration: Justine Taylor
May 2008 Commencement Academic Honors
Summa Cum Laude - Katrina L. Eccker
Cum Laue - Nicole Appaluccio, Geoffrey E. Harris, Allison Lambert, Desiree D. Shirley, Robyn A. Traviasano
PAST OUTSTANDING SENIORS
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Joseph Centofranchi was the Department's 2006-2007 Outstanding Senior. Joseph was honored at the Academic Honors Banquet on April 23, 2007 and at the Graduation Celebration on May 11, 2007. Joseph took advantage of his two pervious internships at the Ocean City, Maryland Police Department by being hired by the Ocean City, MD Police Department. He graduated from their police academy in December, 2007. |
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Jeremy Confer was the Department’s 2005-2006 “Outstanding Senior in Criminal Justice. In addition to graduating Magna Cum Laude on May 13, 2006, Jeremy earned All-American status at the 2006 NCAA Division II National Outdoor Track & Field Championships, by placing 5th in the javelin with a throw of 215’10.” Jeremy was also named the PSAC Outstanding Field Athlete of the 2006 outdoor season. |
Garth Babcock : 2004 - 2005
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Jeffrey, a Cum Laude graduate, was involved in virtually every aspect of Mansfield University life. Jeffrey was a member of the “Pride of Pennsylvania Marching Band” and Symphonic Band, president of MU’s Student Government Association, after serving earlier as vice-president and senator. He was also a member of Lambda Alpha Epsilon (a national professional fraternity for criminal justice majors), and brother of Lambda Chi Alpha national social fraternity. Jeffrey was a scholar in the classroom and leader in the campus community. Jeffrey is being congradulated by former PA State Attorney General Ernie Preate during the Department's 2004 "Maxey Award Dinner." Last known position: Police officer with the Fairfax County (Maryland) Police Department. |
Jeffrey Howe was the Department’s 2004 “Outstanding Senior” in Criminal Justice.Jason P. Eisenhour : 2002- 2003
Alissa L. Shreck : 2001 - 2002
Jon D. Carpenter : 2000 - 2001
