Beth A. Henry Selected as Student Marshal for Penn State's Eberly College of Science

4 December 2003 -- Beth A. Henry of Port Royal, Pennsylvania, will be honored as the Eberly College of Science student marshal during fall commencement ceremonies on 20 December 2003 at the Penn State University Park campus.

Henry, who will be completing a major in mathematics with the secondary-teaching option, has been selected to represent her class because of her superb academic record. She has been on the Dean's List every year, and has a 3.9 grade-point average. In addition to her achievements in the classroom, she has earned many awards. She was honored with the Evan Pugh Scholar Award and the Evan Johnson Memorial Math Award. She has also achieved membership in the Golden Key National Honor Society, National Society of Collegiate Scholars, Phi Eta Sigma, and the Student Pennsylvania State Education Association (SPSEA).

Henry's selection as student marshal is one of the highlights of her college career. She says, "I was very excited and thrilled to have received this honor and it was one of the best moments of my life. This is a perfect capstone to my time here at Penn State." She credits her professors at Penn State for guiding her, giving her a lot of support, and vigorously encouraging her in her quest for excellence. She also says, "My professors have provided me with a lot of expertise that has really enhanced my teaching skills." Henry has been a participant in the Intramural Softball program at Penn State. Her hobbies include playing softball, working out at the gym, and running. She also enjoys working on her family farm.

A graduate of Juniata High School, Henry will be accompanied at graduation by her father, David C. Henry who earned his Penn State degree in 1977; her mother, Helen W. Henry; her sister, Laura E. Henry; her grandmothers, Helen H. Wilson and Helen G. Henry; and her aunt, Donna M. Wilson. Henry has selected Natasha Dobrinen, an S. Chowla Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Mathematics, to be her faculty escort for the commencement exercises.

During the past semester, Henry has taught Pre-Algebra and Fundamentals of Mathematics in the Bellefonte Area Middle School and has found it to be a very positive experience. She says, "I love to teach middle-school children as they bring a lot of interest and energy to the classroom. I want to nurture a love for mathematics in my students and shape their future." After graduation, Henry plans to get a job, teaching mathematics at the middle-school level. She adds, "I would like to obtain a master's degree in educational psychology or special education. I also wish to acquire additional credits in school administration." Aissa Wade, assistant professor of mathematics, says, "Beth Henry took my math class and was a brilliant student. She is very enthusiastic about mathematics." Dobrinen comments, "Beth Henry, who was in my Differential Equations class, is an outstanding student who has worked hard to gain a deep understanding of the theory and inner workings of differential equations. She is kind and helpful to the other students and provides explanations in a palatable manner. I am sure that she will be an extraordinary math teacher."

[Suchitra Haritsa]

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