Dec 1, 2012 2 min read

Sean Hardy of McMurray was selected to be a member of the Marching Virginians at Virginia Tech, where he is a freshman majoring in biological sciences in the College of Science. Hardy plays the trumpet.

Alexandra Macek, a student at Robert Morris University, was inducted into the Pennsylvania Epsilon Chapter of Alpha Chi, an academic honor society. Macek is majoring in mechanical engineering.

Gina Palefsky represented UC Berkeley’s advanced Thai language and culture class in Los Angeles, where she delivered a speech, thanks to Chaiyong Satjipanon, the ambassador of Thailand, and other members of the Royal Thai Consulate. Palefsky is majoring in anthropology. She is a 2010 graduate of Trinity High School, and her parents are George and Paula Palefsky of Washington.

Lauren Sakerka of Washington was named Student of the Year in the University of Pittsburgh’s Swanson School of Engingeering Cooperative Education program. Sakerka is majoring in chemical engineering and participated in a co-op with BASF Corp. According to Maureen Barcic, director of cooperative education at the Swanson School, Sakerka initiated cost-saving measures at BASF, received several chemical engineering scholarships and was project manager for an Engineers Without Borders program that installed a fish farm in Mali, giving villagers an opportunity to maintain the farm and help them become independent.