Carson appointed to Gracedale position

Northampton County Council today voted to approve the appointment of Thomas Carson as Director of Gracedale Continuum of Care, the new County Department created by County Executive Tara Zrinski and Northampton County Council.

Carson is an executive leader with 10+ years of experience overseeing complex, highly regulated human service operations in partnership with county, state, and federal systems. As Executive Director of Victory House of the Lehigh Valley, he has proved his ability to stabilize staff, strengthen compliance, and guide organizations through periods of staffing strain, public scrutiny, and operational transition within publicly funded environments.

Recognized for steady, solutions-oriented leadership and the ability to bring structure and accountability to mission-critical community services, Carson is known as a trusted partner to public-sector leadership in navigating high-visibility operational challenges while maintaining service quality and staff engagement.

Carson has led Victory House’s compliance with county, state, and federal funding requirements, ensuring audit readiness and program integrity. He has also led Victory House’s organizational compliance and quality assurance strategy, and the organization has passed its VA, federal, state, and county monitoring reviews and inspections, maintaining full regulatory standing. As associate director in prior years, he managed county-funded workforce and housing initiatives serving vulnerable populations and veterans.

Carson plans to start in the newly created role Aug. 17, 2026.

Lehigh names center advisory board

Lehigh University has appointed the inaugural Community Advisory Board for its Center for Community-Driven Assistive Technologies (CDAT), a university-wide research initiative focused on improving the lives of people with disabilities through innovative technology.

The board includes leaders from health care, education, technology and advocacy organizations who will help guide the center’s research and ensure it addresses real-world community needs.

Local members include Julie Fogt of Centennial School; Seth Hoderewski of the Lehigh Valley Center for Independent Living; Maureen Leeson of Bethlehem Area School District; Emily Lyter of Good Shepherd Rehabilitation; Michelle Mitchell of Lehigh Carbon Community College; Katie Siwy of The Arc of Lehigh and Northampton Counties; and Maria Zullo of Lehigh University.

CDAT brings together faculty from Lehigh’s five colleges to develop and evaluate technologies that promote independence, accessibility and health equity for people with disabilities and older adults. Current projects include tools to help people with visual impairments navigate indoor spaces and programs supporting families of children with ADHD.

The advisory board will meet virtually to review research, provide feedback and strengthen partnerships with the disability community.

United Way names 3 to board United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley has named three new members to its board of directors. Joining the board are Laudy Allan, senior vice president of global operations at Crayola, where she oversees manufacturing, logistics and customer service operations; Harrison Bailey III, Ed.D., superintendent of the Wilson Area School District and the 2021 Pennsylvania Principal of the Year; and Angela Connell, chief administrative officer at HNL Lab Medicine, where she leads human resources, organizational development and compliance. The new board members will serve three-year terms through June 2029. United Way officials said the appointees bring leadership experience in business, education and health care to support the organization’s work in education, healthy aging and community stability throughout the Greater Lehigh Valley.

Students on Tuft’s Dean’s List

Tufts University recently announced the dean’s list for the spring 2026 semester. Dean’s list honors at Tufts University require a semester grade-point average of 3.4 or greater. The following local students were named to the dean’s list: Kanchan Gupta and Silas Licsko, both members of the Class of 2028.

Residents on Salve Regina Dean’s List

Bethlehem area residents Andee Gluchowski and Chase Kilareski were named to the dean’s list during the spring 2026 academic semester at Salve Regina University.

To qualify for the dean’s list, students must earn a semester grade-point average of 3.6 for full-time students completing at least 12 graded credits, or a semester grade-point average of 3.8 for part-time students completing at least six credits.

Students on York College Dean’s List

Bethlehem area residents Sophia Albino, Kathryn Miller and Stephen Quigley were among the 1,320 high-achieving students at York college named to the spring 2026 dean’s list.

This prestigious honor recognizes students with a GPA of 3.5 or higher and is a testament to their dedication to academic excellence.

Harris on Tampa’s Dean’s List

University of Tampa has honored students who were named to the dean’s list for the spring 2026 semester. Students must maintain a GPA of 3.75 or higher to be eligible for the dean’s list.

Olivia Harris of Bethlehem is a member of the Class of 2027 majoring in political science.

Millersville University graduates

Five Bethlehem area residents were among the nearly 1,200 undergraduate and graduate students participated in May 9 commencement exercises at Millersville University. They are Marlon Boone, Isaiah Armand, Devianna Kalman, Grace Shemanski and Mabel Sirett.

Alvernia’s spring Dean’s List

Four Bethlehem area residents were among he 803 students named to Alvernia University’s Dean’s List for the Spring 2026 semester. They are Gina Morales, studying addictions and mental health treatment; Andres Pocasangre Rivera, studying applied science; Haley Schlegel, studying applied science; and Adam Wenrich, studying finance.

Champlain College’s President’s List

Carleigh Andreas of Bethlehem, PA was named to the Champlain College President’s List for the spring 2026 semester.

Students on the president’s list have achieved a grade-point average of 4.0 or higher during the semester. Andreas is majoring in psychology.

On Springfield College Dean’s List

Hunter Sporka of Bethlehem has been named to the Springfield College Dean’s List for academic excellence for the 2026 spring semester. Sporka has a primary major of applied exercise science.

Commonwealth President’s List

Commonwealth University congratulates the 800 students who were named to the spring 2026 president’s list.

Among those named to the list were Bloomsburg students Mattie Baluta, Cameron Frantz, Maya Riffert and Carly Wilson.

To qualify for the president’s list, the student must have earned a GPA of 4.0 in 12 or more semester hours of letter grades.

Commonwealth Dean’s List

Commonwealth University congratulates more than 2,400 students who were named to the spring 2026 dean’s list.

Among the those named to the dean’s list include Bloomsbug students Leah Baldo, Irampaye Clarisse, Gabriella Gomez-Guerra, Allison Harper, Jadyn Hudak, Riley Hughes, Valeria Martinez, and Naseem Younes.

To qualify for the dean’s list, the student must have earned a GPA of at least 3.50, on a 4.0 scale, in 12 or more semester hours of letter grades.

Kosak named to Point Park Dean’s List

Joshua Kosak, of Bethlehem, was named to Point Park University’s Spring 2026 Dean’s List.

Kosak was among more than 1,300 students named to the spring dean’s list.

To be named to the dean’s list, a student must have a 3.5 GPA.

Keyser named to Charleston Dean’s List

Lacey Keyser, of Bethlehem, was named to the College of Charleston Spring 2026 Dean’s List. Keyser is majoring in dance and psychology.

To qualify for the dean’s list (Distinguished), students must earn a GPA of 3.500 or higher and complete a minimum of 12 semester hours.

Commonwealth spring 2026 graduates

Commonwealth University congratulates the more than 800 students who graduated during the Spring 2026 semester.

Among the Bethlehem area Bloomsburg graduates were Jack Donchez with a degree in Business Administration, Marin Fleming with a degree in nursing, Adalynn Jones with a degree in nursing and Maya Riffert with a degree in early childhood education.

Horvath named to Alabama Deans List

Victoria Horvath was named to The University of Alabama Deans List for Spring Semester 2026.

A total of 14,306 students enrolled during Spring Semester 2026 at The University of Alabama were named to the dean’s list with an academic record of 3.5 (or above) or the president’s list with an academic record of 4.0 (all A’s).

Phi Alpha Epsilon students honored

Phi Alpha Epsilon, the Lebanon Valley College’s honor society that recognizes academic achievement and service to others, inducted 50 new members this spring.

Bethlehem area students include Abriana Ferrari, a homeschool graduate, who is pursuing a bachelor of science in biochemistry and molecular biology and Lauren Jancsarics, a Freedom HS graduate, who is pursuing a bachelor of science and doctor of physical therapy in exercise science and physical therapy.

Ruggiero on Fairleigh Dickinson Dean’s List

MacKenzy Ruggiero of Bethlehem, a student at Fairleigh Dickinson University’s Metropolitan Campus in Teaneck, N.J., has been named to the dean’s list for the spring 2026 semester.

To qualify for the dean’s list, a student must carry a 3.2 or better grade-point average out of a possible 4.0 and be enrolled in a minimum of 12 letter-graded hours (four courses).

Gorman on Youngstown Dean’s List

William Gorman of Bethlehem, majoring in marketing, has been named to the dean’s list at Youngstown State University for spring semester 2026.

Dean’s list recognition is awarded to full-time undergraduate students who have earned at least a 3.4 grade-point average for not less than 12 semester hours of credit in the fall semester.