'Gold standard' computing honor society inducts new members

Nine Pennsylvania College of Technology students and one faculty member were recently inducted into Upsilon Pi Epsilon, the first and only international honor society for the computing and information disciplines. 

The new members, the fifth class to be inducted at Penn College, are: 

• Rick R. Crossen, instructor of information technology
• Andrew J. Graham, of Nicholson, network administration & engineering technology
• Catelyn Jones, of Grantville, game & simulation programming
• Bryce D. Kaufman, of Greensburg, network administration & engineering technology
• Tim M. Lindquist, of Chalfont, game & simulation programming
• Joshua T. Nobles, of Mansfield, software development & information management
• Robert L. Parker II, of Jersey Shore, software development & information management
• Cordell N. Rager, of Mill Hall, information assurance & cyber security
• Donnie A. Rager, of Milton, network administration & engineering technology
• Wendy Tapia Ayllon, of Kennett Square, network administration & engineering technology

Acceptance is based on outstanding achievement and high scholarship rating. Membership will also be reflected through UPE graduation stoles and honor cords worn by students at commencement.

The Penn College chapter of UPE is advised by Stephen R. Cheskiewicz and Daniel W. Yoas, associate professors of computer information technology and members of the honor society.

Presiding over the recent induction were current student members and officers: Ethan T. Lehutsky, chapter president, a game & simulation programming student from Honesdale; Zack P. Fleming, treasurer, a software development & information management student from Williamsport; and Parker J. Conn, of Boalsburg, a former chapter historian who is enrolled in information assurance & cyber security and software development & information management majors.

The mission of UPE is to recognize academic excellence at the undergraduate and graduate levels, promote the computing and information disciplines, and encourage their contribution to the enhancement of knowledge. 

Penn College gained its charter in 2020 and is one of 20 UPE chapters in the commonwealth. 

“Only a select group of schools has the UPE distinction. It was not an easy application process and not all schools qualify,” Cheskiewicz explained. “It is the gold standard of organizations for the computing disciplines.”

A member of the Association of College Honor Societies and a charter member of the International Federation of Engineering Education Societies, UPE has chapters in more than 300 colleges and universities in North America and overseas. The honor society is endorsed by the Association for Computing Machinery and the IEEE Computer Society.