Belle Vernon woman awarded scholarship
Megan Chadwell of Belle Vernon was recently awarded the 28th annual John Bitonti Memorial Scholarship, which recognizes an outstanding junior majoring in communication disorders at California University of Pennsylvania. Cal U’s communication disorders department established the award in memory of Dr. John Bitonti, the department’s former chairman who died in 1978.
Chadwell, the daughter of Dennis and Michele Chadwell and a graduate of Belle Vernon Area High School, is a dean’s list student with a cumulative 3.95 grade point average. She served as vice president of Cal U’s Speech and Hearing Club and is a member of the Society of Leadership and Success. She plans to attend graduate school after graduating in spring 2011.
“I want to work with young children in the schools and I find this field quite rewarding,” said Chadwell, whose father is a longtime employee in Cal U’s physical plant department. “The communication disorders faculty members are great and I was super excited to receive this honor.”
Chadwell holds a work-study job in the department of communication studies. Her name will be engraved on a plaque that hangs in the communication disorders lounge at Morgan Hall.
Dr. Robert Skwarecki, Bitonti Scholarship Selection Committee chairman, said Chadwell was chosen from an impressive list of award applicants.
“This is a very competitive award that considers a lot of factors, such as grades, campus and community involvement and activities,” said Skwarecki. “Megan is an excellent, active student who makes a difference and stood out.”