University Leadership Awards Presented At Spring Commencement

Graduating seniors Mr. Richard Hennessy from Carteret, N.J., and Mr. James Burke of Saylorsburg, Pa., received the University Leadership Awards at spring commencement exercises at East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania on Saturday, May 12, 2012.

The University Leadership Award is the highest non-academic honor a senior can receive for performance in demonstrating leadership in student officer positions and in other extra-curricular activities. To be eligible for the award, a student must have attended the university for at least two years and have a cumulative grade point average of 2.60 or above.

Richard Hennessy, received a bachelor’s degree in business management at Saturday’s ceremony. Throughout his four years as an ESU student, Mr. Hennessy was active in numerous campus organizations and held officer’s level positions in many of them. He served as a member of University Senate and Student Senate for four years, holding the offices of president and vice president of the Student Senate each for one year. He was a resident advisor for two years, the Residence Hall Staff Selection committee for one year, a member (and fundraising chair) of the Moses Society for one year, and a member of the Hemlock Hall Community Board for two years.

Mr. Hennessy was also a member of the Go Green Committee, the Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs (ATOD) Committee, the W.E.S.S. Administrative Council, the Recreation Center Advisory Board, the Student Affairs Sub-Committee of the Board of Trustees and the Haiti Earthquake Relief Committee for one year. He served as president of the Stony Acres Board of Directors for one year, and was a member of the Student Activity Association Board of Directors for three years, serving one-year terms.

Mr. Hennessy was crowned Homecoming King in 2011 and was involved in the featured ensemble of the university’s Musical Revue in 2010 and 2011 and in ESU’s production of “A Christmas Carol” in 2011.  He was also a member of the ESU Presidential Search this year as well as a member of both the Keystone Center Marketing and Design Committees, each for one year.

Rich is the son of Cynthia and James Hennessy of Carteret, N.J.

James W. Burke received his bachelor’s degree in computer science at the spring commencement ceremonies.

Mr. Burke was resident adviser at East Stroudsburg University for two years, a member of the Moses Society for two years, a member of the Linden Hall Community Board for one year, and a member of the National Residence Hall Honorary for three years, serving as president of the organization for one semester. He chaired the public relations committee for the ESU Residence Hall Association for two years and was president of the organization for one year.  Mr. Burke was a member of the ESU Student Senate for one year, an orientation leader for two years and a sophomore mentor for two years.

Mr. Burke was also a member of the television production club for two years, serving as treasurer for one year.  He was also president of the ESU Insider, an on-line news outlet.

James is the son of Kerry and Randi Burke of Saylorsburg, Pa.

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