Canon, Gibson named Thiel College Student of the Month honorees for October

GREENVILLE, Pa.-- Thiel College announces Muncie Canon ’26, of Sharpsville, Pa., and Blake Gibson ’26, of Economy, Pa., as its Student of the Month honorees for October.

The Student of the Month honor is awarded to seniors. It is among the most prestigious student awards at Thiel College with only six students earning the honor each semester.

Canon is a 2022 graduate of Sharpsville Area High School and an English major. She is also pursuing a certificate in secondary education and a minor in Spanish language and culture. After graduation, she plans to become an English teacher at a local middle school or high school.

On campus, Canon is the captain of the majorette line, copy editor on The Phoenix, treasurer of Thiel College Music Honorary Society, member of the Kappa Delta Pi, Sigma Tau Delta, and Alpha Chi honor societies, Writing Lab liaison for the Thiel Learning Commons, and a lead tutor for Spanish.

She is the daughter of Jim and Michele Canon, of Transfer, Pa.

“The wonderful professors at Thiel, especially those in the Education and English departments, have been extremely kind, caring, and helpful in preparing me for my future career as a secondary English teacher. I cannot thank them enough for broadening my knowledge, strengthening my speaking and writing skills, and widening my comfort zone,” Canon said. “Outside of the classroom, I thoroughly enjoy being a part of Thiel’s marching band. The talented band members and staff provide an opportunity for me to relieve stress, share the love of performing, and further develop my leadership skills.”

Canon said Hannah Keeling ’08, Coordinator of Peer-Led Learning Programs, is an influential part of my Thiel experience.

“Her hard work and dedication to her peer-learning leaders and the students they help is an inspiration that I hope to live up to in my future classroom,” Canon said.

Gibson is a 2022 Ambridge Area High School graduate and a health systems major who is also enrolled in Thiel’s Physician Assistant Program. After graduate school, he plans to pursue a career in orthopedics or neurology.

Gibson serves a key role in supporting the campus community in his current position as Resident Director of Florence West Hall after previously serving four semesters as a Resident Leader. He is also a member of Thiel’s baseball team and the Kappa Sigma Fraternity.

He is the son of Kelli and David Gibson, of Economy, Pa.

“Thiel has always felt like a second home to me,” Gibson said, “not just because of its small, close-knit student body, but also because of the strong connections students build with their professors. Whenever I struggled with a subject, my professors were always willing to stay after class to help me understand the material.”

He said Associate Professor of Neuroscience Neil Lax, Ph.D. is example of that kind of educator.

“Dr. Lax is one of those professors you wish you could have for every class,” Gibson said. “His passion and dedication to teaching neuroscience are truly inspiring. He continuously pushes his students to reach their full potential and was the professor who sparked my deep interest in the science of the brain and nervous system. I’m incredibly grateful for his guidance as both an advisor and professor.”

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