Dezern and Ochs named Thiel College Student of the Month honorees for December

Posted December 02, 2024 Print

GREENVILLE, Pa.-- Thiel College announces Laci Dezern ’25, of Pittsburgh, Pa., and Aidan Ochs ’26, of Rostraver Township, Pa., as its Student of the Month honorees for December.

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.

Dezern is a psychology and philosophy double major. She attended Deer Lakes High School and graduated in 2021.

She intends to attend graduate school for clinical psychology and hopes to counsel young children with trauma-based issues after graduation.

Dezern is on the executive board of Women Inspiring the Next Generation, which has worked with AWARE, a Mercer County domestic violence shelter. She co-authored the presentation “Sex, Gender, and the Ways a Minority Lives.” The presentation examines how the LGBTQ+ community feels about their safety and acceptance on Thiel’s campus, as well as other college campuses. She also delivered this presentation at an Athletic Board of Directors meeting this past autumn and at the Northeastern Regional Honors Conference.

“I have met some of the greatest people here. Whether they be friends or staff members, everyone was beyond kind and supportive,” Dezern said. “I completed two majors and three minors in three-and-a-half years, taking 18 credits almost every semester. It was incredibly difficult, but I could not have done it without my friends and the Psychology and English departments. There are too many people to name, but each has given me something influential that I will keep with me forever. Thank you is far too trivial of a word, but there is nothing else I can say but, ‘Thank you, all of you.’”

She is the daughter of Denise and Gary Dezern, of Tarentum, Pa.

Ochs graduated from Belle Vernon High School in 2022 and is an environmental safety management major. He intends to pursue his safety management interests with a large construction contractor or engineering corporation.

Ochs is a member of the Thiel baseball team and serves as the junior baseball class representative. He is also a member of Lambda Sigma, the sophomore honorary society that promotes leadership, scholarship, camaraderie, and service.

He is a member of the Office of Admission’s student ambassadors group Thiel Team and enjoys participating in volunteer work with his teammates.

He is the son of Aaron and Kristy Ochs, of Rostraver Township, Pa.

Ochs said he chose Thiel to play baseball and join an innovative major.

“(Thiel) not only provided the chance to play baseball; (it also presented) the opportunity to study under a unique safety management program and faculty.”

He is grateful to both Department Chair Anna Reinsel, Ph.D. ’06 and Assistant Professor of Environmental Safety Management Hope Dropp for being “instrumental in shaping and guiding my experience.”

“I am happy to be a part of a new and growing major at Thiel,” Ochs said.