Thiel Convocation will celebrate student achievement, faculty mentorship and alumnus contributions

GREENVILLE, Pa.-- This year’s annual Thiel College Academic Honors Convocation will celebrate the academic achievements of students and recognize distinguished faculty leaders at 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 27 in the William A. Passavant Memorial Center.

• Watch the event livestream (livestream not active yet).

A tradition since 2023, the student address will be delivered by Jordan Wilhoit ’26, of McDonald, Pa. Wilhoit is a senior biochemistry and chemistry double major with a neuroscience minor. Since 1928, the Thiel College community gathers each year to honor academic excellence across campus. First-year, sophomore, junior, and senior students who earned Dean’s List honors will be awarded certificates to mark their achievements. Students who have received named and endowed scholarships will also be formally recognized, along with members of Alpha Chi, the National College Honor Scholarship Society, and the Dietrich Honors Institute.

• During the ceremony, several faculty members will be recognized with distinguished academic appointments. Associate Professor of English Sheila M. Gross, Ph.D. ’10 will be recognized as the Kenneth ’31 & Marianna Brown ’32 Dietrich Honors Institute Chair. Gross took over leadership of the Honors Institute in 2025 and has been a member of the Thiel faculty since 2020.
• Associate Professor of Biology Jennifer Broderick, Ph.D. will be awarded the Dr. Paul M. Rike H’70 Chair of Life Sciences. Broderick joined Thiel College in 2019 and has played an integral role in advancing teaching and research in the life sciences.
• Professor of Biology and Chair of the Department of Biology Michael T. Balas, Ph.D. will be named the inaugural holder of the newly created Dr. Carl Hoffman ’69 H’10 Chair of Biology. Balas has taught at Thiel College since 2000 and has served in multiple leadership roles within the department. The endowed chair honors Dr. Carl Hoffman ’69 H’10, a distinguished alumnus, Trustee emeritus and longtime supporter of the College whose career in medicine and commitment to advancing science education have significantly impacted Thiel. is a distinguished alumnus, trustee, healthcare executive, and philanthropist whose lifelong commitment has strengthened Thiel College. A 1969 biology graduate, Hoffman earned his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1974 and went on to serve as President and CEO of PrimeCare Medical, Inc. A founding member of Phi Theta Phi fraternity, he helped establish the fraternity’s 100-mile Walk-a-Thon to Pittsburgh Children’s Hospital, which has raised nearly $2 million for the Free Care Fund. Hoffman has served on the Alumni Board of Directors and the Board of Trustees, where he chaired the Advancement Committee and has supported the College’s Science Initiative. His philanthropy includes scholarships, academic programs, an endowed Chair in Biology, and the Dr. Carl ’69 H’10 & Theresa Hoffman Biology Wing in the Rhodehouse Science Building. He received the Haller Enterprise Institute Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2005 and an honorary doctorate in 2010.

The addition of the Hoffman chair in biology brings the total number of endowed chairs at Thiel College to seven.

"Endowed chairs play a vital role in advancing academic excellence and honoring the faculty who shape student success," said Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the College Sheila Nowinski, Ph.D. "We are deeply grateful to all the donors. This year we want to acknowledge Dr. Hoffman for his generosity and for the lasting impact this chair will have on the gifted teachers and advisors who dedicate themselves to student achievement at Thiel College."

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