2025 Award Recipients

Young Alumni Citation Recipients

Denise L. Jones ’13

Denise graduated with honors from Allegheny College, receiving four of President Mullen’s top student awards. Since graduation, she has remained a member of the Association for the Advancement of Black Culture (ABC) and is active in the alumni chapter. She is a model of excellence within the Economics Department, presenting to students and supporting Allegheny’s programming.

Upon leaving Allegheny, Denise joined Teach for America and was placed in San Antonio, Texas, where she was named Early Career Teacher of the Year. Following Teach for America, she enrolled in graduate school at Columbia University Teachers College and began her work with the non-profit Youth Enrichment Services (YES), building its programs and financial support.

During her time at Columbia, Denise lived in Harlem and volunteered in the New York City public schools, where she created a cohort of strong, young leaders whom she continues to mentor to this day. After graduation, she returned to YES, where she has continued to make a profound impact on the lives of those she serves.

One of her most outstanding achievements is her work as an international scholar. She has presented research in Ghana on African American girls in leadership, trained managers and sports executives in Zimbabwe, and collaborated with colleagues in Uganda on leadership and female empowerment. She has published at least ten high-quality articles and delivered more than fifty international presentations, including in China and Canada.

Denise possesses a rare ability as a creative doer, helping to elevate the YES brand throughout the region. Her leadership has enabled YES to host a series of violence prevention symposiums and establish partnerships with more than sixty-five agencies serving youth.

“Denise is mindful of paying it forward and she continues to advocate for students attending Allegheny College. She is a shining star among the distinguished alumni from Allegheny College, and her accomplishments in her time since graduation exemplify and reflect professional accomplishment, community contributions, and service to Allegheny and the community beyond,” said Meiloni Erickson, Operations Manager of YES.

She is currently completing her dissertation at the University of Michigan while working full-time at YES as Deputy Director. Her global reach spans three continents, and her contributions to a local nonprofit continue to yield measurable results – most notably, cultivating a strong cohort of more than one hundred young students who are now pursuing graduate-level education.

Allegheny College is pleased to recognize Denise Jones with the Young Alumni Citation Award. Her remarkable accomplishments and unwavering dedication truly embody the spirit and values of her alma mater.

Blue Citation Recipients

Jennifer Firek FitzPatrick ’95

Starting as a tour guide, Jen began her lifelong journey of service to Allegheny College. Her role evolved significantly when she became the Associate Director of Admissions, where she played a pivotal role in shaping the College’s outreach and recruitment strategies. Notably, she was instrumental in establishing the College’s first regional office in Ohio, expanding Allegheny’s reach and influence.

Jen’s impact on the athletic community is particularly remarkable. She founded the lacrosse team, a significant achievement that not only enriched the college’s athletic offerings but also highlighted her advocacy for women’s sports. Her dedication to the lacrosse team and women’s athletics has been a driving force in fostering a more inclusive and dynamic athletic environment at Allegheny.

Her leadership extended to the Alumni Council, where she served from 2008 to 2014, including a term as president, during which her visionary leadership and deep commitment to alumni engagement were evident. Under her guidance, the Council renewed its focus on connecting alumni with the College, strengthened its partnership with the Career Education Office, and played a key role in the College’s Bicentennial Celebration through increased Council participation.

Jen’s service extends beyond formal roles, as she has supported the College in numerous volunteer capacities. She actively refers prospective students to Allegheny, serves on reunion committees, and has helped host alumni gatherings in Columbus, Ohio, further strengthening the alumni network. Her involvement in outreach efforts includes participating in Gator Greetings, webinars, and panel discussions, where she shares her experiences and insights with prospective students and the broader community.

Megan Murphy ’88, Associate Director of College Counseling, Columbus Academy said,
“Jen just makes things better, and I can’t think of anyone more deserving of the Blue Citation. Her service to Allegheny deserves to be recognized and celebrated!”

Jen also encourages philanthropy among former classmates and teammates, often enthusiastically serving as a Class Agent or Team Fundraising Captain to help increase participation.

Sara Pineo, Assistant Vice President for Institutional Advancement, said, “Jen doesn’t just talk about giving to the College she follows through in spades and has given almost every year since graduation.”

In every capacity, Jen FitzPatrick has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to Allegheny College, making her a deserving nominee for the Blue Citation Alumni Award. Her extensive contributions and lasting impact reflect the highest ideals of alumni service.

Allegheny College is proud to present Jennifer with the Blue Citation in recognition and appreciation of her outstanding service to Allegheny College.

Gold Citation Recipients

Louis C. Ford ’86

A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Louis (L.C.) Ford grew up in a working-class household as the eldest son of Louis Sr. and Ella Ford. Sports, especially football, baseball, and hockey, were a major part of his life from an early age, but Louis always knew that education was key to long-term success.

Louis has been a champion of alumni engagement, fostering a deeper sense of belonging within the Allegheny community. He has served for multiple years on the Allegheny College Association of Black Collegians/Association for the Advancement of Black Culture (ABC) Reunion Planning Committee and remains an active member of the ABC Alumni Association. As an alum, he has returned to
campus to speak to student organizations and support undergraduates.

Louis has consistently supported enrollment and student retention and has helped as an Allegheny representative at many college fairs. A loyal donor, he has also served as a Fundraising Captain, encouraging his fellow football teammates to support the program through annual giving.

A standout scholar-athlete and 1982 graduate of Cleveland’s Collinwood High School, Louis was recruited by John Carroll University, but chose Allegheny to pursue greater independence. As a freshman, Louis earned immediate playing time on the Gators football team and ended his Allegheny career as a three-year letter winner and a two-time All-NCAC honorable mention. In what was probably his greatest honor, Louis was named the first African American captain in the history of Allegheny College football in 1985 during his senior year. Louis graduated from Allegheny in 1986 with a bachelor’s degree in economics. Decades later, he earned his MBA at age 58, proving it’s never too late to learn. His early professional years in Cleveland saw him hold roles at May Company Department Stores, ITT Financial Services, Society National Bank, and the Positive Education Program (PEP), a nonprofit supporting youth with behavioral challenges.

In 1998, Louis moved to New York City to join New York-Presbyterian Hospital as Manager of Quality and Performance Improvement for its Weill Cornell and Columbia Presbyterian divisions. He returned to Cleveland in 2006 to raise his teenage sons, Lorenzo and Jarrell, and to support supply chain analytics efforts at The Cleveland Clinic.

Classmate Carmen Ramsey Ellington ’86 says, “Louis describes himself as a digital storyteller. During most of his nearly 40-year career, he has been charged with understanding and obtaining the story from the data provided. He has taken ideas and turned them into realities. He has helped companies, small and large, become more efficient, effective, and better than where they were when he started with them.”

Since 2015, Louis has lived in Texas, working in Financial Planning and Analysis for Baylor Scott & White Health. He also partners with his wife, Lisa, in their family businesses – Ascend Financial Planning and Wealth Management, and Genesis Business and Tax Services – where he currently serves as COO. In addition, he owns and operates Gridiron Technicians and the Texas Hunt Squad Sports Organization, continuing his advocacy for youth sports in the Dallas Metroplex.

Allegheny College is privileged to recognize Louis with the Gold Citation in recognition of his remarkable achievements.

Alumni Medal Recipients

Steve Levinsky ’78

Steve Levinsky ’78 is himself a hallmark of an Allegheny College education. His skills and passions are unusual combinations, blending creativity and business acumen.

A native son of Meadville, his career took him to Natick, Massachusetts, by way of Chicago, where he is a partner with management consulting firm Wellesley Partners, and previously was senior vice president of human resources with Fidelity Investments. Steve lectures internationally and has served on a number of corporate boards. He is also an active civic volunteer, including roles as chair of the MetroWest Chamber of Commerce, town personnel board and elected town meeting member in Natick. In addition, he creates glass sculptures at his studio in Natick and has chaired the board of directors for the Center for Arts.

A political science major at Allegheny, Steve has served the College in numerous ways since graduating including as a member of the Alumni Congress, on Reunion Committees, as a Class Agent, writing Gator Greetings notes to admitted students, sponsoring events, assisting donor relations, and as a mentor on Gator2Gator, to name just a few. He joined the College’s Board of Trustees in 2010.

Board Vice Chair Julie Skattum ’85 said, “Steve is a dedicated and passionate alum who never seeks attention but has been inordinately effective as a board member and as Vice Chair and Chair. His low-key approach to leadership is impactful. He has consistently emphasized positivity, opportunity, and appropriate risk-taking while guiding the board to stay grounded as it considers the challenges facing higher education. His measured and considerate approach to supporting the president and senior leadership team translates into a healthy dynamic where clear communication, trust, and perseverance prevail.”

With perfect attendance over his 15-year service on the board of trustees, he has had a tremendous impact on the College. His committee work is extensive, garnering consensus and advancing the work to advance Allegheny at all times, into the future, for the benefit of the students.

“As the Chairman of the Investment Committee, Steve showed humble and thoughtful leadership. He made sure all members of the committee had the opportunity to contribute and encouraged their participation. Through this process, the committee was able to make thorough wise decisions. The success of the Allegheny College Investment Committee is due in no small part to the leadership of Steve Levinsky,” said Board of Trustee member Jim Wible ’71.

Steve’s Board service includes:

• Advancing Allegheny Committee: 2011-2019
• Executive Committee: 2016-2019, 2019-2022 (Vice Chair), 2022-2025 (Chair)
• Investment Committee: 2011-2015, 2015-2022 (Chair)
• Audit Committee: 2011–2022
• Governance Committee: 2019–2022 (Chair)
• International Task Force: 2011–2012
• Development/Campaign Strategies Task Force/Future of Fundraising & Alumni Engagement Task Force Committee: 2018–2020
• Presidential Transition Task Force: 2018–2019
• International Task Force: 2011–2012, 2018–2021
• Budget and Finance Committee-Debt Working Group Subcommittee: 2017–2019, 2019–2021 (Chair)

Board member Tom Sadvary ’75 said, “As a result of Steve’s commendable leadership and due to his strong collegial relationship with President Cole, Allegheny College is making significant progress with student recruitment and retention, faculty and staff satisfaction, fundraising and endowment growth, and a renewed optimism about the College’s long-term success.”

Former Board Chair Rob Smith ’73 adds, “Steve Levinsky has been a vital part of the college through some of its most trying times and, due to his calm, patient yet demanding leadership, Allegheny College has met the challenges and is emerging stronger and more viable than ever. Steve has been an invaluable asset to the college. He is one of those people that when writing a comment about them, one can’t help smiling.”

Board of Trustees member and 2023 Honorary Degree recipient Kim Tillotson Fleming, P’15 and P’11 said, “From the moment he joined the Allegheny College Board of Trustees, Steve was ‘all in’. He is an excellent communicator who knows how to listen and then guide a diverse group to important, strategic decisions. This was true in his leadership of the investment committee and has also been invaluable in leading the current strategic plan as Chair of the Board. I am sure the students found his executive-in-residence presentations to be filled with wisdom!”

Steve has devoted hundreds of hours over many years in service to the College, the bulk of which has been behind the scenes. As a leader, Steve’s natural optimism, vision, and deep belief in Allegheny are magnetic. His leadership has proved pivotal among fellow trustees as he persevered and supported innovation, creativity, and investment balanced against staying true to our values and mission as an institution. He’s guided the board in an exemplary way.

Steve’s humility, generosity of spirit, and inclusivity of opinions from all viewpoints are a powerful and effective leadership combination from which the board and the College have reaped huge benefits.

It is our profound privilege to recognize Steve Levinsky with the 2025 Alumni Medal.

Thoburn Award for Excellence in Teaching Recipients

Ryan Pickering

Professor Ryan Pickering takes an approach to teaching that fully engages students at all levels and sparks a love of learning. He is responsible for teaching, research mentorship, and advising over 1,000 students over the last ten years, and his teaching evaluations and feedback from students have been consistently exceptional.

He has taught a wide array of courses, from introductory courses like Foundations of Psychology, Social Psychology, and Health Psychology to upper-level courses like Psychology of Prejudice and Contemporary Social Issues. He also teaches Statistics at the 200-level and teaches a junior seminar on the Psychology of Power.

Ryan has also taught an FS course on the Power of Imagination, a sophomore seminar on Social Psychophysiology, and a summer class on Pandemic Psychology. In all of these classes, he displays a wide breadth and depth of knowledge and shows dedication and excitement in sharing that knowledge with students.

Ryan uses social justice pedagogy to teach which focuses on creating spaces where all students can thrive. This also includes challenging traditional hierarchy within the classroom and giving students choice and voice in how they learn. In lower-level classes, this includes giving students multiple options for assignments so they can choose what and how they’d like to learn more about the topic. In upper-level classes, Ryan has discussion leaders “take over” the facilitator position in the classroom, which also teaches students skills in classroom discussion and facilitation.

He has written publications related to his pedagogy, including “Practical suggestions and resources for the inclusion of social class in social psychology courses” (2024), “Ironic exclusion: Refocusing the classroom to prioritize the oppressed when learning about oppression” (2024), “Practicing power: Empowerment activities within the classroom” (2022), “Structures of Inequity: Teaching privilege and oppression with a tower-building activity” (2022), and “Responding to events in the news” (2020).

Ever-dedicated, he continued his work through a stage 4 cancer diagnosis, surgery, and radiation treatment in 2019. Ryan has shown a continued commitment to student research mentorship and advising. Part of his commitment to advising has also included at least six years of summer entrance advising, which has helped him understand most majors on campus and allows him to better advise his double majors.

Allegheny is pleased to present professor Ryan Pickering with the 2025 Thoburn Award for Excellence in Teaching.

Julian Ross Award for Excellence in Teaching Recipients

Alice Deckert

Professor Alice Deckert has been an innovative leader in developing active pedagogy her entire career. Her expertise as a physical chemist and long experience as an instructor for introductory as well as advanced courses in the discipline display her depth and breadth of knowledge. In addition, she provides a winning model of how to engage students “where they are” both in the classroom and in the lab.

“Dr. Deckert has been my inspiration for pursuing a career in teaching. She is the reason I feel confident enough to pursue a PhD in chemistry. I believe in myself because she believed in me first. I have never met a kinder, more thoughtful individual and mentor than Dr. Deckert and can safely say she has helped shape the person I am today,” said nominator Elizabeth Smith ’25.

As a testament to her outstanding reputation, many students rushed to take both her upper level physical chemistry courses this year upon hearing that she would be retiring. These are not courses that students typically rush to take, however many students didn’t want to miss out on an opportunity to learn from and with her.

In addition to being on the forefront of pedagogy development, Alice demonstrates her commitment to supporting the whole student. She empowers and believes in everyone’s ability to learn difficult material. For her, it is just finding the right way to encourage engagement, and help students meet expectations and she is constantly developing new ways to do this for each and every individual student.

She has served as a first-year advisor many times during the summer and has organized and overseen the entire process. “Alice was an extraordinary role model for me, other faculty, and countless students (particularly women in STEM). Her enthusiasm for developing student potential is contagious and she happily shares her skill, methods and expertise with others. She has provided well-timed thoughtful advice and guidance to me as a junior faculty (and still does). This is also how most of her research students feel as well, as though they really matter to her and their success and progress is just as important as her own (if not more so). She quite clearly models how to be a great teacher, mentor, advisor, and faculty citizen,” said nominator Amara Taddeo ’25.

She employs a “flipped classroom” for her general chemistry and physical chemistry courses, which require students to do the bulk of the information gathering through readings and videos that she created. This student-driven classroom requires her students to think independently and develop mastery through communicating their ideas. Simply put, a student cannot be an inactive participant in one of Alice’s classes; her student engagement is unmatched throughout the department.

It is with great pleasure that Allegheny College presents the 2025 Julian Ross Award for Excellence in Teaching to professor Alice Deckert.

Robert T. Sherman Distinguished Service Award Recipients

Jeff Groff

Coach Groff has contributed much over his 40-year career with Allegheny College. He has managed, with excellence, the men’s and women’s golf programs, including the women’s program from its inception.

In 2025, he led athletes to win the Men’s PAC Championship, earned PAC Men’s Golf Coach of the Year, and the team qualified for the NCAA tournament. His women’s golf team finished third at the PAC Championships. He has coached a variety of other sports during his time in Meadville, including baseball and soccer.

Coach Groff is a four-time Coach of the Year winner in men’s golf, having won the last two PAC Coach of the Year awards in 2023-24 and 2024-25 after leading Allegheny to back-to-back conference championships. He is the only coach to lead the women’s golf program, which began in 2006, and was named the NCAC Women’s Golf Coach of the Year in 2008. Groff has mentored several All-America and All-Region award winners and conference individual medalists.

“Coach Groff did so much more in his role as head golf coach than run practices and schedule tournaments. There were quite a few things he expected of us outside of the structured practices and busy tournament seasons. These included grueling- at least to me-6am workouts throughout the golf offseason (affectionately termed ‘Groffercize’), team dinners during which cell phone use was prohibited, course maintenance projects at the Country Club each spring, and volunteering in the Meadville community on weekends,” said Miranda Santucci ’14.

His athletes describe him as caring for them as individuals. He is competitive, focused on winning tournaments, but most interested in developing young people by nurturing a shared love for the game of golf, as well as encouraging students to accomplish their personal goals.

The responsibilities in the classroom, on the course, and outside of tournaments, along with the consistency of Coach’s message, challenged his students to be the best versions of themselves. He trusted each student to F.I.O. (“figure it out”). Coach imparted invaluable lessons such as the responsibility to honor commitments and treat their communities with respect and kindness.

Coach Groff leads by example and teaches students responsibility, resilience, humility, hard work, and integrity. This has led to success throughout his career with numerous high national finishes. He led his Gator men’s squad to the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament in each of his first five seasons — part of a 30-year streak by the program, and has continued to keep Allegheny at the top of the national and regional rankings.

Groff, who has served as head coach of the women’s program since its inception in 2006, has guided the Gators to unprecedented heights. The Gators qualified for the NCAA Division III Championships in their first seven years as a varsity program, producing six top-10 finishes. In 2006, Groff became just the fifth coach in NCAA history to lead both the men’s and women’s teams to the NCAA Championships in the same year, while both teams also bagged a top-10 finish that season.

During his tenure, seven Allegheny golfers have combined to earn a total of 14 All-America honors.

Coach Groff’s exemplary service and unwavering dedication make him a true asset to Allegheny College, and this award is a testament to his invaluable contributions over the past four decades.

Allegheny College is proud to recognize Coach Jeff Groff with the Robert T. Sherman Distinguished Service Award in recognition of his outstanding service to the institution.