Kutztown University Presents 2026 Chambliss Student Academic Achievement Awards
KUTZTOWN, Pa. – Kutztown University presented the 2026 Chambliss Student Academic Achievement Awards to eight accomplished students Friday, April 24. Students who received awards were nominated by staff and faculty members for meeting one or more of the seven areas of achievement: successfully completed research projects, outstanding academic achievement, high-quality original artwork, high-quality artistic performances (music, chorus, drama, etc.), original writing in literature or meritorious writing in other fields, noteworthy achievements in athletics, and outstanding service to the KU community.
The Academic Achievement Awards were established in 2004 through a donation provided by Dr. Carlson Chambliss, KU professor of astronomy from 1970-2003. The purpose of the awards is to recognize the exceptional individual achievements of a select group of KU graduating seniors. Specially designed coin medallions of gold, silver and copper were presented to the students.
Freddie Retter – Gold
Freddie Retter is from Quakertown, Pa. and is graduating in May with a degree in elementary education. He is awarded the Chambliss Academic Gold Medal for noteworthy achievements in athletics.
Retter has been a dominant force on defense for a Kutztown University football team that has won three consecutive Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference championships and advanced to the NCAA Division II national semifinals in two of the last three seasons.
In addition to numerous accolades on the gridiron, Retter is a two-time All-America wrestler and is one of KU's top academic student-athletes.
Retter, a defensive lineman, is a two-time All-PSAC East First Team and All-Super Region 1 selection. He was voted 2024 PSAC East Defensive Athlete of the Year and D2CCA Super Region 1 Defensive Player of the Year. This past fall, he earned D2CCA All-America Second Team honors as the Golden Bears won a school record 14 games. In 39 career games, Retter totaled 114 tackles, 21 sacks and 29.5 tackles for loss.
Following the 2024 football season, Retter joined the KU wrestling program for the 2025 spring semester. He went on qualify for the NCAA DII Championships at heavyweight, where he earned a fifth-place finish to capture All-America honors. This past season, Retter finished runner-up at the Super Region 1 Championships and captured his second straight All-America honor with another fifth-place effort at nationals.
Retter was the 2024 PSAC Champion Scholar for football, an award presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative GPA at each of the conference's championship events. He's also a two-time College Sports Communicators Academic All-America First Team selection, three-time PSAC Scholar-Athlete, 2025 Academic All-PSAC honoree and two-time D2 ADA Academic Achievement award recipient.
Peter Cadiz – Silver
Peter Cadiz is from Reading, Pa. and is graduating in May with degrees in mathematics and data science. He is awarded the Chambliss Academic Silver Medal for successfully completed research project.
Since 2024, Cadiz has collaborated with faculty to design and analyze complex experiments. His research resulted in two peer-reviewed publications in mathematics, including a highly selective international journal.
Over a two-year period, Cadiz maintained weekly research meetings, continuing his work through summer and winter breaks. During the project, he implemented complex algorithms, performed statistical evaluations and developed hybrid heuristic-exact solution methods. Faculty mentors noted his work exceeded typical undergraduate expectations, demonstrating advanced dedication while managing a dual-degree course load.
Cadiz plans to pursue graduate studies in operations research and applied mathematics. His future work will focus on developing innovative optimization solutions for both academic and industrial applications.
Gabriella DeMarco – Silver
Gabriella DeMarco is from Leesport, Pa. and is graduating in May with a degree in marine science with a concentration in oceanography and a minor in geology. She is awarded the Chambliss Academic Silver Medal for successfully completed research project.
DeMarco has dedicated nearly four years to investigating 300,000 years of environmental history through her extensive research in coastal marine geology. She began her study of the Savage Neck Dunes Natural Area Preserve in Virginia in July 2022. Her research focuses on using sediment cores and ground-penetrating radar (GPR) to track paleoenvironmental changes on the Southern Delmarva Peninsula. Through her analysis, she identified three distinct periods of ancient forestation, or paleosols, preserved between layers of marine and estuarine sediments.
DeMarco has presented her findings at seven professional conferences, including meetings of the American Geophysical Union and the Geological Society of America. She has contributed to six published abstracts and successfully authored four Kutztown University Research Fund grant proposals to support her conference travel. In March, she delivered an oral presentation at the Symposium on the Application of Geophysics to Engineering and Environmental Problems in Pittsburgh, Pa.
In addition to her research, DeMarco serves as a peer mentor, training new students in sediment coring, grain-size analysis and data interpretation. She is the vice president of the university's Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance chapter, a member of the women’s rugby team and a student worker at the Women’s Center. She also frequently volunteers for campus STEM outreach events, including Science Olympiad, Girls in STEM Symposium and the STEM Open House.
Ava Esterly – Silver
Ava Esterly is from Pottstown, Pa. and is graduating in May with a degree in environmental science with a concentration in Regenerative Organic Agriculture and a certificate in Geographic Information Systems (GIS). She is awarded the Chambliss Academic Silver Medal for successfully completed research project.
As an intern at both Farmer Jawn and the Rodale Institute, Esterly has helped design scalable techniques for 100-acre production systems and developed comprehensive economic reports comparing conventional and organic crop yields.
Esterly's extensive research portfolio focuses on the mechanical and ecological drivers of soil health. She has spearheaded studies on the synergistic effects of biochar and compost on crop productivity, the isolation of mycorrhizal fungal spores, and the impacts of transitioning conventional farming systems to regenerative management. Her findings have been presented at the Ecological Society of America (ESA) national and mid-Atlantic conferences, as well as to the research department and executive leadership at the Rodale Institute. Her professional background bridges the gap between scientific inquiry and community engagement.
Esterly was selected as the student speaker to announce a $1.5 million grant for Kutztown University’s Regenerative Organic Agriculture program in 2024, and was a mentor and student team leader as an underclassman for the Regenerative Agriculture Living Laboratory. Her contributions have earned her several prestigious honors, including the Farm Credit Foundation for Agricultural Advancement Scholarship.
Erin Gonzalez – Silver
Erin Gonzalez is from East Earl, Pa. and is graduating in May with a degree in business administration. She is awarded the Chambliss Academic Silver Medal for noteworthy achievements in athletics.
Gonzalez enjoyed a standout career as a member of the Kutztown University field hockey team, leading the Golden Bears to the NCAA Division II Final Four each of the last three seasons, including a national championship in 2023 and national runner-up finish in 2024.
Gonzalez was a three-time All-PSAC selection and two-time National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) All-American. In her final season with the Maroon and Gold this past fall, Gonzalez was voted PSAC Athlete of the Year, All-PSAC First Team, NFHCA All-Atlantic Region First Team and NFHCA All-America First Team.
In 84 career games, Gonzalez had 47 goals, 18 assists, 112 points and 15 game-winning goals. She set new career-highs in all offensive categories in 2025, finishing with 17 goals, eight assists, five game-winning goals and 42 points in 22 games. Gonzalez ranks tied for seventh in program history in career goals scored.
Brandon Hile – Copper
Brandon Hile is from Winfield, Pa. and is graduating in May with a degree in criminal justice. He is awarded the Chambliss Academic Copper Medal for noteworthy achievements in athletics.
Hile is a four-year letterwinner and three-year starter for the Golden Bear football team. He helped Kutztown to three consecutive Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference championships, two NCAA Division II Super Region 1 titles and a pair of national semifinals appearances. Hile is part of the winningest senior class in program history, as the Golden Bears totaled a 45-8 record between 2022-25, including a single season record 14 victories this past fall. In 47 career games, the linebacker amassed 196 tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks.
During KU's record-setting 2025 season, Hile was voted PSAC East Defensive Athlete of the Year and received All-America honors from multiple organizations. He was an All-PSAC East and D2CCA All-Super Region 1 First Team choice before going on to be named AFCA All-America Second Team, D2CCA All-America Second Team, Associated Press All-America Second Team, Walter Camp Foundation All-America and Don Hansen Gazette Honorable Mention All-America and D2Football.com Elite 100.
In addition to his on-field recognition, Hile received College Sports Communicators Academic All-America First Team and Academic All-PSAC honors this past fall.
Deanna Leperi – Copper
Deanna Leperi is from Easton, Pa. and graduated in December with a degree in general studies. She is awarded the Chambliss Academic Copper Medal for successfully completed research project.
Leperi served as a lead undergraduate researcher since January 2025, contributing to laboratory operations and peer mentorship. Her technical work was featured at the joint international American Society for Cell Biology and European Molecular Biology Organization meeting in December. She is currently co-authoring a research paper for publication.
Throughout her tenure, Leperi has worked exclusively as a volunteer, opting out of academic credit or stipends. In addition to her own research, she manages laboratory logistics and provides technical assistance to fellow student researchers.
Mark-handy Phanor – Copper
Mark-handy Phanor is from Philadelphia, Pa. and is graduating in May with a degree in political science and a certificate in paralegal studies. He is awarded the Chambliss Academic Copper Medal for outstanding service to the Kutztown University community.
Phanor has been recognized for his leadership and commitment to student advocacy, highlighted by his service as a student representative on the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) Board of Governors, where he represents and advocates for more than 85,000 students at the state level. His work has included engaging with lawmakers and contributing to conversations on higher education affordability and access.
In addition to his board service, Phanor has gained policy research experience through internships with 50 State and Benefits Data Trust, where he conducted multi-state legislative analysis and research on public benefits programs. On campus, he serves as a Presidential Ambassador and Honors Peer Mentor, supporting students academically and professionally, and has also contributed to university governance through his role on the Student Conduct Board. He previously served as a Junior Council Member for the Borough of West Reading, gaining experience in local government. His commitment to service and leadership earned him an APSCUF scholarship.
Phanor's academic work is centered on his honors capstone project, which examines the implications of facial recognition technologies on privacy law and the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution. He has been developing this research since 2024 and received a grant from the Northeast Regional Honors Council to present his findings at its April 2026 conference.