Greatness abounds
What do you get when you combine academic excellence with a drive to make a difference? You get the recipients of PASSHE’s Syed R. Ali-Zaidi Award. Previous winners have gone on to become educators, engineers, lawyers, and leaders in global non-profits and community healthcare — proving that this award is an early indicator of real-world impact.
This past week, we had the honor of recognizing Slippery Rock’s Abby Becker, the 2026 winner. Before celebrating her and the other talented finalists, it is important to reflect on the meaning behind this prestigious honor — the highest student award in the State System.
Founded by Dr. Syed R. Ali-Zaidi, a charter member of our Board of Governors, the award looks beyond a transcript. It evaluates candidates on three essential pillars: academic mastery, extracurricular leadership, and a clear vision for how their university experience has prepared them to lead.
These scholars represent the thousands of PASSHE students who take pride in their campuses and their communities, striving to leave a lasting, positive mark. They represent the best of us, and we are privileged to have them in our System.
This year’s finalists meet that high standard.
Tim Lerch, a chemistry major at Millersville University, is a prolific scholar who has earned twenty-four academic fellowships, scholarships, and prizes. A leader in undergraduate research, Tim has already co-authored six peer-reviewed journal articles. Beyond the lab, his service as a peer mentor and community volunteer demonstrates a heart for leadership. He will soon pursue his graduate degree in chemistry at the University of Illinois.
David Boatwright, a sociology major at Shippensburg University, exemplifies this level of achievement. A community college transfer, David’s scholarly impact is already being felt at the state level through research and mapping published by the Department of Education. His leadership on campus has further cemented his reputation as a champion for his university and the broader community.
Leading this year’s exceptional group, we come back to Abby, a mathematics major at SRU who is completing her degree in just two years. Her trajectory is remarkable. Having earned her associate’s degree while still in high school, she has already spent a year as an actuarial intern at Erie Insurance Group. At just nineteen years old, Abby has secured a full-time offer from a Fortune 500 company and will begin graduate studies at Boston University. Her journey reflects deep initiative and ambition, proving she is more than ready to make a meaningful impact in her field and beyond.
As Abby, Tim, and David graduate and move on to write their next chapters, they carry with them the spirit of the Syed R. Ali-Zaidi Award: a lifelong commitment to learning and a passion for serving others. Their success is a powerful testament to the value of a PASSHE education, a testament to the dedicated faculty and staff who pour into our students every day, and a reminder of the bright future these young leaders are building for Pennsylvania and beyond.
They are not alone.
Across all PASSHE universities, there are thousands more like them — students working in our labs, performing on our stages, leading our student organizations, and preparing to enter the workforce with the same drive and determination. They are the heart of our mission, and we remain faithful to ensuring each and every one of them has the opportunity to thrive.
This past week, we had the honor of recognizing Slippery Rock’s Abby Becker, the 2026 winner. Before celebrating her and the other talented finalists, it is important to reflect on the meaning behind this prestigious honor — the highest student award in the State System.
Founded by Dr. Syed R. Ali-Zaidi, a charter member of our Board of Governors, the award looks beyond a transcript. It evaluates candidates on three essential pillars: academic mastery, extracurricular leadership, and a clear vision for how their university experience has prepared them to lead.
These scholars represent the thousands of PASSHE students who take pride in their campuses and their communities, striving to leave a lasting, positive mark. They represent the best of us, and we are privileged to have them in our System.
This year’s finalists meet that high standard.
Tim Lerch, a chemistry major at Millersville University, is a prolific scholar who has earned twenty-four academic fellowships, scholarships, and prizes. A leader in undergraduate research, Tim has already co-authored six peer-reviewed journal articles. Beyond the lab, his service as a peer mentor and community volunteer demonstrates a heart for leadership. He will soon pursue his graduate degree in chemistry at the University of Illinois.
David Boatwright, a sociology major at Shippensburg University, exemplifies this level of achievement. A community college transfer, David’s scholarly impact is already being felt at the state level through research and mapping published by the Department of Education. His leadership on campus has further cemented his reputation as a champion for his university and the broader community.
Leading this year’s exceptional group, we come back to Abby, a mathematics major at SRU who is completing her degree in just two years. Her trajectory is remarkable. Having earned her associate’s degree while still in high school, she has already spent a year as an actuarial intern at Erie Insurance Group. At just nineteen years old, Abby has secured a full-time offer from a Fortune 500 company and will begin graduate studies at Boston University. Her journey reflects deep initiative and ambition, proving she is more than ready to make a meaningful impact in her field and beyond.
As Abby, Tim, and David graduate and move on to write their next chapters, they carry with them the spirit of the Syed R. Ali-Zaidi Award: a lifelong commitment to learning and a passion for serving others. Their success is a powerful testament to the value of a PASSHE education, a testament to the dedicated faculty and staff who pour into our students every day, and a reminder of the bright future these young leaders are building for Pennsylvania and beyond.
They are not alone.
Across all PASSHE universities, there are thousands more like them — students working in our labs, performing on our stages, leading our student organizations, and preparing to enter the workforce with the same drive and determination. They are the heart of our mission, and we remain faithful to ensuring each and every one of them has the opportunity to thrive.
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