Four outstanding Penn State Berks alumni were recently celebrated by the Penn State Berks Office of Development and Alumni Relations during its annual awards ceremony on March 26, 2026. Alyssa Bushkie received the Alumni Achievement Award, Emily Pfender was presented the Outstanding Young Alumnae Award, and Rogelio Flores and Aimee Strunk received the Volunteer Service Award.
2025 Alumni Achievement Award: Alyssa Bushkie, Class of 2011
The Penn State Berks Alumni Achievement Award recognizes a distinguished alumnus or alumna who exemplifies leadership in their profession, makes meaningful contributions to society, and serves as an extraordinary role model for our community.
Alyssa Bushkie earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary and early childhood education from Penn State Berks in 2011. She went on to earn a master’s degree in strategic human resource management from St. Joseph’s University in 2018. She also earned several certifications including youth mental health first aid instructor through the National Council for Mental Wellbeing and she is a certified network professional through the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance.
Currently, Bushkie serves as chief executive officer for Opportunity House, an emergency shelter located in Reading. In this role, she oversees all functions of the multi-service facility whose purpose is to empower individuals to improve their lives. Opportunity House provides security, stability, safety and community to their clients through a wide range of services including a homeless shelter, a retail thrift store, two childcare centers, a reuse-and-recycle program and more. Previously, Bushkie served as the organization’s chief operating officer.
The nominator wrote, “As a member of the Opportunity House board of directors, I have had a front row seat to observe Alyssa’s steadfast approach to implementing her vision for the organization, her leadership of the staff, and the compassion and dedication that she demonstrates to its clients.”
Previously, Bushkie worked as branch executive director and then director of operations with the YMCA of Reading and Berks County.
“Alyssa fully embodies the qualifications mentioned in the award description, specifically ‘leadership,’ a ‘contribution to the betterment of society’ and ‘extraordinary professional and community accomplishments.’ Alyssa has spent her entire professional career in the service of her community,” according to a nomination.
2025 Outstanding Young Alumni Award: Emily Pfender, Class of 2017
The Outstanding Young Alumni Award recognizes a Penn State Berks graduate under the age of 35 who has demonstrated exceptional professional success, service to their community, and a lasting commitment to the campus.
Emily Pfender earned a bachelor’s degree in communication arts and sciences from Penn State Berks in 2017. During her time at the college, she was a member of Lambda Pi Eta, the official honor society of the National Communication Association and served as chapter president. She also worked as a teaching assistant and was also involved in a number of research and club activities.
After graduation, she went on to earn a master’s degree in health communication from Villanova University and a doctoral degree in health communication from the University of Delaware.
Pfender is currently a postdoctoral research fellow with the department of anesthesia and critical care and the department of obstetrics and gynecology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania. She summarizes her professional roles, stating, “I am a digital health communication scientist and postdoctoral researcher at the University of Pennsylvania, specializing in social media, physician communication, health marketing and medical health messaging. My research focuses on how social media and misinformation influences health behaviors and decision-making, particularly in the areas of contraception and maternal health.”
She has received many professional awards including being named an associate fellow, Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, University of Pennsylvania and a research affiliate, Center for Health Communication, University of Delaware.
According to her nominators, “Emily was an outstanding student who took her studies very seriously. She maintained this work ethic as she moved to her master’s degree at Villanova and through her Ph.D. at University of Delaware. She’s published 18 scholarly articles, three book chapters, presented 14 papers at conferences, and has had media attention to her work. The work that she does is incredibly important.”
2025 Volunteer Service Awards: Rogelio Flores, Class of 2024
The Volunteer Service Award recognizes an individual who represents the University and its mission and contributes to fostering advancement at Penn State Berks by dedicating their time, talent, and resources on behalf of the college. This year, the college is presenting two Volunteer Service Awards due to the outstanding contributions of each alumnus.
Rogelio Flores earned a bachelor’s degree in electro-mechanical engineering technology from Penn State Berks in 2024. A Reading High School graduate, he was involved in the Upward Bound Program, which helps high school students succeed and encourages higher education pursuits.
A first-generation college student, Flores participated in the Aspiring Scholars Program, a summer bridge program at Penn State Berks. He went on to serve as an Aspiring Scholar mentor. He was also involved in the Pathway to Success: Summer Start Program, a program for students to get a head start on their Penn State education.
During his time at Penn State Berks, Flores was a member of the Latinos United for Change student organization and served as a learning assistant with the Penn State Educational Partnership Program (PEPP), an early-intervention collaboration between Penn State Berks and the Reading School District. He was recognized with the college’s Martin Luther King Jr. Award and the PEPP Service Award in 2022.
In the community, Flores serves as vice president of the Reading Youth Commission, which gives youth a platform to express their concerns to city government. He serves on a committee that plans and partners with agencies to create youth opportunities.
Flores spent two summers as an intern at SFS Group. After graduation, he was hired by SFS Group and has been instrumental in the company’s sponsorship of three Penn State Berks capstone projects, which help companies solve challenges while providing real-world experience for students.
Since graduation, Flores has volunteered at the college for several events including the admissions panels, welcome weekend activities, and development and alumni events. He also participated in a panel discussion for the college’s Engineers Week program on BCTV, sharing his experiences at the college.
2025 Volunteer Service Awards: Aimee Strunk, Class of 2018
Aimee Strunk earned an associate degree in occupational therapy from Penn State Berks in 2018. Currently, Strunk serves as nursing home and personal care administrator of Elizabethtown Nursing and Rehabilitation. In this role, and in her previous position as director of activities at Ephrata Manor, she has provided volunteer support, service and assistance to the college’s occupational therapy program.
Stunk is an active member of college’s occupational therapy program advisory board, where she provides valuable feedback as a clinician. She was involved in the program’s national re-accreditation process with the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE), meeting with the ACOTE team, providing multifaceted feedback as a program alumnus fieldwork educator and advisory board member.
Stunk has given many presentations to students in the occupational therapy program based on her role working as a board certified, licensed occupational therapy assistant and her administrative roles. She has volunteered as a fieldwork supervisor for more than 60 students. In this capacity, she serves as a valued mentor, facilitating student transition to future occupational therapy professional.
In addition, Strunk includes students in a service-learning opportunities. Students have had the opportunity to interact with residents at Ephrata Manor during special events. These events provide students with the opportunity to learn clinical soft skills of interacting with an elderly population with such conditions as dementia, debility and motion limitations.
In her current position, she has worked with the college’s occupational therapy program chair to create onsite clinical fieldwork experiences for students in which they spend two days at her facility, experience daily activities involved with patient care, meet one-on-one for resident interviews and assist and plan activities for residents. Strunk has also shared job openings and has hired students, providing them with valuable work experience.
One nominator wrote, “Her dedication and volunteerism to the profession of occupational therapy and to the occupational therapy program at Penn State Berks is truly invaluable and we are grateful.”
About the awards program: The selection of the Alumni and Volunteer Award recipients is made by a committee consisting of faculty, staff, an advisory board member and select alumni who review nominees and provide their recommendations to the chancellor. For more information on the Penn State Berks Alumni and Volunteer Awards, contact Heather Wise, assistant director of alumni relations, at HLA2@psu.edu.
