WAYNESBURG — Anthony Conn of West Sunbury was on a four-member team of Waynesburg University student journalists who received the Society of Professional Journalists’ 2016 Mark of Excellence Award for In-Depth Reporting, Small School Division. The award represents the newspaper’s first national-level win.

The entry was a five-story series on the heroin epidemic and it was one of four first-place region awards received by the university’s student-run newspaper, The Yellow Jacket.

The entry competed with journalists from colleges and universities with 10,000 students or fewer. Waynesburg University was only one of two Pennsylvania universities to earn a national award in any of the newspaper categories.

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ERIE — Marissa Siebka of Slippery Rock was named a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Scholar-Athlete at Gannon University.

A student must earn a 3.25 GPA or higher during the 2016-17 academic year to receive the honor.

Siebka is on the women’s basketball team and a freshman at the university.

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ANNVILLE — Lauren Decker and Ian Brown, both of Grove City, were named as Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Scholar-Athletes at Lebanon Valley College. Both are graduates of Grove City High School.

They also were named to the Middle Atlantic Conference’s winter and spring academic honor roll.

Additionally, Decker received MAC Academic All-Conference honors.

Decker is on the women’s track and field team and studying for a doctor of physical therapy degree.

Brown was on the men’s track and field team. He received a bachelor’s degree in health science.

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GALESBURG, Ill. — John Stephen Damits of Butler was elected to the Knox College chapter of Phi Beta Kappa.