Social Work student earns Student of the Year Award; retiree honored for lifetime achievement

Kenna Rearick of Beaver Falls, Pa., and a Social Work student at Youngstown State University, has been named Student of the Year by the National Association of Social Workers Ohio Region 4.

Also, Maureen Reardon, retired YSU field education coordinator, received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the organization.

The awards were presented at NASW’s awards reception earlier this month.

Rearick, a 2013 graduate of Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter School in Midland, Pa., enrolled in YSU’s Social Work program in Fall 2014 and is part of the YSU Honors College. In 2015 and 2016, she completed a 10-month service term with the AmeriCorps NCCC FEMA Corps program, during which she participated in community service and disaster relief efforts in Maryland, New York, Oregon and Washington. Upon completion, she received a Bronze Congressional Award for Service and a Gold Presidential Volunteer Service Award.

She is employed in YSU’s Center for Student Progress Tutorial Services and is completing her field work internship at Homes for Kids in Niles. She plans to graduate this May and then pursue a master’s degree in Social Work.