West Liberty University’s Alumni Association will add the names of three distinguished alumni to its Wall of Honor at an induction ceremony during Homecoming 2017. Alumni John Hennen, Katie Kacmarik and Al Roszczyk will receive awards during the invitation-only President’s Recognition Dinner at 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 13.
The dinner also honors donors who are members of the John P. McCullough Society, the President’s Circle and the Nathan Shotwell Society and will take place at the Highlands Event Center.
“These alumni are exceptional professionals who inspire us to do our best. We are proud to share their stories and achievements and to honor them in this way,” said President Dr. Stephen Greiner. The Wall of Honor is displayed to the public in the College Union building, located in the center of campus, near the quad.
John Hennen is a 1970 graduate of West Liberty. After earning his Master of Arts degree in acting and directing at West Virginia University he served as the Associate Director of Arts and Humanities at the Center for the Arts in Charleston, W.Va. where he managed the statewide Grants Program for the Arts. He also is the founder and artistic director of Brooke Hills Playhouse (1973), Wellsburg, W.Va.
A professional actor in New York from 1980-2008 he appeared in more than 50 plays at various theaters (the Stanford Meisner, the Open Eye, Network Productions and off-Broadway) and directed 10 productions. He also was a resident acting instructor for NETWORK and appeared in daytime television (the Guiding Light, Search for Tomorrow and As the World Turns), film and commercials. Hennen is a member of the Actors Equity Association, Screen Actors Guild, and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists.
Well-known to the WLU campus community, he currently teaches acting and serves as a staff director for the WLU theatre program. A resident of the town of West Liberty, he and his wife Judy have a daughter, Rayna, a graphic designer who resides in New York.
Katie Kacmarik earned her bachelor’s degree in biology at West Liberty in 2008 and went on to earn a Doctor of Pharmacy degree at West Virginia University in 2012. While at WLU, she served with the Student Government Association, was advertising manager of the Trumpet, president of the Biology Club, and spent summer months with the WV-INBRE biomedical research program.
While at West Virginia University, she served as National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) chapter president and received the Dean’s Volunteer Service Award and NCPA Presidential Scholarship.
Kacmarik is currently a managing pharmacist at Moundsville Pharmacy and is certified in diabetes, immunizations, and medication therapy management; and collaborates with the WVU Extension Dining on its diabetes program. In 2016, she was recognized as the Ohio-Marshall County Pharmacist of the Year. In 2015, she shared in the recognition of Pharmacy Development Services’ Pharmacist of the Year for co-developing SyncRx and she also co-facilitates intensive trainings for pharmacy owners and teams throughout the country.
She serves as president of Ohio Marshall County Pharmacists Association and a member and past executive board member of the West Virginia Pharmacists Association and is a member of Professional Compounding Centers of America, National Community Pharmacists Association and American Public Health Association. She also serves on WLU’s College of Sciences Advisory Board and resides in Wheeling.
Al Roszczyk is a member of the class of 1980 and has amassed a total of 34 years in the banking industry. He serves as regional president for First Financial Bank, headquartered in Cincinnati, where he is responsible for commercial banking for the State of Indiana as well as Northwest Ohio. Prior to joining First Financial, he was regional executive with Irwin Union Bank.
A native of Steubenville, Ohio, he also is earned a degree at the University of Wisconsin Graduate School of Banking. With a passion for community development, he serves on the Columbus Indiana Economic Development Board of Directors, the City of Columbus Indiana Redevelopment Commission and is a trustee for the Foundation for Youth. He has been a member of Rotary for 23 years.
He chaired the capital campaign for the Mill Race Center, an $8 million new community center for seniors. He also served on the Board of Directors of the United Way of Bartholomew County, Foundation for Youth, Columbus Regional Health Foundation and Bartholomew Consolidated School Foundation.
Roszczyk resides in Columbus, Ind. with his wife Susan of 36 years. They have two children, Sara a graduate of Indiana University and Erin a graduate of Purdue University, and four grandchildren.
Homecoming is Oct. 14, 2017, as the Hilltoppers take on the Glenville State Pioneers with a 1 p.m. kick-off at the West Family Stadium. Tailgating, with family-friendly activities for all ages, begins at 10 a.m. and a parade follows at 10:30 a.m. For more information, please visit westliberty.edu/alumni or call 304-336-8888.
