LATROBE, PA – The Saint Vincent College chapter of the Alpha Lambda Delta (ALD) Honor Society for First-Year Academic Success is one of five to win the prestigious Order of the Torch award for the 2025-26 academic year.
The honor, bestowed by ALD’s national office, recognizes the most outstanding chapters based on chapter involvement, communication, visibility and overall presentation of their application. This is Saint Vincent College’s sixth Order of the Torch award, having previously been honored in 2022, 2013, 2009, 2003 and 1998, according to the ALD’s website.
“The Order of the Torch award reflects the dedication, compassion and leadership of our student members. Throughout the year, they created meaningful opportunities for service, fostered a strong sense of belonging and demonstrated a commitment to helping others succeed,” said Jody Marsh, C’01, G’15, director of global and community engagement at the College. She serves as advisor for Saint Vincent’s ALD chapter. “Their work reflects the Benedictine values of community, hospitality and service that are at the heart of the Saint Vincent experience. As an advisor, I am incredibly proud of the impact they have made on our campus and community and grateful to see their efforts recognized at the national level.”
In addition to Saint Vincent’s chapter, ALD chapters at Northwestern State University of Louisiana, Ohio State University, Saint Anselm College and the University of Arkansas were honored with the Order of the Torch award. The Saint Vincent College ALD chapter’s winning scrapbook can be found on the ALD’s national website.
The College’s chapter is led by juniors Benjamin Poole, an accounting and finance double major from Murrysville, as president; Jordan Dunham, an organismal biology major from Point Marion, as vice president; Giovanni Porco, a political science and economics double major from Tarentum, as secretary; Sydney McWreath, an accounting major from Washington, as treasurer; Kaylie Kurland, a management major from Littlestown, as social media co-manager; Amberlee Castillo, a liberal arts major from Newark, New Jersey, as social media co-manager; Hannah Fockler, an organismal biology major from Windber, as service and philanthropy manager; and Victoria Staub, a marketing major from Glenville, as historian.
“We sincerely appreciate the work it takes to achieve the Order of the Torch award. The students from these winning institutions demonstrated high-quality programming, outstanding communication across campus and in their communities, and overall excellence,” said Eileen Merberg, ALD executive director. “It is truly impressive what the winning chapters were able to accomplish this past year. These chapters were able to stay engaged and continue the important work of supporting student success.”
Saint Vincent College’s ALD chapter was also recognized with the Maintaining the Flame award in 2025, 2024 and 2014. The Maintaining the Flame award is a national honor bestowed by the ALD to chapters that previously won the Order of the Torch. Because chapters are ineligible to win the Order of the Torch again for four years, this award recognizes continued excellence during the interim years.
Alpha Lambda Delta
ALD is an honor society that recognizes students’ academic success in their first year at a college or university. Founded in 1924, ALD has installed over 400 chapters to date, inducts approximately 22,000 members annually and is comprised of over 1.4 million lifetime members. ALD’s mission is to encourage superior academic achievement, to promote intelligent living and a continued high standard of learning, and to assist students in recognizing and developing meaningful goals for their unique roles in society. Since 1939, ALD has been a member in good standing with the Association of College Honor Societies, the only national accrediting body for collegiate honor societies.
