First Posted: 10/2/2014

Wyoming Seminary seniors Madison Sweitzer, of Dallas, and Daiki Sugiyama, of Tokyo, Japan, received the 2014 Wyoming Seminary Alumni Service Awards during Sem’s recent Homecoming festivities. The award recognizes exceptional student leadership and service to the campus community.

Sweitzer and Sugiyama were two of eight seniors nominated for this year’s alumni award. Nominees also included Isabella Del Priore, of Dallas; Ataliah Dressler, of Kingston; Emily Gabriel, of Forty Fort; Brandon Gonzalez, of Wilkes-Barre; Adam Rinehouse, of Shavertown; and Joseph-John Simons IV, of Kingston.

Members of the Wyoming Seminary Alumni Council interviewed the eight students and determined the two 2014 award recipients.

Sweitzer, daughter of Molly and Mike Sweitzer, is a member of student government and serves as the student body and senior class president. She is a member of the Orientation Committee, the Library Advisory Board, Student Activities Committee, the Community Service Executive Board and Blue Key.

She also is a peer tutor, a Levi Sprague Fellow and captain of the cross-country team and serves as a volunteer at summer lacrosse camp at Sem and Cradle Lacrosse. For the past three years she helped organize Sem’s Dance Marathon, which benefits the Janet Weis Children’s Hospital. She is a regular volunteer at the Wilkes-Barre soup kitchen and at Kid’s Café, an after school program at the Wilkes-Barre Heights Elementary School.

Sugiyama, son of Akiko and Tadakuni Sugiyama of Tokyo, is a two-year representative for student government, a three-year leader of the photography club and serves on the executive committee of the International Club. He is a member of the Baking Club, True Blue and the Business Club and is the photo editor for the yearbook. He has been a member of the soccer and wrestling teams, helped organize the Sem Dance Marathon and Relay for Life, has been involved in Kids Café, served on a dormitory residence life committee and is a leader of the Alexandrian Society.