Students earn McQuiston, Splete leadership awards at Westminster College Honors Convocation

Three Westminster College juniors were awarded prestigious leadership and service awards during the College’s 2024 Spring Honors Convocation ceremony held Wednesday, April 17.

Gabrielle DiDolce, an accounting major from Shippenville, Pa., and Jonas Clark, an accounting major from Montgomery Village, Md., were each awarded the McQuiston Outstanding Service Award, while Ella Hildebrand, a neuroscience major from Greenville, Pa., was presented with the Allen P. Splete Leadership and Service Award. The McQuiston awards are each valued at $12,000, while the Splete award is a $500 prize. All funds are used to offset the students’ tuition for the 2024-2025 academic year.

DiDolce’s on campus involvement is varied and grounded in her strong leadership roles. She is president and senator of the Student Government Association, a student ambassador for the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants, an Alumni Council student representative, serves as vice president of recruitment and events for Alpha Gamma Delta and president of Chemistry Club and has participated in the Model United Nations conferences in Chicago.

Clark’s roles on campus echo his desire to help others through service. He is president of Westminster’s chapter of Habitat for Humanity, captain of the men’s lacrosse team, a peer tutor in the Academic Success Center, a philanthropy assistant for Alpha Sigma Phi and a participant in the Experience Alaska trip.

Hildebrand is a constant leader in her major and throughout the Westminster community. A member of the Zeta Tau Alpha sorority, she current serves as vice president for new membership. As the sorority’s philanthropy chair, she helped raise $1,000 for breast cancer education and awareness. She is the historian of the Pre-Health Society and an Academic Success Center peer tutor for psychology and biology. She was recently selected to serve as an associate trustee on the Westminster College Board of Trustees for the 2024-2025 academic year.

The McQuiston Outstanding Service Awards, endowed by W. James McQuiston ’29 and Mrs. McQuiston, were established in 1979 and are given annually to a rising senior man and woman for unselfish service to the Westminster community during their college careers. Selection is made by the faculty and administrative members of the Student Life Committee from nominations made by classmates. The awards are in honor and in memory of seven members of the McQuiston family with Westminster ties: the Rev. J.A.C. McQuiston, College trustee from 1913-1917, and first business manager from 1917-1920; Mrs. J.A.C. McQuiston, acting dean of Hillside Dormitory from 1917-1918; Daniel H. McQuiston, class of 1915, director of athletics from 1922-1923; Helene McQuiston (Mrs. D.H.), music faculty from 1922-1924; Charles M. McQuiston, class of 1916; Minnie Belle McQuiston Ege, class of 1918, dean of women from 1921-1922; and Mary E. McQuiston ’69.

The Allen P. Splete Leadership and Service Award is awarded annually to a student who has provided sound leadership and selfless volunteerism to the curricular and co-curricular life on the Westminster campus. The award is named in honor of Dr. Allen P. Splete, president of Westminster College from 1982-1985.

Pictured above from left are Gabrielle DiDolce, Jonas Clark and Ella Hildebrand.

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