Five graduates of Indiana University of Pennsylvania have been selected for the 2025 IUP Young Alumni Achievement Award.
This award was created to recognize recent IUP graduates identified as being outstanding in their professions. IUP has more than 150,000 alumni all over the globe.
IUP graduates of less than 15 years are eligible for this award. Recipients are selected by the deans of the colleges. When award recipients return to campus for the award ceremony, they are hosted by members of IUP Ambassadors, the student-alumni group, and make presentations to IUP classes in their fields.
Recipients were honored at an awards ceremony on November 2 and visited classrooms in their colleges to present to students on November 3.
2025 YAAA Recipients
From left: Ray Edwards, Byron McClure, Angelica Terepka, IUP President Michael Driscoll, Cykhira Walton, Luke Piper.
In celebration of IUP’s sesquicentennial celebration, several past Young Alumni Achievement Award recipients returned to campus for the awards ceremony as table hosts, including Cindy Haigh, a 1984 and 1992 graduate (master’s degree) and 1994 recipient; Brianne Lenhart, a 2016 and 2017 graduate (master’s degree) and 2024 recipient; Andrew Longacre, a 2013 and 2019 graduate (master’s degree) and 2022 recipient; Lindsay Matolyak, a 2012 graduate and 2023 recipient; Scott Rhoades, a 2006 graduate (master’s degree) and 2012 recipient; Casey Ryan, a 2012 graduate and 2012 recipient; and Maureen Walls-McKay, a 1988 and 1995 graduate (doctoral degree) and 2005 recipient.
“Having past recipients of the Young Alumni Achievement Award here was a very special addition to this year’s celebration,” said IUP assistant vice president for University Advancement and co-chair of IUP’s sesquicentennial celebration Jennifer Dunsmore. “The pride and affection that our alumni have for IUP is truly inspiring.”
The 2025 Young Alumni Achievement Award recipients and the sponsoring colleges from which they originally graduated are:
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Ray Edwards, Eberly College of Business, a 2011 graduate with degrees in international business, management with a concentration in finance and economics. A native of Wernersville, Edwards is the director of retail media data engineering at The Home Depot. He lives in Atlanta.
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Byron McClure, College of Education and Human Services, who earned a doctor of education degree in school psychology in 2016. A native of Fort Washington, Maryland, he is an entrepreneur, speaker, writer, and CEO and founder of School Psych AI and The Black School Psychologists Network. He lives in Spring, Texas.
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Luke Piper, John J. and Char Kopchick College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, a 2015 dual major in biology and philosophy. A native of Indiana, Piper is a full-time staff psychiatrist with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center-Central PA Hospitals. He lives in Elizabethtown.
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Angelica Terepka, College of Health Sciences, who earned her master’s degree in clinical psychology in 2013 and her doctor of psychology in 2016. A native of Queens, New York, she is the director of psychology at Elmhurst Hospital, part of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. She lives in Island Park, New York.
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Cykhira Walton, College of Arts, Humanities, Media, and Public Affairs, who earned her bachelor’s degree in criminology and pre-law. A native of Philadelphia, she is the senior policy advisor to Councilmember Anthony Phillips, who represents Philadelphia’s 9th District. She lives in Philadelphia.
2025 YAAA Recipients and Past Recipients
Seated, from left: Ray Edwards, Byron McClure, Angelica Terepka, IUP President Michael Driscoll, Cykhira Walton, Luke Piper.
Standing, from left: Casey Ryan ’12 (2012 recipient); Maureen Walls-McKay ’88, D’95 (2005 recipient); Brianne Lenhart ’16, M’17 (2024 recipient); Scott Rhoades M’06 (2012 recipient); Cindy Haigh ’84, M’92 (1994 recipient); Lindsay Matolyak ’12 (2023 recipient); Andrew Longacre ’13, M’19 (2022 recipient).
Ray Edwards
As a member of the Cook Honors College, Edwards completed honors programs in both business and economics and was recognized as the top student in each major.
A dedicated student leader, he served as student trustee on the IUP Council of Trustees, was president of the IUP Ambassadors, and president of the Student Advisory Network. He also contributed to the Eberly College of Business and Information Technology Strategic Planning Committee, among other leadership roles.
His academic excellence earned him membership in several honor societies, including Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines, and Omicron Delta Epsilon, the International Economics Honor Society. He also received numerous awards and scholarships, including the E.C. Howard Fellowship from the American Institute of Economic Research, the Bright Dismal Scientist Award for Outstanding Graduating Economics Student, the Outstanding Student in International Business Management Award, and the 2010 American Institute for Economic Research Summer Fellowship.
After completing his IUP degree, Edwards earned a master’s degree in economics from the University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business. Since then, he has built a distinguished career leading high-impact analytics teams at major brands, including Spanx and Tombras.
During his extensive tenure at BBDO Worldwide, he held multiple leadership roles, culminating in vice president of data. Among his many achievements, he led the creation of “Gracie,” an anti-sex trafficking chatbot that earned a Cannes Gold Lion Award—one of the industry’s highest honors for creativity, effectiveness, and impact.
In his current role with Home Depot, he leads data strategy and engineering for Orange Apron Media, The Home Depot’s retail media business. His team designs and manages the systems, data pipelines, and tools that power the company’s advertising operations, ensuring that campaign data is accurate, accessible, and actionable, enabling teams to drive growth through informed, data-driven decisions.
Byron McClure
McClure recently served as the director of innovation at 7 Mindsets and is the founder of Lessons for SEL, or social emotional learning. As a nationally certified school psychologist, McClure’s early career was dedicated to serving public school districts in Washington, DC, and Maryland. An active member of the National Association of School Psychologists, he serves on several committees—including Multicultural Affairs—and has been honored with the Association’s President’s Certificate of Achievement. His leadership and service have also been recognized by the nonprofit organization Men Can Stop Rape, which awarded him the Counter Stories Award for his commitment to advocacy and empowerment. A passionate advocate for improving education and support services for youth, he also works to increase the representation of African American school psychologists, particularly men, in the profession. His mission is clear: to enhance outcomes for young people and uplift historically marginalized communities.
McClure is the co-author of Hacking Deficit Thinking: 8 Reframes That Will Change the Way You Think About Strength-Based Practices and Equity in Schools.
Luke Piper
At IUP, Piper was a member of the Cook Honors College and the IUP Marching Band. He excelled academically, graduating summa cum laude and earning membership in Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s most selective multidisciplinary honor society, and Beta Beta Beta, the Biology Honor Society. He was also the recipient of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania University Biologists Outstanding Student Award and is a winner of the Howard Z. Fitzgerald Philosophy Essay Contest.
Even as an undergraduate, he demonstrated a deep commitment to public service, serving the community as a deputy coroner for Indiana County.
In 2017, he earned his doctor of medicine degree from the Penn State University College of Medicine, and in 2021, completed his residency in psychiatry at the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.
During his residency, he was recognized multiple times by Penn State Health’s “Exceptional Moments in Teaching” initiative for excellence in medical student education. He was twice honored for the high score on his program’s in-training examination, and program faculty selected him for a Resident Educator Award and two Resident of the Year Awards.
Now board-certified in adult psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, Piper serves as the central chapter president of the Pennsylvania Psychiatric Society and is an elected fellow of the American Psychiatric Association.
In his current role, he provides psychiatric consultation to medically hospitalized patients and supports primary care clinics throughout central Pennsylvania. He also teaches psychiatry to resident physicians, attending physicians, and medical students from affiliated universities.
A dedicated educator and advocate, he is a frequent speaker and lecturer on behavioral health throughout UPMC, a published author, and a contributor to podcasts, radio, and television programs addressing mental health awareness.
Angelica Terepka
In her current role, Terepka provides leadership and vision to advance mental health care and promote community well-being. Through a $5-million grant focused on suicide prevention among diverse youth, she developed and implemented culturally infused programs centered on community empowerment—serving more than 25,000 individuals across Queens.
With a passion for inclusive care, she founded Pride Health Services at Elmhurst Hospital, an initiative dedicated to supporting the health and wellness of the LGBTQIA+ community. She also leads the hospital system’s Helping Healers Heal program, which promotes employee well-being and works to reduce violence in healthcare settings.
In addition to her administrative and clinical leadership, she maintains a private practice and teaches master’s and doctoral-level courses at several universities. A Public Health Bloomberg Fellow at Johns Hopkins, she is currently working toward a master’s degree in public health.
Terepka’s contributions have earned her numerous honors, including the 2024 Impact Award from Gay City News, LGBTQ+ Champion Recognition from New York City Council Members, and a seat on the board of directors for the National Register of Health Service Psychologists.
Cykhira Walton
During her time at IUP, Walton was an active and engaged student leader, contributing to campus life through her involvement with the Black Emphasis Committee, POIZ, Community Outreach Helping Others, the Student Disciplinary Board, and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. A passion for justice and service led her to continue her education at Widener Commonwealth Law School, where she earned her juris doctor in 2020.
In her current role, she leads legislative strategy, zoning oversight, and community-driven policy initiatives—working closely with city partners and residents to advance priorities such as neighborhood revitalization, youth engagement, public safety, and equitable economic development. Her commitment to civic and community leadership extends far beyond her professional responsibilities, as she serves on the board of directors for Philly Youth, Inc., and Pathways to Housing PA. She also volunteers with Pennsylvania for Modern Courts as a civic education presenter, introducing middle school students to the law, the judicial system, and the power of civic engagement.
Since its founding in 1875, IUP has evolved from a teacher-training institution into a doctoral research university recognized for its commitment to student success and achievement. As IUP celebrates its 150th anniversary in 2025, the university honors a legacy of educational excellence while looking toward a future of innovation, leadership in healthcare education, and public service.