Kent State East Liverpool faculty and staff awards were presented at the recent campus awards banquet by, from left, Kent State East Liverpool Dean Brad Bielski, Ph.D., to Mary Palen, Beth Allison-Christy and Angela Douglass. (Submitted photo)

EAST LIVERPOOL – Kent State University at East Liverpool has named Yvonne Trotter, Ph.D., the recipient of this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award and Larry Froehlich, Ph.D., of the 2026 Friend of Kent State University at East Liverpool Award. They were recognized at the recent campus awards banquet.

Also at the event, the East Liverpool Masonic Temple received the Community Partner Award, recognizing its support of Kent State East Liverpool students and community outreach.

The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes Kent State graduates for their professional accomplishments and community involvement, while the Friend of Kent State University at East Liverpool Award honors individuals who work tirelessly to improve the community and support the university’s mission to provide quality education to the tri-state area.

Yvonne Trotter, Ph.D.

Trotter is a lifelong area resident who dedicated her career to education. Following her graduation in 1974 from Wellsville High School, Trotter went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in education from Kent State University in 1978; a master’s degree in educational administration from the University of Dayton in 1983; and her doctorate degree in education from Kent State in 2002.

Before teaching at the collegiate level, Trotter spent nearly three decades with East Liverpool City Schools. She began as a special education tutor at the East Campus immediately following her graduation from Kent State and, after one year, became a special education teacher at East Elementary for two years.

Trotter spent the next 15 years as a special education teacher at East Liverpool High School, followed by seven years as a language arts teacher at Westgate Middle School. In 1991, Trotter was named the Special Education Teacher of the Year at ELHS.

She last served the school district as the principal at LaCroft Elementary School from 2003 to 2005.

Trotter transitioned into higher education as an adjunct instructor at Kent State East Liverpool where she taught educational leadership for three years before becoming a professor at Geneva College, in the Department of Education, from 2005 to 2017. There she worked with graduate and undergraduate students and supervised special education student teachers.

Larry Froehlich, Ph.D.

Froehlich is a retired associate professor emeritus who was tenured in the College of Education, Health and Human Services, but began his service at Kent State in 2002 when he was named dean of the East Liverpool Campus.

He transitioned to the classroom in 2004 and served as an associate professor through 2020 for the Columbiana County campuses. Froehlich was instrumental in creating the Bachelor of Technical and Applied Studies degree program and served as program coordinator, while also creating its cornerstone and capstone courses.

In 2016, Froehlich was named assistant to the vice dean for Kent State System Integration which provided him opportunities to help streamline initiatives to build networks from across the Kent State system to the Regional Campuses.

Froehlich received his doctorate degree in education administration from West Virginia University (1984); his Master of Education (1975) and a Bachelor of Science in Education degrees (1972) from Kent State; and an associate of arts degree from Cuyahoga Community College (1969).

Prior to his work at Kent State, Froehlich served from 1997 to 2001 as the executive dean and associate professor in the College of Education and Human Services at Marshall University, where he earlier was an assistant/associate professor for two programs through Marshall’s College of Education and Human Services. He taught courses in adult and technical education, as well as instructional technology.

From 1994 to 1997, he was the vice president for academic affairs at West Virginia Graduate College after serving as its dean for academic programs and director of off-campus programs from 1989 to 1993.

Froehlich also spent several years as the director of the Curriculum Technology Resource Center through the West Virginia Department of Education, Division of Technical and Adult Education Services.

East Liverpool Masonic Temple

The East Liverpool Masonic Temple received the 2026 Community Partner award for its longstanding relationship with the Kent State East Liverpool Campus, dating back to when what was then known as the Wall of Fame banquet was held at the facility.

The event was held at the Lodge until it outgrew the space, but has since returned to its point of origin in the newly renovated banquet room. The lodge assists the campus with snow removal in its upper parking lots and helps maintain the walkways and borders surrounding that space. The Masonic Temple also provides meeting and event spaces for campus activities

Outstanding Students, Faculty, Staff, Community Partner

Kent State University at East Liverpool also recognized the academic achievements of several students during its annual campus awards banquet, while also honoring the service of faculty, staff and community leaders.

The awards and recipients are:

Student Awards:

Associate Degree of Nursing Top Nursing Student Second Level: Neal Franchock

Associate Degree of Nursing Top Nursing Student First Level: Sydney Nicoara

Associate Degree of Nursing Academic Excellence Second Level: Elke Sekosky

Associate Degree of Nursing Academic Excellence First Level: Sydney Nicoara

Associate Degree of Nursing Clinical Excellence Second Level: Neal Franchock, Giovanna Pucci, Elke Sekosky

Associate Degree of Nursing Clinical Excellence First Level: Kara Boone, Makayla Colwell, Jessica Gullett, Natalie MacDonald, Sydney Nicoara, Kayla Spring

Associate Degree of Nursing Community Nursing Second Level: Christina Hoover

Occupational Therapy Assistant Academic Award: Haley Ficke

Occupational Therapy Assistant Service Award: Sarah Mondak

Occupational Therapy Assistant Outstanding Student: Faith Blakeman

Physical Therapist Assistant Academic Award: Caitlyn Hager

Physical Therapist Assistant Service Awards: Allison Pethtel

Physical Therapist Assistant Outstanding Student: Caitlyn Hager

President’s List Spring 2025: Ciara Casto, Wyatt Crabtree, Derek Laubacher, Michael Lovejoy, Gage Ramos, Lauren Schroeder, Michael Stebnicki

President’s List Fall 2025: Michael Atwood, Olivia Keller, William Peters, Katelyn Reinhart, Lauren Schroeder, Jenna Wahib

Community Awards

Community Partner Award: East Liverpool Masonic Temple

Friend of the Campus Award: Larry Froehlich, Ph.D.

Lifetime Achievement Award: Yvonne Trotter, Ph.D.

Campus Faculty and Staff Awards

Full-Time Faculty Member of the Year: Angela Douglass, senior lecturer for Associate Degree of Nursing program

Adjunct Faculty Member of the Year: Mary Palen, instructor for Associate Degree of Nursing program

Staff Member of the Year: Beth Allison-Christy, administrative assistant and financial aid advisor, Enrollment Management and Student Services