Awards

Honoring Alumni Serving Around the World

The Clarks Summit University Alumni Association presents Alumni Awards each fall at the annual Homecoming: Alumni and Family Weekend. The Alumnus of the Year, Outstanding Service Award and Young Alumnus Award recognize just a few of our amazing alumni who are serving Christ.

God has greatly used many of our alumni around the world in a variety of capacities to bring honor and glory to His name. The Alumnus of the Year has been presented every year since 1967. The Outstanding Service Awards were first given in 1984, and the Young Alumnus Award was first given in 2016.

It is the great privilege and responsibility of the alumni family to participate in the selection of the annual alumni award recipients.

The deadline for nominations is April 15 each year. The Alumni Executive Council reviews all nominations and makes the final award selections.

2022 Outstanding Service Award:
Mark (’92, ’97) and Nanette (’92) Fitch

Mark (’92, ’97) and Nanette (’92) Fitch were involved in campus life as CSU students. Mark was part of CSU’s first NCCAA II national championship soccer team and was a 2010 inductee into the CSU Athletic Hall of Honor. Nanette was part of the Chamber Singers and has served the local church in music ministry.

While Mark attended BBS, they ministered as resident directors in Vibbard Hall. They’ve served churches in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Virginia. Mark is currently the campus pastor at LCBC Church in York, Pennsylvania. Nanette brings the light of Jesus into her role as a nurse. They have two children.

Mark and Nanette are grateful for their deep CSU heritage. Mark’s father, Charles, attended CSU in Johnson City, New York. Nanette’s grandfather is trustee emeritus Russell Phelps (for whom the Phelps Student Center is named).

2022 Outstanding Service Award:
Mike Show (’92)

With plans to obtain a degree in physical education, Mike Show (’92) began his freshman year in 1988 with no intention of remaining at his alma mater upon his graduation. However, God had other plans and in the summer of 1993, Show began his service at CSU as an admissions counselor. The following summer, in addition to marrying his wife, Valerie, he took on the role of head coach of the men’s basketball team.

In 2003, Show was promoted to assistant director of athletics. During his 20 years of coaching, he recorded 272 wins, 10 NCCAA II East Region Championships, a NEAC Championship, numerous NCCAA II East Region Coach of the Year awards, two NEAC Coach of the Year Awards, and one NCCAA DII Coach of the Year Award. He also led the program to its first-ever NCAA III national tournament appearance in 2006-07.  After his promotion to director of athletics in 2008, Show helped the athletic department transition from the North East Athletic Conference (NEAC) to the Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC).

In 2015, he would take a brief pause in his service to CSU to work as a Christian school administrator. But he returned in 2019 as recruitment and church relations administrator and head coach of the men’s golf team. Show was then appointed interim director of athletics in May of 2022. His work spoke for itself as the interim title was removed the following month. He plans to lead the athletic department to “point people to God, deny self, and lead by serving.”

Mike and Valerie have been married for 28 years and have six children.

Young Alumnus Award

Each year, one individual is awarded the Young Alumnus Award. Clarks Summit University alumni nominate individuals during the spring. The Alumni Association Council selects the award winner.

2022 Young Alumnus: Joseph Gonzalez (’19)

Joseph Gonzalez (’19) transferred to CSU in 2016 after being saved by God’s grace the previous year. In 2019, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree with a double major in biblical studies and intercultural studies. He served as a resident assistant in Ridley Hall and took groups of students into Scranton to share the gospel. Now, as an active member of Emmanuel Bible Church in Vineland, New Jersey, Gonzalez and church leaders are implementing evangelism outreach to the community.

In 2020, Joseph began working as a shelter staff ambassador at Sunday Breakfast Rescue Mission, Philadelphia’s largest emergency men’s homeless shelter. He facilitated the acquisition of shelter beds and cultivated an environment of trauma-informed care for the residents. In 2021, Gonzalez was promoted to spiritual care coordinator where he developed and implemented spiritual growth programming. He organizes and facilitates daily morning devotions, prayer groups, Bible discussions, book clubs, music therapy groups, field trips and poetry groups. He engages in personal conversations, conducting spiritual assessments to connect men to healthy local churches. While sharing the gospel, he gifts men with spiritual care resources such as Bibles, devotional materials and gospel tracts.