WASHINGTON, PA (April 18, 2023) – Six Washington & Jefferson College students were honored on April 11 as recipients of the Rule, Hughes, Murphy Award, which recognizes academically and co-curricular involvement high-achieving sophomore students at the College. The 2022-2023 recipients are Adalynn Cherry, Josiah Hudock, Emma Humphrey, Vaishnavi Peyyety, Noah Walsh, and Scout Zaas.
Adalynn Cherry, an Economics major from Altoona, PA, is captain of the W&J Women’s Basketball Team, a Washington Fellow, and a member of the Alpha Lambda Delta, honors society. She also spends time working with W&J’s sports information department, and volunteers for the Community Circle Food Pantry.
Josiah Hudock, a Math and Music major from Pittsburgh, PA, is a member of the jazz ensemble, wind ensemble, and the W&J rock band. In addition, Josiah is a Student Government Association (SGA) Class Representative and a Washington Fellow.
Emma Humphrey, a Communication Arts major from Pittsburgh, PA, serves as a resident assistant on campus, and is managing editor of the Red & Black. She is a member of the W&J Women’s Tennis team and a Washington Fellow.
Vaishnavi Peyyety, a Biochemistry major from Dayton, NJ, is a Temple Medical Scholar, a Washington Fellow, and a leader within the Indian Student Association. She serves the campus community as a resident assistant and interns at UPMC Children’s Hospital.
Noah Walsh, a Biochemistry major minoring in English, is from Middletown, DE. He is a LINK Mentor, lab assistant for chemistry & biology, a Washington Fellow, and serves as a tutor in the Writing Center.
Scout Zaas, an Economics and Finance major from Powell, OH, serves the campus as a LINK Mentor, is a member of the W&J Men’s Baseball team, and a Washington Fellow.
The James Rule (W&J Class of 1898), Howard Hughes (Class of 1911) and Robert Murphy (Class of 1906) Memorial Fund was established in 1987 through the bequest of an anonymous donor and annually provides a monetary award to select students.
Rule was a teacher and principal of several Pittsburgh area high schools and served for two years as national director of the Junior American Red Cross. He also was deputy director, and later director, of the Pennsylvania Department of Public Instruction, and was superintendent of public instruction for four years. Hughes was the first person from Washington County named to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, serving from 1943 to 1945. He served for 10 years on the Common Pleas Court of the 27th Judicial District and was solicitor general for the Pennsylvania Railroad Company at the time of his death. Murphy was general secretary and graduate athletic trainer at W&J from 1906 until the time of his death in 1925. Among his duties was recruiting students, and he attracted to W&J outstanding student-athletes such as NFL Hall-of-Famer Wilbur “Pete” Henry and coaches such as John Heisman, for whom the Heisman Trophy is named.
About Washington & Jefferson College
Washington & Jefferson College, proudly located in Washington, Pa., is a historic liberal arts college founded in 1781 that values ethical leadership, professional readiness, and inclusive communities. Our highly customized and intellectually engaging student experience develops professionals of uncommon integrity to lead in an ever-changing world. For more information about W&J, visit www.washjeff.edu, or call 888-W-AND-JAY.
