Andrew Thomas McLaughlin, a music performance major at West Chester University of Pennsylvania, is the recipient of the ninth annual Syed R. Ali-Zaidi Award for Academic Excellence presented by the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE).

He will receive $1,000 and a medallion in recognition of his outstanding academic performance and involvement in extra-curricular activities. A member of the Honors College at West Chester, McLaughlin will graduate in May.

McLaughlin has a 3.97 grade point average at West Chester, where he has received numerous scholarships and awards, both for academic excellence and community service. As a Board of Governors Scholar, he received a full-tuition scholarship to attend West Chester. He also received the Bonner Leaders Program Scholarship, sponsored by AmeriCorps and given for the completion of 300 hours of community service in one calendar year; the Swope Memorial Scholarship, given to 10 outstanding WCU students who display exemplary academic performance, co-curricular involvement and commitment to the university; and the Robert C. Byrd Scholarship, given for outstanding academic performance while in high school.

McLaughlin last spring was named the Outstanding Senior Leader, an award presented by the university to the senior who has shown the most capable leadership ability and excellence in student organizations, academics and service throughout his or her four years at West Chester. He is a member of both Omicron Delta Kappa and Pi Lambda Theta national honor societies and Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges.

He has been involved with both the International Study Project in South Africa, in which he participated in a mission project in and around Cape Town; and Aid to South Africa, an annual community fair and relay that raises money to support two organizations in South Africa, a soup kitchen and the Sparrow Village AIDS orphanage. He also has participated in many local community service projects that benefited organizations such as the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Salvation Army, Muscular Dystrophy Association and Multiple Sclerosis Society.

The Ali-Zaidi award was established by Syed R. Ali-Zaidi, a founding member of PASSHE’s Board of Governors, to annually recognize and reward a graduating senior from one of the 14 state-owned universities. Each of the 14 PASSHE university presidents is asked to nominate a student for the annual award. A committee appointed by the chancellor reviews the nominations and selects the award recipient and two runners-up.

This year’s runners-up are Sean McFarland of Clarion University of Pennsylvania and Joshua Sherretts of Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. Each received a certificate and $500. Funds for the runners-up awards were provided by the Highmark Foundation.

Dr. Ali-Zaidi served two terms on the Board of Governors. He initially was appointed to the Board by then-Gov. Dick Thornburgh upon the creation of the State System in 1983. He later was re-appointed by then-Gov. Tom Ridge. He also has served for more than 20 years on the Council of Trustees at Clarion University of Pennsylvania.

Now in its 25^th year, the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education is the largest provider of higher education in the Commonwealth, with more than 112,500 students. The 14 PASSHE universities offer degree and certificate programs in more than 120 areas of study. Approximately 405,000 PASSHE alumni live and work in Pennsylvania.

The state-owned universities are Bloomsburg, California, Cheyney, Clarion, East Stroudsburg, Edinboro, Indiana, Kutztown, Lock Haven, Mansfield, Millersville, Shippensburg, Slippery Rock and West Chester Universities of Pennsylvania. PASSHE also operates branch campuses in Clearfield, Freeport, Oil City and Punxsutawney and several regional centers, including the Dixon University Center in Harrisburg.