Alumni Awards

Every year, the Bloomsburg Alumni Association recognizes alumni at a celebration dinner for the following awards: Maroon and Gold Excellence (Young Alumnus) Award, William T. Derricott '66 Volunteer of the Year Award, Distinguished Service Award, and/or Honorary Alumnus Award.

Announcing the 2025 Alumni Award recipients:

Register to attend the 2025 Alumni Awards Dinner Celebration today!

2025 Maroon & Gold Excellence Award
Saroya Royster '10
Master Internship Coordinator and Sophomore Seminar Teacher, Simon Gratz Mastery Charter School

Saroya M. Royster has been actively engaged in youth development and education for the entire span of her professional career. 

Royster graduated from Bloomsburg University where she obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mass
Communications. Upon graduation, she worked as a Program Director for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Philadelphia and while in her position there, obtained a Master of Public Administration degree in Nonprofit Administration from West Chester University.

Royster's professional career includes the positions of Associate Director of Support Services for Steppingstone Scholars Inc., and she is currently a Postsecondary Coordinator at Simon Gratz Mastery Charter School. In this role, she supports high school juniors with their postsecondary options through extensive college and career exploration. Royster has also founded her own organization, The Tribe Connection, which serves as a safe space and community for Black Women.

Royster has a passion for working with youth, and believes that with the proper guidance and support, they can reach their full potential. She is a proud initiate of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., and of a native of South Philadelphia.

 2025 Distinguished Service Award
Jennifer Inaba '06
Reports & Research Senior Manager, Textile Exchange

Jennifer Inaba is an award-winning communications professional, sustainability advocate, and leader in environmental conservation and the fashion industry. With nearly 20 years of experience, she has worked at the intersection of strategic communications, sustainability, and policy advocacy to drive impactful change for people and the planet.

Inaba currently serves as the Reports & Research Senior Manager at Textile Exchange, a global nonprofit driving beneficial impact on climate and nature across the fashion, apparel, and textile industry. In this role, she leads the strategy, development, and delivery of influential reports and research that help the industry transition toward more sustainable and responsible production.

Prior to Textile Exchange, Inaba was with Western Resource Advocates, where she played a pivotal role in securing policy wins across the West, including historic conservation funding, clean energy advancements, and water protections. She also held editorial leadership roles at Greenspun Media Group, overseeing business, healthcare, and philanthropy publications, and led conservation-focused communications at the Southern Nevada Water Authority, Las Vegas Valley Water District, and Springs Preserve.

Inaba is deeply engaged in community leadership and sustainability advocacy. She is a founder of the Las Vegas Women in Business for Good giving circle, which has granted nearly $60,000 to local nonprofits. She serves as a mentor and advisory board member for The Climate Reality Project and has been active in Fashion Revolution USA and the Las Vegas Fashion Council, advancing sustainable and ethical practices in fashion.

A TEDx speaker, Inaba's 2022 talk focused on the environmental and social impacts of consumerism and how mindfulness can help break the cycle of overconsumption. Her research as a Ph.D. candidate in sustainability education at Prescott College explores the connections between consumer habits, ecological identity, and fashion, emphasizing the role of nature in shaping sustainable behaviors.

Inaba has been recognized for her leadership and impact, earning the 2022 Woman of Distinction and Rising Star of the Year awards from the National Association of Women Business Owners Southern Nevada. She is a graduate of Leadership Las Vegas and a 2024 Jameson Fellow, committed to fostering collaboration and civic engagement.

Inaba received her master’s degree in journalism and media studies from University of Nevada Las Vegas, where her thesis studied media’s representation of women’s health issues. Her undergraduate degree was completed at Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania in communication studies, specializing in leadership and social influence with minors in English and ethnic studies.
Based in Las Vegas with her family, Inaba balances her professional and community roles with a deep commitment to staying active and connected to nature, a core value that drives her work in sustainability and advocacy.

2025 Distinguished Service Award
Dr. Elizabeth Welsh Robison '88M
Superintendent of Schools, Pocono Mountain School District

An educator for 39 years, Dr. Elizabeth Welsh Robison is the Superintendent of Schools for Pocono Mountain School District, a school district with a current enrollment of more than 8,000 students.

Since she assumed the role of superintendent in 2011, Dr. Robison is credited with resolving a $23 million budget gap, which was achieved without increasing local property taxes. She is also credited with working with her School Board to reduce local property taxes by 12 mills over the past five years while continuing to maintain and improve upon the outstanding educational opportunities for students of all abilities. She also successfully managed the closure of five schools and a district-wide grade reconfiguration.

Prior to taking over leadership of the Pocono Mountain SD, Dr. Robison served as the Deputy Superintendent of Schools for Pocono Mountain SD. In this role, she provided continuity in leadership for the district; managed millions of dollars in grant funding from the state Educational Assistance Program and Accountability grants, and the Federal Title 1, 2, and 3 grants; oversaw seven elementary centers; was responsible for the entire district elementary education program; and worked on many K-12 initiatives, including the district’s ESL program. Dr. Robison also spearheaded the implementation of the full-day kindergarten program in the district three-years ago to prepare all students to be “ready to learn” by first grade and help reduce the achievement gap among students.

Dr. Robison has been a public educator for 37 years, all of those at Pocono Mountain. She has served as the Assistant Superintendent for Elementary Education, an elementary school principal, assistant elementary principal and a reading specialist. Over the past decade, Dr. Robison has worked extensively with teachers to use data-driven decision-making in the classroom and to develop various instructional strategies that match a student’s readiness level.

Dr. Robison has received many awards and honors including the 2019 Distinguished Alumni Award for Pottsville Area High School; 2011 Outstanding Campaign Manager for the United Way of Monroe County; 2009 Appreciation Award from Odyssey of the Mind for her “out of the box thinking;” 2001 Outstanding Educator Award from Marywood University; 2001 Educator of the Year Award from Marywood University for her applications of best teaching practices, commitment to students, community service and competence in the field of education; 2000 American Family Institute with the “Gift of Time” Tribute Award for making a difference in the lives of children’s educational development; and the 1997 Distinguished Educator Award from the IDEA Fellows Program for her dedication to the importance of the field of education. She was also featured as an Outstanding Alumni in the Bloomsburg University calendar for the 2010-2011 school year.

Dr. Robison earned a doctorate degree in Educational Administration from Marywood University in 2004, a master’s degree in Education from Bloomsburg University in 1988, and a bachelor’s of science degree in Education from Shippensburg in 1985. She participates as an Adjunct Professor at Delaware Valley University (DVU) where cohort group classes are held at Pocono Mountain SD through a partnership between DVU and district to assist teachers in attaining their administrative certification.

 2025 William T. Derricott ’66 Volunteer of the Year Award
Jessica Harry '07M, Ed.D.
Special Education and Off-Site Facilities Program Supervisor, Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit

Jessica Harry, Ed.D., serves as a Special Education and Off-Site Facilities Program Supervisor for the Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit (CSIU), a position she has held since July 2016. In this role, she supervises various school-age special education programs such as life skills, autistic support, one-to-one behavioral support, speech services, and special education services at the North Central Secure Treatment Unit. Additionally, Dr. Harry oversees off-site facilities and is responsible for managing and maintaining safe environments and efficient operations. 

Before her current role, Dr. Harry served as the Autism and Behavior TaC for the CSIU from December 2007 to July 2016. During this time, she provided training and consultation to staff and families across the 17 school districts within the Intermediate Unit and schools and districts across the state as one of the first Pennsylvania Positive Behavior Support Network Facilitators for PBS. Since 2013, Dr. Harry has been privileged to be part of the Department of Exceptionality Programs instructional staff at Commonwealth University, Bloomsburg Campus.

Dr. Harry has a B.S. from Pennsylvania State University, an M.S. from Bloomsburg University, and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Liberty University. She received post-baccalaureate certifications in Autism Spectrum Disorders and Applied Behavior Analysis from Pennsylvania State University and Special Education Supervisory Certification from Bloomsburg University.