Moon Township, Pa. – As part of its 2008 Homecoming festivities, Robert Morris University (RMU) will give its Alumni Achievement Award to Ralph Papa, chairman of Citizens Bank of Pennsylvania.

The Alumni Achievement Award is given annually to an RMU graduate who has achieved professional distinction. Papa, who earned an associate’s degree from RMU in 1967, will receive the award at a ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 11, just before the Colonials football team takes the field against the Duquesne Dukes.

Papa joined Citizens Financial Group (CFG) in 2001 after it purchased various banking operations of Mellon Financial Corporation. Prior to joining CFG, Papa was president of Mellon Bank’s western region in Pittsburgh and chairman of Mellon Bank N.A. - Central Region in State College. He joined Mellon in 1969 as a management trainee and held a wide range of senior management positions during his tenure, including senior vice president for community banking.

Papa received a bachelor’s degree in social science/psychology from Penn State University in 1969. He is a 1983 graduate of the Stonier Graduate School of Banking at Rutgers University

“We commend Ralph Papa for his impressive career achievements, and we are grateful for the esteem that his success brings to Robert Morris University,” said RMU President Gregory G. Dell’Omo.

Receiving RMU’s 2008 Young Alumni Achievement Award will be Hadie Bartholomew, community affairs coordinator for LifeBanc, a Cleveland-based nonprofit advocacy group for organ and tissue donation. Bartholomew previously was a marketing producer at WOIO/WUAB-TV in Cleveland, where her work won several Emmy and Telly awards.

RMU will give its Alumni Service Award to Dale Venables, a 1981 RMU graduate and retired U.S. Steel sales representative. He served as president of the RMU Colonial Athletic Club from 2002-2006 and vice president of the club from 1997 to 2001. He has supported numerous RMU events and activities and has been an active alumni volunteer.

“Much of what RMU has achieved we owe to the success and hard work of our alumni,” said Dell’Omo. “It is an honor to recognize Hadie and Dale for their achievements and for contributing to RMU’s legacy.”