Christopher Willey graduates from University of the Cumberlands
WILLIAMSBURG, KY – Christopher Willey, of Radford, recently graduated from University of the Cumberlands. It was another joyful graduation weekend at University of the Cumberlands as the campus hosted annual commencement ceremonies. More than 2,100 graduates celebrated the completion of their undergraduate or graduate degrees from Cumberlands this spring. Many graduates attended commencement ceremonies in person on the university’s Williamsburg campus the first weekend in May to celebrate their accomplishments.
“Graduates, today marks a significant milestone in your lives,” said Dr. Larry L. Cockrum, university president, during the ceremonies. “You have persevered through years of hard work and dedication and now stand here, ready to take on the world. I am honored to congratulate each and every one of you on your outstanding achievements.”
Cockrum offered heartfelt advice to the newest graduates – in short, to dream big, work hard, make mistakes, and always be kind. He said those were the lessons that have gotten him through his life and made all the difference and encouraged graduates to try it for themselves.
Owen Embree, of Blacksburg, completes semester abroad
IRVING, TEXAS – With the school year coming to a close, Blacksburg’s Owen Embree, a student at the University of Dallas, has completed a semester to remember.
Embree spent the Spring semester studying abroad at UD’s campus in Italy. During the Rome trip, a fundamental part of the UD undergraduate experience, “Romers” see for themselves the settings of the classic texts they’ve read. Embree and other students lodged at UD’s Due Santi campus for the semester, intermittently traveling around the Mediterranean to recite Sophocles in the theaters where his tragedies were performed, admire Michelangelo in St. Peter’s Basilica and follow in the footsteps of Aeneas carrying his heritage from Troy.
By the time they embarked on this trip, Embree and the other sophomores had already read the masterworks of Homer, Plato, Aristotle, Vergil, Augustine, Aquinas and Dante. Now, as they prepare to begin their junior year at the University of Dallas, they can confidently say they have lived these texts as well.
Caitlin Williams, of Christiansburg, graduates from the University of Georgia
ATHENS, GA – Caitlin Marianna Williams is among the more than 7,000 candidates for graduation in the University of Georgia’s Class of 2023 who were celebrated during Commencement exercises. Williams, of Christiansburg, VA, is a candidate for a PHARMD Pharmacy.
“We are delighted to celebrate the incredible achievements of our University of Georgia students in the Class of 2023,” said President Jere W. Morehead. “Commencement offers students, friends and families an opportunity to recognize the tireless dedication UGA students have shown during their time on campus. We look forward to seeing all the great things these students will go on to do as alumni of the University of Georgia.”
Skylar Miles, of Radford, graduates from Bridgewater College
BRIDGEWATER, VA – Skylar Miles of Radford, graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in health and exercise science from Bridgewater College during the April 29, 2023 commencement exercises.
Approximately 315 undergraduate and 25 graduate students from the Class of 2023 received degrees. Dr. David W. Bushman, president of Bridgewater College, conferred the degrees.
Rev. Dr. Robbie Miller ’79, college chaplain, served as the Commencement speaker for 2023. In his address, “The Measure of Success,” he said, “The measure of success in our brief span of life-represented by that little ‘dash’ between the year we’re born and the year we die-is not the money we earn or the things we accumulate or the degrees we acquire or the recognition we receive, but the love we share and the difference we make.”
Teagan Danilowicz initiated into Omicron Delta Kappa
LEXINGTON, VA – Teagan Danilowicz, a native of Radford, was recently initiated into the Florida State University Circle of Omicron Delta Kappa, the National Leadership Honor Society. The Society welcomed 787 new initiates from 32 universities during March 2023.
Students initiated into the Society must be sophomores, juniors, seniors, or graduate/professional students in the top 35% of their class, demonstrate leadership experience in at least one of the five pillars, and embrace the ODK ideals. Fewer than five percent of students on a campus are invited to join each year.
Omicron Delta Kappa Society, the National Leadership Honor Society, was founded in Lexington, Virginia, on December 3, 1914. A group of 15 students and faculty members established the Society to recognize and encourage leadership at the collegiate level. The founders established the ODK Idea-the concept that individuals representing all phases of collegiate life should collaborate with faculty and others to support the campus and community. ODK’s mission is to honor and develop leaders; encourage collaboration among students, faculty, staff, and alumni; and promote ODK’s leadership values of collaboration, inclusivity, integrity, scholarship, and service on college and university campuses throughout North America.
Blacksburg High School student wins National Merit scholarship
Samuel C. Woolsey, of Blacksburg High School, has been named a National Merit $2500 Scholarship winner.
The 2,500 Merit Scholar designees were chosen from a talent pool of more than 15,000 outstanding Finalists in the 2023 National Merit Scholarship Program. National Merit $2500 Scholarship winners are the finalists in each state judged to have the strongest combination of accomplishments, skills, and potential for success in rigorous college studies. These scholars were selected by a committee of college admissions officers and high school counselors, who appraised a substantial amount of information submitted by both the finalists and their high schools: the academic record, including difficulty level of subjects studied and grades earned; scores from the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test; contributions and leadership in school and community activities; an essay written by the finalist; and a recommendation written by a high school official.
Woolsey plans to study Engineering.
The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi Inducts New Members
BATON ROUGE, LA – The following people recently were initiated into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines.
From Radford University:
Brynlee Azevedo of Blacksburg
From The Citadel:
Sarah Harvey of Christiansburg
From Virginia Tech:
John Akanbi of Blacksburg, Enoch Akli of Blacksburg, Asma Al Qahtani of Blacksburg, Younes Alkhallaqi of Blacksburg, Micaela Applebaum of Christiansburg, Caitlin Armstrong of Christiansburg, Giorgia Cannici of Blacksburg, Chelsea Cereghino of Christiansburg, Cherelle Connor of Blacksburg, Jon Dance of Christiansburg, Nicholas Dize of Blacksburg, Haley Fore of Christiansburg, Ajinkya Fotedar of Blacksburg, Darwin Gomez of Blacksburg, Chloe Guenette of Blacksburg, Alaina Helm of Blacksburg, Md Sifat Hossain of Blacksburg, Shafquat Islam of Blacksburg, Zhengjie Ji of Blacksburg, Bhavna Joshi of Blacksburg, Sarah Juster of Blacksburg, Shashank Karki of Blacksburg, Samuel Kirsch of Blacksburg, Edward Lai of Blacksburg, Cherith Lavisetty of Blacksburg, Yan Liang of Blacksburg, Shaheer Malik of Blacksburg, Grace Mardirossian of Blacksburg, Ian McKellips of Christiansburg, Zhe Meng of Blacksburg, Amir Mortazavigazar of Blacksburg, Temitope Ojedele of Blacksburg, Rama Krishna Pinnimty of Blacksburg, Tongyuan Qian of Blacksburg, Jessica Russell of Blacksburg,
Antorip Sahu of Blacksburg, Rohit Sathye of Blacksburg, Rhea Saxena of Blacksburg, Kaleena Smith of Blacksburg, Keri Swaby of Blacksburg, Mari Tarantino of Blacksburg, Sunday Ubur of Blacksburg, Daniel Udekwe of Blacksburg, Alexandru Vilsan of Blacksburg, Emily Wilcox of Blacksburg, and Anthony Yusuf of Blacksburg.
They are among approximately 25,000 students, faculty, professional staff and alumni to be initiated into Phi Kappa Phi each year. Membership is by invitation only and requires nomination and approval by a chapter. Only the top 10 percent of seniors and 7.5 percent of juniors are eligible for membership. Graduate students in the top 10 percent of the number of candidates for graduate degrees may also qualify, as do faculty, professional staff and alumni who have achieved scholarly distinction.
