Honors Convocation Celebrates Student Achievements

Students, faculty, staff, and friends of Mary Baldwin University gathered inside Francis Auditorium on March 29, 2018, for Honors Convocation, a ceremony to recognize student academic achievement. Read more about the honorees and join the MBU family in celebrating their accomplishments.

Student Class Marshals

Class of 2018: Jennifer Eibert, Corinne Weeks; Annapurna Chitnavis, alternate

Class of 2019: Katriel Cho, Caroline Fresch; Qadira Muhammad, alternate

Class of 2020: Sarah Lawson, Kelly Li; Ascharya Balaji, alternate

Class of 2021: Gizella Wade, Camille Weeks; Jessica Balough, Cataya Kinison, alternates

Phi Beta Kappa

The Phi Beta Kappa (PBK) Society is the nation’s oldest and most prestigious academic honor society, and membership is an emblem of high achievement and exceptional potential, conferred upon barely one percent of college seniors nationwide. To be elected to PBK, a student must have demonstrated a commitment to the pursuit of excellence in the liberal arts and sciences, and eligibility requirements include a high GPA, foreign language, mathematics, and laboratory science.

Cassandra Bragdon
Annapurna Chitnavis
Clara Liddick
Niranjana Menon
Marianna Moynihan
Nicole Keen
Mary Ruth Wossum-Fisher
Giselle Olivera

Global Honors Scholars

Class of 2018: Rebecca Balzan, Susan Blackburn, Abigail Carinder, Annapurna Chitnavis, Ashley Currie, Virginia Daniel, Kate Dickinson, Caroline Dilorenzo, Faith Hartley, Tiffany Henson, Nicole Keen, Clara Liddick, Niranjana Menon, Fathia Mohammed, Shari Moody, Norah Moturi, Marianna Moynihan, Qadira Muhammad, Mary Oliver, Giselle Olivera, Faith Parker, Jaya Payne-Watson, Taylor Radford, Emma Rhodenizer, Sarah Sheehan, Abinaya Subramanian, Zindzi Thompson, Ruth Thornton, Mary Ruth Wossum-Fisher, Chloe Wyatt, Haley Young

Class of 2019: Caitlyn Alexander, Ascharya Balaji, Varalika Balla, Katherine Bernal Vigil, Channing Brooks, Ariel Cho, Kaylin Coe, Jenny Ewane, Mallory Goodine, Sarah Lawson, Zaria Moore, Taylor Povich, Katlin Schiefelbein, Rebecca Underwood

Class of 2020: Raina Cederburg, Jade Doswell, Hannah Fishburne, Destiny Freeman, Syrina Haldiman, Mahalia Huba, Tatyana Johnson, Alyssa Linterman, Teodora Magda, Shayla Spruill, Bethany Taylor

Class of 2021: Jessica Balough, Chelsea Hill, Olyvea Pancerella, Isabelle Ross, Kelley Slack

Anthropology

Carrie Douglass Award for Excellence in Anthropology

The Carrie Douglass Award for Excellence in Anthropology honors one student, an anthropology/sociology major or anthropology minor, for his or her work in and contribution to the anthropology program at Mary Baldwin University. The award is determined by major GPA, career GPA, and contributions to the anthropology program through campus organizations, civic and/or global engagement, and excellence in research. The award is named in honor of former Mary Baldwin University Professor of Anthropology Carrie Douglass.

Cassie Bragdon
Mary Ruth Wossum-Fisher

Art

Ulysse Desportes Award for Outstanding Achievement in Studio Art

This award acknowledges the outstanding work, accomplishments, and growth of a selected art history major and a studio art major. It also signifies the capacity of the recipients to carry forward a high level of quality within her studio practice and/or art history scholarship beyond Mary Baldwin University.

Talula Mays
Giselle Olivera

Asian Studies

Amy M. Rupe Award for Excellence in Asian Studies

Sarah Hager

Athletics

Scholar Athletes
Given to member(s) of Mary Baldwin sports teams who achieves high academic standing.

Jaquelin Rosas – Cross Country/Track & FieldLindsay Sopko – Cross Country
Katherine Bernal-Vigil – Track & Field
Anais Gutierrez – Tennis
Kate Dickinson – Softball
Heather Mayes – Softball
Pattie Pleasants – Softball
Tatyana Johnson – Volleyball

Mary Jane Donnally Award
This award is given to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative GPA after three semesters of work.

Tatyana Johnson

Team GPA Award
This award is presented to the team with the highest cumulative GPA.

Tennis

Online and Distance Learning Programs

Merit Scholarships
Awarded to an MBU Online and Distance Learning student for his or her academic achievements, service to the university, and service to their community.

Christina Carter
Shanna Whitworth

Biology

Alice McCaa Class of 1976 Biology Award
The award was established by classmates of Alice McCaa, a 1976 Mary Baldwin University Biology major whose early death from cancer led to her fellow students establishing the annual award as a memorial to her.

Tatyana Johnson

Outstanding Student – Biology
Winners of the Outstanding Biology Student Awards are selected by their student colleagues as scholars who define outstanding achievement.

Susan Blackburn

Business

Business Award
Natali Sells
Jeremiah Dubick

Hammock Award
Professor Gordon Hammock was a deeply loved and well-respected member of the business faculty who passed away a number of years ago. One of his greatest gifts was his ability to mentor students. To honor him, the university created an endowed fund that carries a cash award for the recipient. The student who receives this award “exemplifies Gordon’s focus on teaching and mentoring students to be ethical leaders in business.”

Abiyana “Abi” Subramanian

Outstanding Business Student
The Outstanding Business Student award is given to the student that best exemplifies the effective practices in today’s world with special focus on “business for a sustainable future.” Mary Baldwin business students look at the triple bottom line — achieving benefits that are economic, social, and environmental. With a strong foundation that includes marketing, management, finance, and economics, students will learn first-hand how successful business practices are enhanced with responsible, ethical, and sustainable decisions. The award winners exhibit these practices in and out of the classroom.

Marie Magolda

Charlotte Forten Grimke Award

This annual award is presented to an African-American senior for distinguished achievement in scholarship, devoted service to the community and beyond the Mary Baldwin campus, and incomparable active support and affirmation of diversity in the sisterhood promoted by Mary Baldwin.

Diamonique Anderson

Chemistry

Outstanding Chemistry Award

Annapurna Chitnavis

Peggy Pinkston Biochemistry Award

Zindzi Thompson

Criminal Justice

Criminal Justice Scholar Award

Academic Excellence:
Carter Anderson
Samantha Stone

Outstanding Contribution to the Criminal Justice Program:
Adele Cox

English

Benn Creative Writing Award
The Benn Award for Creative Writing was established in 1969 by the late Mrs. Clyde Myers Lambert of Waynesboro in memory of her parents, Dr. and Mrs. R. L. Benn. The award is presented by the English faculty in recognition of a returning Mary Baldwin student who is distinguished in the literary arts.

Vivian Ruiz

Healthcare Administration Award

Kaelyn Dickinson
Melanie Coffey

Psychology

Donald D. Thompson Memorial Scholarship
The award is given to a psychology student who has demonstrated academic excellence in the field of psychology.

Katlin Schiefelbein

Mathematics

First Year Calculus Award
This award is given to a freshman with the highest grade in the Introduction to Calculus and Analytic Geometry I and II courses.

Cataya Kinison

Ashley DuLac Memorial Award in Mathematics
This award is funded by the DuLac family in honor of their daughter Ashley DuLac, class of 1989. Each year this award is given to an outstanding graduating senior in the mathematics department.

Corinne Weeks

Social Work

Jane Addams Social Work Award
Given to an outstanding student in the social work department, the award is named in honor of Jane Addams, the first American woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, founder of the Settlement House Movement, a mover and shaker in the areas of labor reform, and a charter member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

Imani Chestnut

Mary Ellen Richmond Field Award

Brianna Venenga

Sociology

Academic Excellence in Sociology

Stephanie Hart
Bethany Popelish

Study Abroad

The Paula Stephens Lambert Travel and Study Stipend is an award of up to $10,000 for one student in order to support a substantial period of global study. In April 2016, the Lambert stipend was awarded to Qadira Muhammad, who is currently completing a semester abroad in Germany.

In October, study abroad scholarships in amounts between $500 and $1900 were awarded to 13 students. The C. Perry Nair Jr. Endowed Fund scholarship went to Caroline Fesch.

The Thelma T. McDowell Endowed Fund scholarship went to Mallory Goodine for trips to the Netherlands and Switzerland.

The Marion Barge Clark ’67 scholarship went to Caroline Fresch.

The Spencer Center for Civic and Global Engagement Endowed Fund scholarships were awarded to Katie Shiefelbein, Chelse Walker, and Virginia Daniel.

Finally, two scholarships were awarded in memoriam of cherished members of our Mary Baldwin community. The Melissa Mitchell Award is given in honor of Melissa Mitchell, a Mary Baldwin alumna who died tragically while practicing law in California. Megan Mepham was awarded this scholarship.

In addition, Micaela Harmon, who will also be traveling to the Netherlands and Switzerland, was awarded the first Irene Sarnelle Study Abroad Fund scholarship.

VFIC Ethics Bowl Team

Roniqua Jackson (Captain)
Kalli-Anne Hymons
Faith Parker