Community Briefs 07/09/2021

Scholarships

The Kiwanis Club of Greater Ocean Pines-Ocean City annual awards scholarships to local graduating senior students.

This year, there were also two memorial scholarships offered in honor of Kiwanians Reverend Skip McComas and Pastor Dave Herr, who both passed away. They were influential to the club and community as spiritual leaders.

Much of the funds were raised during covid by the club’s now annual “Lottery Raffle” ticket sales.

Students receiving scholarships are: Maeve Donahue, $2,000, Skip McComas Memorial (William & Mary University); Kellen Catrino, $2,000, Dave Herr Memorial (Salisbury University); Brooklyn Pugner, $1,000 (Washington College); Morgan Carlson, $1000 (Washington College); Lydia Woodley, $1,000 (St. John’s University Queens Campus); Kathrine Wrench, $1,000 (West Virginia University); Rafe Parsons, $1,000 (Bridgewater College); and Evan Truitt, $1,000 (Charleston Southern University).

Awarded

The General Levin Winder Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) recently sponsored the award of DAR Bronze JROTC Medals to Lanie Gladding at Pocomoke High School and Kristin Braun at Snow Hill High School.

A Silver DAR Outstanding Cadet Medal was awarded to Skylar Wesche at Stephen Decatur High School.

The National Society DAR authorized the award of distinctive ROTC medals in 1967 as a means of recognizing and rewarding student cadets of outstanding ability and achievement in secondary school, junior/community college, college or university ROTC programs.

Students must have demonstrated qualities of dependability and good character, adherence to military discipline, leadership ability, and a fundamental and patriotic understanding of the importance of ROTC training.

The Silver Outstanding Cadet medal was added in 2013 for award to a student participating in a non-ROTC, military-affiliated cadet program funded by the school or privately.

President’s List

Several Worcester County residents were named to the president’s list at their respective colleges and universities.

Earning a spot on Southern New Hampshire University’s winter 2021 list are Berlin residents Christian Davenport, Cristina Jones and Taylor Hershey.

The winter term runs from January to May. Full-time students who have earned a minimum grade-point average of 3.700 and above are named to the president’s list.

Also from Berlin, Ann Woll scored a spot on James Madison University’s list for the spring 2021 semester. Students who earn president’s list honors must carry at least 12 graded credit hours and earn a GPA of 3.900 or above. Woll is majoring in history.

Honors

Kai McGovern, of Berlin, class of 2022 at the University of Vermont, was inducted into the Alpha Omicron Chapter of the Xi Sigma PI National Forestry Honor Society in April, based on his outstanding academic achievement in forestry and related coursework at UVM.

Initiated

Trent Chetelat of Bishopville, was recently initiated into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest and most selective all-discipline collegiate honor society. Chetelat was initiated at University of Maryland, College Park.

Chetelat is among approximately 30,000 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.

Dean’s List

A number of Worcester County residents were recently named to the dean’s list for the spring semester at their respective colleges.

They are:

Sean Vandervelden, Ocean City, East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania; requirements - 3.50 quality point average or better, enrolled full-time; James Church, Ocean City, McDaniel College (dean’s list with honors), requirements - grade point average of 3.90 or higher, high honors for a grade point average of 3.70-3.89, and honors for a 3.50-3.69 grade point average; Elsa Quillin, Berlin, College of William & Mary, requirements - at least 12 credit hours and earn a 3.6 Quality Point Average; Kai McGovern, Berlin, University of Vermont Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, requirements - grade-point average of 3.0 or better, rank in the top 20 percent of their class.

In addition, James Madison University students: Caroline Pasquariello, Berlin, marketing major; Corinne Krasner, Berlin, musical theatre; and Alexa Upperman, Berlin, nursing, requirements - 12 graded credit hours and earn a GPA of between 3.5 and 3.899.

Bachelor’s degrees

Worcester County residents who recently earned bachelor’s degrees from their respective colleges and universities are: Andrew S. Gottfried, Berlin, cinema, McDaniel College; James Wyatt Church, Ocean City, environmental studies, McDaniel College; Stella Cunningham, Berlin, bachelor of arts, University of Vermont; Shuvan Shrestha, Berlin, bachelor of arts, University of Vermont; Seth Lewis, Berlin, bachelor of science, commercial real estate finance, College of Charleston; Max Bisaha, Berlin, graduated cum laude, bachelor of arts, political science, College of Charleston; Ann Woll, Berlin, degree in history, James Madison University; Whitney Van Kirk, Ocean City, degree in writing, rhetoric and technical communication, James Madison University.

Master’s degrees

Worcester County residents who recently earned master’s degrees from McDaniel College are: Amy Lauren Wright, Ocean City, school librarianship; Beau Williams, Berlin, school librarianship; and Jackson Mumford, Ocean City, teaching.