BUCKHANNON, West Virginia – West Virginia Wesleyan College recently recognized students for their academic and service achievements in multiple disciplines during the annual Academic and Leadership Awards Ceremony.

Outstanding Senior Awards were given to Morgan Bennett, Ontario, Olivia Carpenter, of Canvas, West Virginia, Madisyn Fox, of Caldwell, West Virginia; Courtney Gray, of Flemington, West Virginia; Easton Perry, of Ripley, West Virginia; and Ryan Shrewsbury, of Winfield, West Virginia.

Senior Academic and Leadership Achievement Awards were presented to Betty Abdelgelil, of Summersville, West Virginia; Abigail Anderson, of Caldwell, West Virginia; Lillie Archer, of Coraopolis, Pennsylvania; Jakob Bohland, of Fort Mill, South Carolina; Kristen Crowder, of Bridgeport, West Virginia; Caroline Fulks, of Bridgeport, West Virginia; Hannah Hudson, of Blackstone, Virginia; Payton Hefner, of Bridgeport, West Virginia; Jackson Igo, of Cross Lanes, West Virginia; Samuel Ingram, of Scott Depot, West Virginia;  Katherine Marks, of Wellsburg, West Virginia; Yuka Mizuidi, of Ueda Nagano, Japan; Mariah O’Hara, of Buckhannon, West Virginia; Abigail O’Shields, of Dagsboro, Delaware; Isabella Posey, of Weston, West Virginia; Kotone Sakamura, of Japan, Rebekah Sikora, of Morgantown, West Virginia; Timothy Walker, of Alum Creek, West Virginia; and Abby Wetzel, of Clarksburg, West Virginia.

Winners receiving the Sam Ross Scholar Athlete Award were Khalil Smith, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Hannah Hudson, of Blackstone, Virginia.

Dean of Students Alisa Lively presented the Campus Life Staff Member of the Year Award to Colby Wamsley, of Clarksburg. Wamsley also received the Bobcat Entertainment Member of the Year Award while Peter D’Avanzo, of Eastchester, New York, was presented the Bobcat Entertainment Rising Star award.

Jessica Vincent, director of the Center for Community Engagement and Leadership Development, presented Sullivan Foundation Awards to Easton Perry, of Ripley, and Madisyn Fox of Caldwell, West Virginia. John Wesley “Do All the Good You Can” awards went to Noah Jeffries, of Bristol, West Virginia, and Michael Winston, of Lewisburg, West Virginia. Wesleyan Values Awards were given to Courtney Gray, of Flemington, West Virginia; Emily Wilmoth, of Fairmont, West Virginia; and Hannah Ketterman, of White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. The Outstanding Peer Leaders are Olivia Carpenter and Ryan Shrewsbury, of Winfield, West Virginia. Outstanding Community Outreach awards went to Geneva Brown, Caroline Fulks and Laine Stover. Brad Long Peace Award recipient was Kiylei Holloway, of Pittsburgh, Pa.

Laurie Goux, director of Center for Cultural and International Affairs, presented the Outstanding Leadership Awards to Charles Malone, of Dacula, Georgia; Morgan Bennet, of Windsor, Ontario, and Loren Keene of Bluefield, West Virginia. Allyship Award went to Geneva Brown, Trail Blazer Award was given to Cierra Tolbert, of Fishers, Indiana, and the Rising Star Award to Omar Sadek of Egypt.

John Bohman, director of Greek Life, presented the Greek Man of the Year Awards to James McIntosh, of Charleston, West Virginia and Greek Woman of the Year to Olivia Carpenter.

Jonathan Acord, director of Religious and Spiritual Life, gave Leadership Awards to Garrett Davis, of Jane Lew, West Virginia, Christian Cimaglia, of Ridgeley, West Virginia, and Abigail Anderson, of Caldwell, West Virginia.

Faculty Member of the Year Award was presented to Dr. Greg Popovich and Staff Member of the Year was given to Bohman.

Art Awards were given to Berlin Pruden, of Alpha, Illinois, (Outstanding Senior Art Major); Kaitlin Anderson, of Webster Springs, West Virginia (Outstanding Senior Graphic Design Major); Alaynah Rubio, of Pawtucket, Rhode Island (Outstanding Junior Art Major); Oreana Sharpless, of Aurora, West Virginia (Outstanding Sophomore Art Major); and Paige Blust, of Hurricane, West Virginia (Outstanding Freshman Art Major).

Outstanding Senior in Biology Awards were presented to Olivia Carpenter and Betty Abdelgelil. Hali Westcott, of Sistersville, West Virginia, was named Outstanding Junior in Biology. Kyan Gillespie, of Webster Springs and Kaef Rehman, of Daniels, West Virginia were Outstanding Sophomores in Biology. Outstanding Freshmen in Biology awards were presented to Srikiran Nandigama, of Salt Point, West Virginia; Sydney Vilain, of Clarksburg, West Virginia; Raveena Navalgund, of Irwin, Pennsylvania; Caitlynn Sherman, of Clarksburg, West Virginia; Omar Sadek, of Egypt; Haden Fincham, of Berkeley Springs, West Virginia; Autumn Russell, of Keyser, West Virginia; Elizabeth Kittle, of Belington, West Virginia; Curtis Litton, of Duck, West Virginia. Chris Bender, of Webster Springs, West Virginia, Geneva Brown, Olivia Carpenter, Hayden Hess, of Bridgeport, West Virginia and Ashley Nicholas were named Outstanding Research Students.

Yudai Kojima was named Outstanding Accounting Student, Jacob Folland, of Gainesville, Virginia, Outstanding Business Administration Student, Camillo Salvi, of Verona, Outstanding Economics Student, Mari-Jane “Gracie” McLeod, of Ridgeley, West Virginia, as Outstanding Marketing Student, Shelby Kennedy, of Howell, Michigan, was named Outstanding Sport Business Student and Camden Richardson, of Morgantown, West Virginia, was named Outstanding 5-Year MBA Student.

Stephen Groves, of Bridgeport, West Virginia, was named Outstanding Laboratory Assistant; Garrett Davis, of Jane Lew West Virginia, Outstanding Junior Chemist, Kristen Crowder, of Bridgeport, West Virginia, Outstanding Senior Biochemist.

Outstanding Communication Major went to Iris Kolenich, of Buckhannon, West Virginia and Emily Reed, of Scott Depot, West Virginia; Leadership in the Communication Department went to Anthony Damcott, of Akron, Ohio. Outstanding Communication  Research Award went to Chloe Sotomayor, of Spencer, West Virginia. Damcott and Timothy Walker received the Outstanding Media Communication Award. Hunter Dierlam, of Sacramento, California, and Dylan Pauley, of Red House, West Virginia, also received communication awards.

Gage Poling, of Moatsville, West Virginia, received the Outstanding Senior in Computer Science Award.

Lillie Archer, of Corapolis, Pennsylvania, received the Outstanding Senior in Criminal Justice Award.

Larry Reed Technical Theatre Award was presented to Elizabeth Tweel, of Elkview, West Virginia; Outstanding Senior Dance Student was given to Loren Keene, of Bluefield, West Virginia, and Outstanding Senior Theatre Student was given to Jackson Johnson, of Charleston, West Virginia, and Timothy Walker.

Education Awards were presented to freshmen Rhiannon Woolcock, of Falling Waters, West Virginia; sophomore Katherine Caldwell, of Charleston, West Virginia; Junior Payton Campbell, of Weston, West Virginia; and Senior Abby Wetzel, of Clarksburg, West Virginia. Wetzel also received the Dr. Ruth Mansberger Shearer Education Award and Abigail Anderson, of Caldwell, West Virginia, was given the Dorie McHugh O’Brien ’64 Award.

Outstanding Senior in English Award went to Daniel Dyal, of Fayetteville, West Virginia.

Easton Perry received the Outstanding Senior in Athletic Training Award. Holli Bragg, of Milton, West Virginia, received the Outstanding Research Student in Exercise Science Award, Isabella Posey, of Weston, received the Delta Psi Kappa/David E. Reemsnyder Award and Ryan Shrewsbury received the Developing Clinician in Exercise Science Award.

Outstanding Senior Major in Gender Studies Award was presented to Noah Jeffries, of Bristol, West Virginia and Kayla Means, of Clarksburg, West Virginia. Putting Theory into Practice Award went to Geneva Brown.

Outstanding Honors Program Students were Olivia Carpenter, Jackson Igo and Shaylen Chenoweth, of Elkins, West Virginia.

Caroline Fulks received the Outstanding Senior in International Studies Award.

Mathematics Hallam Awards were presented to Christian Cimaglia; Savannah Herrod, of Clarksburg, West Virginia; Camden Lawrence, of Morgantown, West Virginia; Collin McEntire, of Haddonfield, New Jersey, and  Morgan Norris, of Gilbert, Arizona.

Music Department Award was presented to Geneva Brown.

Outstanding Seniors in Nursing were Mariah O’Hara and Victoria Syrews. Outstanding Juniors in Nursing were Kaitlyn Canby, and Makenzi Lewellyn. Outstanding Sophomores in Nursing were Melody Ryanne Garrett and Paige Miller.

Outstanding Bachelor of Science in Physics: Ethan Cutright, Robert Hurdt, Payton Hefner, Jackson Igo, James Anthony McIntosh, Abigail O’Shields, Logan Proud, Eden Reynolds and Rebekah Sikora.

Outstanding Bachelor of Arts in Physics: Lance Cerullo; Madisyn Fox; Caleb Hardy, of Kearneysville, West Virginia; Gene Hutchinson, of Bridgeport, West Virginia; Pedro Parmezani, of Port Saint Lucie, Florida; and Payton Slider, of Ridgeley, West Virginia.

Brittany Myers, of Weston, West Virginia, received the Outstanding Senior in Political Science Award.

Shaylen Chenoweth was given the Outstanding Senior in Psychology Award.

Courtney Gray earned the Outstanding Religious Studies Award.

The John Warner Sociology Award went to Kendra Goeddert, of Maxwelton, West Virginia; Vijaya Rao Global Awareness Award to Caroline Fulks and the Outstanding Senior in Sociology Award to Caitlin Wilhelm, of Waynesboro.

Wesleyan Spirit Awards were given to freshmen Julius Pretlow, of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, and LouMasi Lott, of Walker, West Virginia; sophomores Kaef Rehman and Zoe Casto; juniors Colby Wamsley and Destiny Cochran and seniors David Taylor, of Washington, D.C. and Hannah Ketterman, of White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia.

ABOUT WEST VIRGINIA WESLEYAN COLLEGE
West Virginia Wesleyan College (WVWC) is a private, four-year residential liberal arts and sciences college in Buckhannon, West Virginia. A tradition of excellence for more than 130 years, West Virginia Wesleyan is home to 14 Fulbright Scholars. The Princeton Review ranked Wesleyan one of its 2023 Best Colleges in the Southeastern Region of the United States. U.S. News & World Report’s 2022-2023 Best College Rankings designated Wesleyan seventh in Best Value – Regional Universities (South). WVWC offers students more than 40 majors and 40 minors; graduate programs in athletic training, business administration, creative writing, and nursing; 22 NCAA Division II athletic programs; multiple performing arts groups; and more than 70 organizations. Founded in 1890, the College is closely affiliated with the United Methodist Church and abides by the Wesley doctrine that emphasizes service to others. For more information, visit wvwc.edu.