5.11.2012

FARMVILLE, Va. -- Forty-six current and former Longwood University student-athletes will receive their bachelor's degrees Saturday, May 12, at 9:30 a.m. on Wheeler Mall during the school's Commencement.  Twelve of 14 sports will be represented during the graduation ceremonies as John Charles Thomas, the first African American and the youngest person, at 32, to be appointed to the Supreme Court of Virginia, will be the speaker for more than 850 bachelor's degrees and about 150 master's degrees that are expected to be awarded.  Thomas, who served on the court from 1983-89, is now a senior partner with the Richmond-based law firm of Hunton & Williams.  He will receive an honorary Doctor of Laws degree.  Longwood is one of the 75 public institutions featured in The Princeton Review's book, “The Best Value Colleges: 2012 Edition” and was named one of the best colleges in the United States in the 2011 annual survey published by Forbes magazine.

Update: The Sally Barksdale Hargrett Prize for Academic Excellence, awarded to the graduating senior with the highest grade-point average, was shared by six individuals, including women's cross country standout Jessica Alley of New Castle who earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology with a perfect 4.0 GPA.  The other five sharing the prestigious award were Jillian Michelle Chesson, Megan Ashley Hendrick, Mary Catherine Hoyt, Stephanie Lauren Roddenberry, and Crystal Elaine Peoples.
   
This year's student-athlete graduates include Troy Dickman (Baseball), Matt Gwaltney (Baseball), Robby Newman (Baseball), Michael Sims (Baseball), Jan van der Kooij (Men's Basketball - Cum Laude), Jeremiah Bowman (Men's Basketball), Durann Neil (Men's Basketball), Martiz Washington (Men's Basketball), Justin Cooke (Men's Cross Country), Austin Gray (Men's Golf - Magna Cum Laude), Kenny Leech (Men's Golf), Bobby Fox (Men's Golf - Cum Laude), Ross Sumner (Men's Golf), Phillip Chaves (Men's Soccer), Shane Johnson (Men's Soccer - Cum Laude), Zack Mahon (Men's Soccer - Cum Laude), Nobu Tanaka (Men's Tennis ), Brittanni Billups (Women's Basketball - Cum Laude), Brittany Jones (Women's Basketball), Mina Jovanovic (Women's Basketball - Summa Cum Laude), Morgan Smith (Women's Basketball), Jessica Alley (Women's Cross Country - Summa Cum Laude), Amanda Babineau (Field Hockey), Olga Knop (Field Hockey - Summa Cum Laude), Sarah Bietsch (Field Hockey), Kimberly Sullivan (Field Hockey), Lauren Sullivan (Field Hockey), Kesley Dean (Women's Lacrosse), Hannah Riggs (Women's Lacrosse - Cum Laude), Jessica Rudloff (Women's Lacrosse - Summa Cum Laude), Katie Carbiener (Women's Lacrosse - Magna Cum Laude), Sam Stifler (Women's Lacrosse - Magna Cum Laude), Duan Wright (Women's Lacrosse - Cum Laude), Ashley Kramer (Softball), Maggie Margadonna (Softball), Tricia Nelson (Softball - Cum Laude), Leigh Sexton (Softball - Cum Laude), Nichole Simmons (Softball - Cum Laude), Katie Devlin (Women's Soccer - Summa Cum Laude), Alex Myers (Women's Soccer), Alecia McConnell (Women's Soccer - Cum Laude), Dylan Spicker (Women's Soccer - Cum Laude), Kacie Oliver (Women's Soccer, Women's Basketball - Cum Laude), Kristen McGough (Women's Soccer), Mackenzie King (Women's Soccer - Summa Cum Laude), and Soraya Serra (Women's Soccer - Cum Laude).
   
The morning ceremony will recognize degree candidates in the Cook-Cole College of Arts & Sciences, the College of Business & Economics, the College of Education & Human Services, and the College of Graduate & Professional Studies.