Area residents graduate, receive collegiate honors
EDWARDSVILLE — Two area students were among the 2,438 eligible graduates from Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville. SIU-E Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Denise Cobb, PhD, bestowed degrees upon students from the Graduate School, College of Arts and Sciences, and Schools of Business, Engineering, Nursing, Pharmacy, and Education, Health and Human Behavior.
Abigayle Orndorff of Flanagan and Kevin Gschwendtner of Pontiac received diplomas after completing their requirements. Orndorff graduated magna cum laude in Nursing. Gschwendtner graduated in Business Administration.
SIU-E also announced its Dean's List for the Spring 2022 semester, which included two area students.
Abigayle Orndorff of Flanagan and Brienna Weaver of Pontiac each qualified for Dean's List recognition after attaining a grade point average fo 3.5 or better.
Kankakee Community College
KANKAKEE — Three students from the Livingston County area received recognition on the Kankakee Community College Honor Roll for Spring 2022.
Anna Murphy of Dwight, Maria Bahena of Odell and Connor O'Brien of Reddick each maintained a grade point average of between 3.25 and 3.79.
Western Illinois University
MACOMB — A total of 929 students, including four from Livingston County, earned academic degrees or post-baccalaureate certificates after the Spring 2022 semester at Western Illinois University.
Bachelor's degrees were awarded to 649 graduates.
Academic distinction was awarded to baccalaureate graduates who achieved high grade point averages. This includes: Summa Cum Laude, 3.90 GPA or higher on a 4.0 scale; Magna Cum Laude, 3.75-3.89 GPA; and Cum Laude, 3.6-3.74 GPA.
Graduates from Livingston County included James L. Soto of Dwight, Bachelor of Arts, Communication Studies; Gretchen A. Maier of Forrest, Cum Laude, Bachelor of Science in Education, Early Childhood Education; Alec J. Bristow of Pontiac, Magna Cum Laude, Bachelor of Science, Law Enforcement & Justice Administration; and Madyson DiNardi of Pontiac, Bachelor of Science in Education, Elementary Education.
A total of 1,080 undergraduate students enrolled at Western Illinois University were named to the 2022 Spring Dean's List. This includes seven from Livingston County.
To receive this award, an undergraduate student must earn at least a 3.6 grade point average on a scale of 4.0, which equals an A in a minimum of 12 credit hours of graded courses.
Students from Livingston County earning Dean's List honors include Eden E. Beier of Blackstone, Lucy T. Rieke and James L. Soto, both of Dwight, Colton Cottrell and Sophiana E. Small, both of Fairbury, Madelyn C. Doran of Odell and Michael J. Fitzsimmons of Pontiac.
Oklahoma State
STILLWATER, Okla. — A total of 7,097 students, including one from Dwight, were named to the 2022 spring semester honor rolls at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater. This included 3,173 students named to the President's Honor Roll (4.00 GPA) for earning an A grade in all their courses.
Sofia Holland Swink of Dwight was named to the President's Honor Roll.
Oregon State
CORVALLIS, Ore. — Oregon State University graduated more than 7,300 students during recent ceremonies at Reser Stadium on the Corvallis campus and at the OSU-Cascades campus in Bend.
The 7,318 graduates received degrees. The number of graduates is the second most in university history, behind only last year.
Among the graduates was Nathan Ramos of Pontiac earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science.
Heartland Community College
NORMAL — Phi Theta Kappa has welcomed a new group of Heartland Community College students into the organization’s membership. Sixty-three Heartland students have been named to the international two-year college honor society.
Membership to Phi Theta Kappa is offered to students if they have completed at least 12 credit hours with a grade point average of 3.5 or higher. Students involved in the organization are afforded unique leadership, service, scholarship, and fellowship opportunities.
The following students accepted membership into the Alpha Omega Xi Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa at Heartland Community College in the Spring 2022 semester: James Bostelman, Pontiac, Donald Coyne, Pontiac, Alec Kridner, Pontiac, Amelia Logan, Saunemin, Alyssa Rodriguez, Pontiac, and Trevor Sexton, Odell.
Olivet Nazarene University
BOURBONNAIS — Brayden Fuoss of Chatsworth, Connor Haab and McKenna Haab, both of Fairbury, were named to the 2022 Dean's List at Olivet Nazarene University.
To qualify for inclusion on the Dean's List, a student must have been enrolled as a full-time undergraduate student and must have attained a semester grade point average of 3.50 or higher on a 4.00 grading scale.
Iowa State University
AMES, Ia. — Christian Neal Taylor of Fairbury was named to the Spring 2022 Dean's List at Iowa State University.
Students named to the Dean's List must have earned a grade point average of at least 3.50 on a 4.00 scale while carrying a minimum of 12 credit hours of graded course work.
University of Alabama
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Raygen Huber of Strawn was named to the Spring 2022 Dean's List at the University of Alabama.
The University of Alabama's Dean's list recognizes full-time undergraduate students with an academic record of 3.5 or above.
Southeast Missouri State University
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. — Weston Cottrell of Fairbury has been named to the Southeast Missouri State University Dean's List for academic achievement during the spring 2022 semester.
Students named to the list earned at least a 3.75 grade point average on a 4.0 scale, completed at least 12 hours of standard graded credit, achieved no grade below a B and received no failing grades in enrolled, credit/no credit or pass/fail courses.
University of Utah
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — Lucas Perry of Fairbury was among the more than 8,000 graduates honored during the 153rd general commencement ceremony at the University of Utah.
Perry earned a Master of Science degree in Nutrition and Integrative Physiology in Spring 2022.
This article originally appeared on Pontiac Daily Leader: Area students graduate, receive collegiate honors for Spring semester
