People Making News

Natalie Berner and Elizabeth Crotty of Glendale were recently named to the dean’s list at the College of William & Mary for the spring 2020 semester.

In order to achieve dean’s list status, a full-time degree seeking undergraduate student must take at least 12 credit hours and earn a 3.6 Quality Point Average during the semester.

William & Mary is the second oldest institution of higher learning in the United States.

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Local students were among those recognized by The University of Wisconsin-Madison as being named to the dean’s list for the spring semester of the 2019-20 academic year. Students who achieve at a high level academically are recognized by the dean at the close of each semester. To be eligible for the dean’s list, students must complete a minimum of 12 graded degree credits in that semester. Each university school or college sets its own GPA requirements for students to be eligible to receive the distinction. Most call the honor “dean’s list,” but some grant the “dean’s honor list” and “dean’s high honor list.”

From Glendale were Aleen Babikian, College of Letters and Science, dean’s list, Samantha Gilmore, School of Human Ecology, dean’s honor list and Megan Gmelich, College of Letters and Science, dean’s list. From La Cañada was Ethan Sharp, College of Letters and Science, dean’s list; from La Cañada Flintridge was Sydney Mueller, College of Letters and Science, dean’s list. From La Crescenta was David Komjathy, College of Agricultural & Life Sciences, dean’s list.

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Tyler Williamson of La Crescenta will attend Clarkson University in Potsdam, New York as a member of the Class of 2024. Williamson, who will be majoring in mechanical engineering, will begin studying at Clarkson in the fall.

High school students can always check out Clarkson’s virtual viewbook & interactive campus map. Contact the Admissions Office at admissions@clarkson.edu.

As a private, national research university, Clarkson is a leader in technological education and sustainable economic development through teaching, scholarship, research and innovation. The main campus is located in Potsdam, New York with additional graduate program and research facilities in the New York Capital Region, Beacon, New York, and New York City. Clarkson educates 4,300 students across 95 rigorous programs of study in engineering, business, the arts, education, sciences and health professions.

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Aidan Marick of La Cañada has been named to the dean’s list for the spring 2020 semester at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Marick is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in political science.

To make the dean’s list, students must have earned at least 12 credits for the spring 2020 semester and have no disqualifying graces. The GPA threshold varies by college; for the College of Education and the Klingler College of Arts and Sciences, undergraduate students must have at least a 3.7 to be named to the dean’s list.

The undergraduate GPA requirement is 3.5 for the following colleges: the Diederich College of Communication, the College of Business Administration, the College of Health Sciences, the Opus College of Engineering and the College of Nursing. All other programs have a 3.75 GPA minimum.

Marquette University is a Catholic, Jesuit university that draws its more than 11,500 students from all 50 states and more than 84 different countries. Marquette is ranked in the top 10 nationally for job placement.

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The following local students received their Bachelor of Arts degrees from Whitman College on May 24. Graduates were honored in a virtual commencement ceremony this year.

Matthew Sox from La Cañada, a graduate of La Cañada High School, received his degree in physics/pre-engineering and Eric Ma from La Crescenta, a graduate of Village Christian High School, received his degree in sociology.

Founded in 1882, Whitman College is a highly selective private, independent, co-educational, non-sectarian residential liberal arts and sciences undergraduate college located in Walla Walla, Washington. The college is home to approximately 1,500 undergraduate students exploring 45 departmental majors that lead to a Bachelor of Arts degree.

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The University of Rhode Island announced that Caitlin Smith of Glendale was among those named to the spring 2020 dean’s list. To be included on the dean’s list, full-time students must have completed 12 or more credits for letter grades during a semester and achieved at least a 3.30 quality point average. Part-time students qualify with the accumulation of 12 or more credits for letter grades earning at least a 3.30 quality point average.

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Local students were among 7,000 students who earned degrees from Oregon State University. From La Cañada Flintridge, Brianna Z. Albarian earned a Bachelor of Science degree in kinesiology; David Mednikov earned a Bachelor of Science, computer science and Carlo F. Rizzo earned a Bachelor of Science in management from Oregon State University.

While Oregon State’s traditional commencement ceremonies were postponed in keeping with the university’s measures to help reduce the risk and spread of COVID-19, the graduating students are being celebrated online. To watch celebratory messages and learn more about the Oregon State class of 2020, visit https://commencement.oregonstate.edu/.

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Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) announced that Aidan Horn of La Cañada Flintridge, a member of the class of 2023 majoring in computer science, was named to the university’s dean’s list for academic excellence for the spring 2020 semester.

A total of 1,749 undergraduate students achieved the criteria required for WPI’s spring 2020 dean’s list. The criteria for the WPI dean’s list differs from most other universities as WPI does not compute a grade point average (GPA). Instead, WPI defines the dean’s list by the amount of work completed at the A level in courses and projects.

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Daniel Goetz of La Cañada was among the more than 5,700 University of Iowa undergraduate, graduate, and professional students who were conferred degrees. Goetz was a student in the Graduate College whose program of study was chemistry. The degree awarded was a Doctor of Philosophy.

The university supported commencement celebrations despite being unable to host them in person. Members of the Hawkeye community filmed short videos of encouragement, and each college produced a virtual livestream ceremony. Packages containing commemorative programs and other celebratory items were sent to graduating Hawkeyes everywhere, and those students who want to walk across a graduation stage in person will be able to do so at a future ceremony.

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The following students have been named to the Emerson College dean’s list for the spring 2020 semester. The requirement to make dean’s list is a grade point average of 3.7 or higher that semester. Earning a place on the dean’s list are

Isabel Moon of La Cañada who is pursuing a degree in theatre and performance, Class of 2022; Mirena Munich of La Cañada Flintridge who is pursuing a degree in creative writing BFA, Class of 2021; and Mara Tatevosian of La Crescenta who is pursuing a degree in media arts production, Class of 2021.

Based in Boston, Massachusetts, opposite the historic Boston Common and in the heart of the city’s Theatre District, Emerson College educates individuals who will solve problems and change the world through engaged leadership in communication and the arts, a mission informed by liberal learning. The College has approximately 3,780 undergraduates and 670 graduate students from across the United States and 50 countries.

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Kate Lauren Hodges of La Crescenta has been named to the dean’s list at Clemson University.

Hodges, whose major is parks, recreation and tourism management, made the dean’s list for the spring 2020 semester.

To be named to the dean’s list, a student achieved a grade-point average between 3.50 and 3.99 on a 4.0 scale.

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Jonathan Jun of La Crescenta, who pursued a bachelor’s degree in psychology, has been awarded a degree from Whitworth University.

Located in Spokane, Washington, Whitworth is a private, liberal arts university affiliated with the Presbyterian Church. The university, which has an enrollment of more than 3,000 students, offers more than 100 undergraduate and graduate degree programs.

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Garik Arutyunyan of Glendale was named to the dean’s list at Rochester Institute of Technology for the 2020 spring semester. Arutyunyan is in the computer science program.

Degree-seeking undergraduate students are eligible for dean’s list if their term GPA is greater than or equal to 3.400; they do not have any grades of “Incomplete”, “D” or “F”; and have registered for, and completed, at least 12 credit hours.

Rochester Institute of Technology is home to leading creators, entrepreneurs, innovators and researchers. Founded in 1829, RIT enrolls about 19,000 students in more than 200 career-oriented and professional programs, making it among the largest private universities in the U.S.

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Joshua Kim of Montrose, and Augustine Kim, Sarah Lee and Emily Perkins of La Crescenta were named to the dean’s list at Wheaton College for the spring 2020 semester.

Wheaton College, located in Wheaton, Illinois, is a coeducational Christian liberal arts college noted for its rigorous academics, integration of faith and learning, and consistent ranking among the top liberal arts colleges in the country. For more information, visit wheaton.edu.

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The University of Utah congratulated 8,628 graduates in its first-ever virtual commencement ceremony on April 30. Among the graduates were Carla Kekejian of Glendale whose major is listed as speech-language pathology MS, Cynthia Louie of La Cañada whose major is listed as business administration MBA, Sarah Terry of La Cañada Flintridge whose major is listed as communication BS and Lauren Tervet, also of La Cañada Flintridge, whose major is listed as chemistry BS.

The graduating class of 2020 includes students who graduated summer 2019, fall 2019 and spring 2020. Students in the Class of 2020 ranged in age from 18 to 69 and earned 9,280 degrees. Graduates represented 50 U.S. states and 59 foreign countries. This class is the first to graduate from the U since it was selected as a new member of the Association of American Universities-an invitation-only, prestigious group of 65 leading research institutions.

The University of Utah, located in Salt Lake City in the foothills of the Wasatch Mountains, is the flagship institution of higher learning in Utah. Founded in 1850, it serves over 32,000 students from across the U.S. and the world. With over 100 major subjects at the undergraduate level and more than 90 major fields of study at the graduate level, including law and medicine, the university prepares students to live and compete in the global workplace.

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Amy Giboney of La Crescenta was among the 1,759 students named to Samford University’s 2020 spring semester dean’s list. To qualify for the dean’s list, a student must have earned a minimum 3.5 grade point average out of a possible 4.0 while attempting at least 12 credit hours of coursework. Dean’s list is the highest academic recognition given by the school at the end of each semester.

Giboney is majoring in sports medicine (HP).

Samford is a nationally ranked Christian university offering undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts and a distinct blend of graduate and professional schools. Founded in 1841, Samford is the 87th-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Samford enrolls 5,692 students from 46 states and 28 countries in its 10 academic schools.

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Elijah Eigenbrodt, Peter Hovland and Anissa Olona from Glendale, Andrew and Michael Calmette from La Cañada Flintridge and Allison Lombardo from La Crescenta have earned placement on the Gonzaga University dean’s list for spring semester 2020. Students must earn a 3.5 to 3.84 grade-point average to be listed.

Gonzaga University is a humanistic, private Catholic University providing a Jesuit education to more than 7,500 students. Situated along the Spokane River near downtown Spokane, Washington, Gonzaga is routinely recognized among the West’s best comprehensive regional universities. Gonzaga offers 75 fields of study, 23 master’s degrees, four doctoral degrees in one college and six schools.

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Edwin Daneelian of Tujunga was named to the dean’s list for the spring 2020 semester at Quinnipiac University.    

To qualify for the dean’s list, students must earn a grade point average of at least 3.5 with no grade lower than C. Full-time students must complete at least 14 credits in a semester, with at least 12 credits that have been graded on a letter grade basis to be eligible. Part-time students must complete at least six credits during a semester.

Quinnipiac is a private, coeducational, nonsectarian institution located 90 minutes north of New York City and two hours from Boston. The university enrolls 7,000 full-time undergraduate and 3,000 graduate and part-time students in 110 degree programs through its Schools of Business, Communications, Education, Engineering, Health Sciences, Law, Medicine, Nursing and the College of Arts and Sciences.