The College of Charleston Class of 2015 graduates are well-rounded, award-winning entrepreneurs, published authors, scientists and scholars dedicated to community service. These capable professionals presented at international conferences, served in the military and they have accepted positions at distinguished graduate schools and organizations around the world. They have walked through the arches of Porters Lodge and they are prepared to spread the knowledge, inspiration and enthusiasm they gained at the College. Congratulations Class of 2015!
Undergraduate Class of 2015
- Undergraduate Class of 2015: By the Numbers
- Undergraduate Class of 2015: Honors College
- Undergraduate Class of 2015: Award Winners
- Undergraduate Class of 2015: A Closer Look
Graduate Class of 2015
- Graduate School Class of 2015: By the Numbers
- Graduate School Class of 2015: Award Winners
- Graduate School Class of 2015: A Closer Look
Undergraduate Class of 2015: By the Numbers*
| 1,582 | graduates | |
| 40 | states (including D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands) are represented | |
| 22 | countries are represented | |
| 19 | age of youngest student | |
| 67 | age of oldest student | |
| 3 | students graduating with top honors | |
| 12 | students graduating with A.B. degrees | |
| 168 | School of the Arts graduates | |
| 361 | School of Business graduates | |
| 242 | School of Education, Health, and Human Performance graduates | |
| 534 | School of Humanities and Social Sciences | |
| 102 | School of Languages, Cultures, and World Affairs graduates | |
| 266 | School of Sciences and Mathematics graduates | |
| 5 | School of Professional Studies graduates |
* These numbers may change once final grades for spring 2015 are posted.
Top Majors:
Business administration: 182 students
Communication: 144 Students
Psychology: 124 Students
Biology: 123 Students
Political science: 74 Students
Undergraduate Class of 2015: Honors College by the Numbers*
- 115 Students in the Class of 2015
- 1 Student is graduating with top honors, a perfect 4.0 GPA, and is the recipient of the John Lewis Gervais, Jr. Award
- 2 Students are recipients of the Bishop Robert Smith Award, the College’s highest award
- 1 Student is the recipient of the Stewart Walker Cup, Top Honor for an Athlete
- 1 Student is graduating in three years
- 8 Students are members of the William Aiken Fellows Society
- 2 Triple Majors
- 27 Double Majors
- 55 Majors in the School of Sciences and Mathematics
- 44 Majors in the School of Humanities & Social Sciences
- 15 Majors in the School of Languages Cultures and World Affairs
- 14 Majors in the School of Business
- 12 Majors in the School of the Arts
- 6 Majors in the School of Education Health Human Performance
- 83% Receiving Latin Honors (95 students)
- 33% Cum Laude (38 students)
- 31% Magna Cum Laude (36 students)
- 18% Summa Cum Laude (21 students)
- 8 Varsity Athletes
- 1 Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship Recipient
- 1 GEM Fellowship Recipient
- 2 Goldwater Scholars
- 1 Udall Scholar
- 49% studied abroad (55 students)
- 100% participated in local community service
- 19% participated in international community service (21 students)
- 100% completed mentored research projects
Nathan Adamson (biochemistry) will enter a Ph.D. program in organic chemistry at Duke University in the fall. He conducted research in the chemistry department for three years, received a Goldwater Scholarship, and presented at local and regional conferences. Nathan served as Master Alchemist for Alpha Chi Sigma, the Professional Chemistry Fraternity, and he received the American Chemical Society, South Carolina Section, Outstanding Student Award.
Nicholas Allen (biology) will begin his studies at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine to become a doctor of dental medicine. He worked with the College of Charleston chapter of MEDLIFE Medical Mission Club and volunteered at the South Carolina Dental Access clinic. He also worked as a Research Assistant in the Department of Neuroscience Kalivas lab at the MUSC.
Alannah Aldstadt (German and biology) was awarded a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship in Germany for the 2015-2016 school year. She traveled to Germany with the College’s Neuroscience Seminar, interned in Hamburg at a kindergarten and attended a month-long German language course in Berlin over summer 2014. Alannah is also a Global Scholar who completed the College’s Leadership Certificate Program. She worked in the College’s Writing Lab as a consultant throughout her undergraduate career.
Colette Ashley (biology and French) was awarded a grant from the Teach Assistantship program in France for the 2015-16 academic year. She participated in the Boston University Paris Internship Program in addition to traveling to Bali to study tropical ecology. She was also active in the MUSC’s Alzheimer’s Research and Clinical Programs.
Taylor Avery (marine biology) has accepted a full-time position as a fish biologist at the South Carolina Department of Natural Resource Monitoring, Assessment, and Prediction program, where she’s previously completed an internship. In addition to her role on the women’s soccer team, Taylor was active in the community, working as a coach for the Mount Pleasant United Youth Soccer Clinics and Special Olympics Soccer Team.
Mary Frances Babrowicz (biology and Spanish) will work at the Casablanca American School in Morocco as a general science teacher beginning in August 2015. While attending the College of Charleston, she worked as a volunteer interpreter at Barrier Island Free Medical Clinic and studied abroad in Trujillo, Spain and Buenos Aires, Argentina. She also received a Research Experience for Undergraduates grant at the Center for Research on Invasive Species and Small Populations at the University of Idaho.
Emily Beam (biology) plans to pursue a Ph.D. in wildlife biology and continue her research on large land mammals. She hopes to work for the National Parks or Nature Conservancy focusing on conservation and public understanding. As a William Aiken Fellow, Emily received a summer enrichment grant to pursue her research and she completed a study abroad experience in Kenya and Tanzania. Emily will be working over the next year as she prepares a Fulbright application to support her post-graduate program.
Jenny Brennan (geology) will attend Duke University’s master of environmental management program. She interned with the Office of Sustainability where she served in several leadership roles and was nominated for Student Employee of the Year. She was as a public speaking consultant at the Center for Student Learning in addition to working as a geology teaching assistant for two years. She also interned in the environmental department at Nucor Steel conducting environmental inspections and engineering.
Olivia Mae Coco (economics) graduates from the Honors College with double minors in finance and biology. A recipient of three scholarships including the CofC Academic Scholarship, Presidential Scholarship and the Wells Fargo Business Scholarships, Olivia participated in the prestigious Student Investment Society in the School of Business Investment Program. She is also a Schottland Scholar and member of the varsity equestrian team. She will begin working for Goldman Sachs’ Dallas, Texas location following Commencement.
Clerc Cooper (history) was a William Aikens Fellow and an avid sailor, with Honorable Mention All American and Academic All American titles under her belt. She earned numerous academic accolades including the Charleston Chapter of the American Federation of Women’s Clubs History Prize, the Outstanding Student Award from the history department, and the College of Charleston Presidential Scholarship. Clerc co-authored the article “Lowcountry, High Standards: The Struggle for Quality Education in Charleston, South Carolina,” based on her research on civil rights history. At age 14, she was selected as a Carnegie Hero Medal winner for saving two men from drowning in Lake Pontchartrain, New Orleans in 2008. She will begin law school at Tulane University in Fall 2015. She was submitted for the Graduating Class Profile by four unique College departments and offices.
Lundy Davis (biology) plans to work and gain experience in the healthcare field before applying to physician assistant programs in summer 2016. She was the president of the Student Alumni Associates and master of ceremonies for Alpha Chi Sigma, the professional chemistry fraternity. She conducted research in chemistry and received the Award of Merit at the School of Science and Math Poster Presentation. Lundy presented her research findings at the Southeastern Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society two years in a row. She received Departmental Honors for her research and she was named Outstanding Student in the Department of Biology.
Lauren Deasy (psychology) will attend the University of North Carolina at Charlotte to pursue a master’s degree in counseling with a clinical mental health concentration and certificate in gerontology. Lauren volunteered with Best Buddies, Charleston Miracle League and Special Olympics as well as holding several leadership roles in Delta Gamma Sorority. She interned at a camp in Pittsburgh, Penn. for children, teens and adults with physical and intellectual disabilities, for which she received an Americorps service stipend. She currently works as an ABA therapist at Carolina Coast Behavioral Services.
Tasneem Dossaji (biology and psychology) will join New York University’s College of Dentistry to become a doctor of dental medicine. Tasneem studied ocean ecology, sailing techniques, and conservation in the British Virgin Islands, where she was also SCUBA certified for open-water diving. She was the co-founder and president of the Indian dance team, Chuck de Raas, and an original member of the Charleston Vibes a capella group.
Hannah Evans (English) plans to continue working in international media. She received a research project grant to present her paper at the British Postcolonial and Commonwealth Studies Conference. Hannah was a member of the William Aiken Fellows Society, a student leader for the Honors College Honduras Trip and she worked as a reading partner tutor at Mitchell Elementary School. She was the first College of Charleston student to participate in the University of Cape Coast, Ghana bilateral exchange program. She has served as an intern with the newspaper and as an AmeriCorps member at a nonprofit in her hometown of Knoxville, Tenn.
Taylor Fleming (education) will be teaching at Alston Middle School in Dorchester County, S.C. She participated in the Teacher Leader Program at the College and completed her student teaching at Berkeley County Middle School. Her long-term plans are to enroll in a master’s degree program and to remain involved with the educational system in some capacity – either as a teacher, curriculum specialist or school psychologist.
Zachary Gerber (psychology) plans to take the next year to complete prerequisites and gain additional clinical experience before applying to nursing school in fall 2015. He served as assistant hall director in Berry Residence Hall and helped establish the new Honors Living-Learning Community. Zack studied abroad for a semester in Cape Coast, Ghana. He also served as a research intern at MUSC and worked with the on-campus psychology association.
Nora Grossman (computer science and Spanish) was a William Aiken Fellow who accepted a position as a software engineer at tech startup, DoubleDutch, in San Francisco, Calif. During her time at the College, Nora minored in linguistics, interned for two summers at Google in Mountain View, Calif., was co-president of the Belly Dance Club, and, prior to graduation, will finish her bachelor’s essay on machine translation with Dr. Pothering. She was a student of the Honors College.
Crane Havens (psychology) will pursue a master’s degree in clinical counseling at the Citadel. He was a member of the William Aiken Fellows Society and completed a course in psychopathology at King’s College London during his study abroad experience. He received a research project grant with Dr. Galuska to present his research at the 40th Annual Convention of the Association for Behavior Analysts International held in Chicago, Ill. Crane also worked with the Operant Conditioning Lab and held an internship with the National Crime Victims Center at MUSC.
Emily Henderson (political science) will attend law school at Boston University in the fall. She is a founding member and president of Circle K, where she organized community volunteer events and raised money for international organizations such as UNICEF. She has traveled to London with the British Studies program and studied in Dubai and Abu Dhabi with her international business class. Emily interned with Senator Tim Scott as part of the Washington Semester Program. She has also interned with Coca-Cola Enterprises in Brussels, Belgium, with Weston Law Firm and with Judge Alexander Sanders.
Derek Novo (computer science and physics) conducted research in computational neuroscience under the supervision of Dr. Sorinel Oprisan for more than two years. He presented his research at 12 conferences and won more than $18,000 in research grants through this research. During his final year, Derek’s interest in signal and image processing led him to contact and volunteer to work the MUSC. There, he developed functions for pre-processing fMRI scans. This year, he was selected as a GEM Fellow of The National GEM Consortium. As a GEM Fellow, he will intern at Adobe Systems this summer in San Jose, Calif. and will attend Columbia University in fall 2015 to pursue graduate studies in computer vision and graphics.
Joanne Johnson (communication) graduates from the Honors College with a minor in Spanish. She studied abroad multiple times as an undergraduate student, including an alternative break trip in Honduras and a semester in Trujillo, Spain. Joanne participated in the communication department’s Mentor-Protégé program as well as the Publish Relations Student Society of America. She interned with local nonprofit Darkness to Light and Charleston-based magazine the Local Palate. She completed a bachelor’s essay examining how nonprofit organizations use social media. Following Commencement, Joanna will move to Ecuador to work with a nonprofit called Rostro de Cristo.
Elizabeth (Izzy) Kelley (exercise science) will enroll in Ball State University’s for her master’s in clinical exercise physiology and plans to earn her Ph.D. in exercise science. She interned with the College’s Sports Performance department as well as at the MUSC Wellness Center and she worked as a teaching assistant in the Exercise Physiology Lab. She also served as a student leader in the Move, Groove, Get Active program and MUSC’s Piece It Together program, both of which employ movement and fitness as forms of behavior therapy for children and young adults diagnosed with autism.
Valerie Keller (English) leaves both the School of Humanities and Social Sciences and the Honors College with the hopes of working within the publishing industry. Valerie studied abroad in Spoleto, Italy in 2014, and she served as president of the Literati English Club and a member of the Phi Eta Sigma and Sigma Tau Delta honors societies. She will graduate summa cum laude.
Caroline Kenny (communication and political science) will attend the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University to receive a master of science in journalism. She interned full-time in the political department of the Democratic National Committee in Washington D.C. as a part of the Washington Semester Program. Caroline served as the Executive Director of Dance Marathon and helped raise over $55,000 for MUSC Children’s Hospital, was the President of the Senior Class Committee, and was involved in Club Tennis, Student Alumni Associates, and Phi Mu Sorority. Caroline also served as the Campus Field Organizer for the South Carolina Democratic Party, interned with the College’s Athletics Communication Department and with a Communications PR Agency in New York City. She received the Cistern Award and Communication Department Outstanding Student Award.
Olivia LaRussa (biology) plans to attend Wake Forest Medical School’s physician assistant program. To supplement her minor in Italian Studies, Olivia studied abroad in Viterbo, Italy for a semester, where she taught English to fourth graders at a local elementary school. She also traveled to Ecuador and Peru with Medlife Mobile Clinics to provide medical care to people without access and has interned with two physical therapy offices as a physical therapy aide.
Kathryn Lynam (biology) will enroll at Wayne State University’s College of Medicine beginning in the fall. Katie was a member of the William Aiken Fellows Society and was active with the Neuroscience and Climbing Clubs. She also participated in Intramural Soccer and volunteered at the Greenville Hospital and completed a medical mission trip to Nicaragua with Palmetto Medical Initiative.
Julia Moss (biology) hopes to get a master’s degree in Public Health to do clinical work and public health research, focusing on children with disabilities and vulnerable populations. She was the president of the Unitarian Universalist Club, site leader for Alternative Spring Break Program, a Global Scholar and she studied abroad in Chile. Julia has also participated in research at MUSC, presented at a regional conference, and received Biology Departmental Honors.
Marino Mugayar-Baldocchi (psychology) was a member of both the Psi Chi International and Phi Kappa Phi National honors societies. He also served as a member of the Society for Judgment and Decision Making, participating in many national conferences. Marino completed an internship at the MUSC, a Summer Undergraduate Research with Faculty grant at the College and a Bachelor’s essay during his time as a student. His research focused on anchoring earliest autobiographical memories. He was a recipient of the Bishop Robert Smith award, the College’s most prestigious award. He will begin a doctoral program in organizational psychology at the City University of New York following graduation.
Samantha (Sammy) Nicolau (biochemistry, biology and chemistry) will enroll in Northeastern University’s Ph.D. program in Biology. She presented her research at the Southeastern Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society in both 2013 and 2014 and earned an Award of Merit at the College of Charleston’s poster session.
Clark Phelps (biology) will enroll in the medical school at Wayne State University’s College of Medicine. He participated in a Palmetto Medical Initiative medical mission trip to Nicaragua. He also shadowed physicians at the Munsun Medical Center in Traverse City, Mich. in a variety of fields, including surgery, internal medicine, gastroenterology, and pathology.
Caroline Reppe (international business) will be heading to Washington D.C. to work with Blackbaud as a consultant. Caroline was a member of the William Aiken Fellows Society and interned with the Ronald MacDonald House of Charleston in the development and marketing department where she managed their social media. Caroline also assisted with their fundraising events such as silent auctions, online auctions and the Red Shoe Walk.
Michelle Smith (business administration) will work for the McChrystal Group, a leadership development consulting firm in Washington, D.C. Michelle participated in Leadership CofC, Charleston 40, was the marketing coordinator for ENACTUS and she served as director of fundraising for Possibilities without Borders. She is a Schottland Scholar, a Knox Global Scholar, an ENACTUS Legacy Award Winner, and received a Certificate of Achievement in Management and Marketing. Michelle also studied abroad in Cameroon and Ghana, West Africa. While there, she maintained a detailed blog about her experience and provided keen insight into life in Okurase, Ghana.
Chelsea Snipes (biology and business administration) will begin medical school at Baylor College of Medicine in the fall of 2015. Chelsea completed research at MUSC and presented at a regional conference. She served as the Honor Board deputy chairman, second lieutenant in CofC EMS, director of interns at Palmetto Medical Initiative, and participated in several community service trips. Chelsea is a Schottland Scholar and received the Department of Management & Entrepreneurship Outstanding Business Student Award.
Andrew Spector (psychology) will spend the next two years teaching secondary science in Oklahoma with Teach for America. He is a recipient of the Bishop Robert Smith Award, the most prestigious award the College offers. Andrew served as president of the Jewish Student Union and was the founder of the Religious Life Exchange. He was also founder and president of the Community and Spiritual Exploration and facilitated the College’s first Interfaith Service Day.
Gillian Spolarich (communication) leaves the School of Humanities and Social Sciences and the Honors College for Washington, D.C., where she hopes to work with a nonprofit organization focusing on either animal welfare, sustainable agriculture or environmental protection. Gillian minored in both anthropology and French and Francophone studies and she studied abroad in Prague, Czech Republic and Krakow, Poland. She graduates with a 3.9 GPA, having participated in the communication department’s Mentor-Protégé program and CisternYard Media.
Abigail Tennenbaum (political science) will continue her work in sustainability and social movements by working for Green Corps this fall. At the College, Abby worked with the Office of Sustainability to implement composting in College dining halls. She also researched the ability to incorporate local food and started the annual Food Day celebrations through Green CofC. In 2014, Abby was the first student at the College of Charleston to receive a Udall scholarship. Her independent study focused on the issue of migrant labor in the lowcountry, which she presented at the 2014 Moore Conference.
Kelly Venezia (psychology) will attend Montclair State University for a master’s degree in School Counseling. She was involved in the Cougar Counseling Team, the Center Stage Student Theatre Group, was a senior peer academic coach at the Center for Student Learning, a Zumba Instructor and the Secretary of Psi Chi. Kelly studied abroad in Florence, Italy, and she was a volunteer at MUSC and she was a volunteer suicide counselor. She received the Cistern Award, the Outstanding Student in Psychology Award and presented her research at local, regional, and international conferences.
Zack Waldman (biology) is an aspiring Cardiothoracic Surgeon. Zack has been an active member of the Honors College serving as a peer facilitator his sophomore year and a peer facilitator coordinator his junior year. He is a William Aiken Fellow and has held many offices with the Beta Theta Pi Fraternity including Chapter President. Zack held internships in the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s Department of Neurology and at the University of Pennsylvania Department of Interventional Radiology and Department of Urology.
- Bishop Robert Smith Award
Andrew Spector - Bishop Robert Smith Award
Isabel Williams - Bishop Robert Smith Award
Marino Mugayar-Baldocchi - Ted Stern Cup
Dylan Mazelis - Ted Stern Cup
Dakota Isaacs - Pat Kelly Award Winner
Deidre Carr - Pat Kelly Award Winner
Sylvie Baele - Alexandar Chambliss Connelley Award
Rebecca Drewry
Undergraduate Class of 2015: A Closer Look*
Brice Allanic (finance) was a top player for the College’s Men’s Tennis Team culminating into an all-conference standout during his senior season. A stellar doubles player, the Colombes, France, native was named to the All-CAA Men’s Tennis Second Team alongside fellow senior Alon Faiman. The duo won four matches at the top spot over opponents from other regional schools. Consistently the Cougars’ top player over the past two seasons, he was a two-sport athlete at the College as midfielder for the men’s soccer team during the 2013 season. Allanic plans to pursue his master’s degree in financial markets and investment in France.
Olivia Adams (anthropology and archaeology) graduates from the Honors College after participating in multiple archaeological digs, including one in Cahors, France and two in Transylvania, Romania. She’s presented her research at several conferences and served as the Vice President and then president of the College’s Archaeology Club. Olivia’s bachelor’s essay focused on constructing the narrative history of the College’s Dixie Plantation using history of ownership, maps, historical documents, archaeological data and GIS analysis. She will move to China to teach English at a private school this June.
Taylor Avery (marine biology) was an outstanding representative of the women’s soccer team over the past four years. A talented goalkeeper, Taylor made tremendous saves in the biggest of games throughout her career. She was equally dedicated to her academics and her NCAA Division I team. Following graduation, she will work for the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources Marine Resources Monitoring, Assessment, and Prediction Program as a fish biologist. She also plans to pursue a master’s degree in marine biology in the future.
John Barry (arts management and music theory) was the technical director for CisternYard Radio and the manager and bassist for South Street Music.
Shayna Bannister (women’s and gender studies) was inducted into the Alpha Kappa Delta Sociology Honor Society and named a Who’s Who of the College of Charleston. Shayna studied abroad in Tartu, Estonia, and received a Huge Scholarship, a Ketner Women’s Leadership Scholarship and the Virginia B. Gourdin Leadership Scholarship. She’s completed internships with the South Carolina Contraceptive Access Campaign and with the Homeless Justice Project in local nonprofit One80 Place. After graduation, she will travel in Europe with friends and then apply to the Peace Corps Master’s International Program at the University of Charleston, South Carolina.
Madeline Barry (English) interned with the Office of Sustainability in the spring 2015, primarily contributing to the online magazine Synergies. During her undergraduate career, Madeline hosted a ‘60s rock station on CisternYard Radio and also worked at the Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry. She hopes to pursue a greater role in the local-food movement in Charleston.
Gage Baxter (arts management and music) was a Marion and Wayland H. Cato, Jr. Scholar who received an Outstanding Student Award in arts management. Gage completed multiple internships as an undergraduate student.Adjehi
Baru (international business) became the 29th men’s basketball player in program history to reach the 1,000th-Career Point plateau at Northeastern in January 2015. Originally from Abidjan, Ivory Coast, Adjehi finished his four-year career with 1,094 points and he ranked third all-time in the College’s NCAA Division I history with 916 rebounds. He was named to the 2014 CAA All-Defensive Team and ranked in the Top 10 in the CAA in rebounding and top five in blocked shots. In 2013, he helped lead the Cougars to the Southern Conference championship game, where he was selected to the All-Tournament First Team. He recorded 18 career double-doubles with 25 double-figure rebounding games. The highest-ever-rated player out of high school in College history, Adjehi hopes to play professional basketball and work in the import and export industry.
Caitlin Bennett (anthropology and archaeology) participated in archaeological research at the President’s House on the College’s campus and interned at the Charleston Museum, where she successfully employed knowledge from her major fields. She completed a bachelor’s essay titled, “Dental age estimation in subadults: a re-evaluation of standards for contemporary African American children,” which focused on forensic anthropology. In the fall, she will begin work toward her master’s degree in anthropology at North Carolina State University.
Eliza Bower (historic preservation, art history, urban studies) interned with the Office of Sustainability on the Sustainable Transportation Initiative. Eliza’s passion for Zero Waste, is apparent in her everyday life. She hopes to continue working with sustainable transportation and bike safety following Commencement.
Ali Blumenthal (studio art) was a two-time ICSA All-American crew and team captain for the nationally ranked sailing team. Ali was a member of the program’s 2013 Coed Dinghy National Champion squad crewing B-Division. In the summer of 2014, she studied abroad at the Paris American Academy’s fine arts program. Ali volunteered with the Lowcountry Food Bank, Jazz Artists of Charleston, Redux Contemporary Art Center and Charleston Regional Alliance for the Arts. This summer, she will coach an Opti Race Team at the Bellport Bay Yacht Club in her hometown of Bellport, N.Y. Ali will also continue to work on and sell her art in local galleries with hopes of working in the arts management field in Colorado or Utah in the fall.
Jenny Brennan (geology) was an Honors College student and the Executive Chair for the ECOllective Student Project Committee (ESPC) for the Office of Sustainability. Her time at the College included modeling for fashion week, interning with Nucor Steel, and consulting on public speaking for the Center for Student Learning. She was nominated for the Student Employee of the Year award. Jenny will attend Duke University’s prestigious Nicholas School for the Environment beginning in fall 2015.
Garrett Boudinot (religious studies and geology) will begin a doctoral program in geology at the University of Colorado at Boulder this fall. He will study the relationship between geological conditions and biological activity and response. During his undergraduate career, Garrett completed an independent study titled, “He Who Denied It Supplied It: Investigating the Motivations and Sources of Climate Science Denial.” He also received a 2014 Summer Undergraduate Research with Faculty grant to research Transition Towns in Totnes, England, during which time he wrote a paper that has been accepted for the 2015 American Academy for Religion Conference.
Daan Brinkman (psychology) left an indelible mark on the College and its men’s soccer program. By way of Amsterdam, Netherlands, Daan served whatever role was needed of him to help his team. He played a number and started nearly every game of his career. He made 65 career starts and racked up more than 5,800 minutes, impressively averaging more than 89 minutes per contest. Despite his defensive focus, he contributed five assists and scored one goal as a Cougar. After college, Brinkman plans to return to the Netherlands to continue playing soccer and attend graduate school closer to his family. He hopes to remain involved in the sport as a coach and mentor.
Cameron Brown (physical education, teacher education) will teach at Palmetto Scholars Academy in North Charleston, SC. He was previously awarded “Major of the Year” by the Society of Health and Physical Educators (SHAPE America). Brown also served a term on the board of directors of the Southern District of SHAPE America and has been active in promoting physical education and physical activity in Charleston County schools. As a junior, he co-chaired the local edition of Relay for Life, which is the largest student-run fundraiser at the College.
Chelsea Colleen “C.C.” Buford (exercise science) was a starter on the women’s golf team during her senior season, leading the Cougars to their second-straight CAA conference title and NCAA Regional appearance. She shot par-or-better in seven rounds including a career low of 68 twice at the Palmetto Intercollegiate and Kiawah Island Classic. C.C. will finish her career ranked among the top-15 in single-season stroke average in program history. She’s a recipient of the prestigious J. Stewart Walker Cup, which is the highest award given by the athletics department. C.C. served as a small group leader for fourth and fifth grade girls through Seacoast Church and hopes to participate in the Kanakuk Institute, an eight-month religious program. The San Antonio, Texas, native plans to work in the field of education and coach at the middle and high school levels after pursuing a professional golf career.
Karen Burch (theatre) is a 1991 alumna of the College’s studio art program who returned to the college for a second undergraduate degree. Her passion for costume and scenic design led her to take on a double concentration in which she gained professional experience in costume design at the Dock Street Theatre. Karen also served as a scenic designer for the College’s fall 2014 production of Lovers and Players.
Kathryn Bunn (Bachelor of Professional Studies – Organizational Leadership and Management) received the 2015 Thomas A. Palmer Award. Kathryn will continue her career matching healthcare companies with banking solutions after Commencement. She serves as a volunteer with various philanthropic projects including Meals on Wheels, Pet Helpers, Habitat for Humanity, and the Humane Society, and is being inducted into the Alpha Sigma Lambda Honor Society. She graduates with honors and hopes to move to Atlanta and pursue her MBA.
Brent Burrows II (business administration) was a member of the offshore sailing team, which won the 2014 ICSA Keelboat National Championships and the prestigious Kennedy Cup in its second year as a varsity sport. The skilled bowman led the Cougars to victory, qualifying the team to represent the U.S. in the Student Yachting World Cup to be held in France in October 2015. Brent also helped start the sailing program’s development team, which consists of sailors who hope to develop into varsity-level competitors. After graduation, the Nassau, Bahamas, native plans to work on a sail yacht traveling the Mediterranean and Caribbean seas. He hopes to own a yacht service center in the future.
Chloe Elizabeth Callaham (public health) lived in Kenya for four months during a semester off from school, where she visited patients in local hospitals and became interested in the public health field. Chloe interned with the nonprofit My Sister’s House and she hopes to travel and then volunteer with the Peace Corps after graduation.
Olivia Carmody (urban studies) worked on local sustainable farms throughout her undergraduate career while she worked toward her major and also her minor in environmental studies. Her research focused on the industrial revolution, and is summarized in an article titled, “A Shift from Additional Values to Modernity: The Social, Economic, and Environmental Effects and the Need for a Reconnection Between Self and Place.” She hopes to pursue a master’s degree in sustainable agriculture in the future.
Dan Carney (political science, international studies) interned with the Office of Sustainability where he served as the Assistant Editor to the online magazine Synergies in the spring 2015 semester. He also spent time experimenting with alternative methods of growing potatoes.
James Carter (historic preservation) interned with the Office of Sustainability during the spring 2015 semester. His hard work lead to an overhaul of the on-campus recycling system to promotes better recycling behavior. Following graduation, James will travel to Costa Rica to work with permaculture, eco-building and greenhouse management. He will also continue to nurture his man-crush for the Carolina Panthers’ quarterback, Cam Newton.
Diedre Carr (urban studies) will begin a master’s program in urban and regional planning this fall at the University of California at Irvine. A mother and the president of the Urban Studies Club, Diedre was awarded the Pat Kelly Award for social activism along with many scholarships during her undergraduate career. Her research focused on how urban planning can allow for affordable housing within mixed-income development areas.
Meghan Carter (arts management) studied abroad in London, England and currently works with several local artists at Redux Contemporary Art Center in Charleston. The Spanish minor was a member of the Golden Key Honor Society and received an Outstanding Student Award in arts management.
Alexandra Castelli (computer science) interned with the Charleston Digital Corridor and Atlatl Software to bridge the gap of academia to real world applications and solidify her connections within the local tech industry. Alexandra secured a position with start-up software company Qonceptual as a Quality Assurance Engineer. After graduation she plans to continue expanding professional and personally, as a member of Women in Tech, teach Computer Science First at local elementary and middle schools, volunteer with CODEcamp, and travel with her horse for equestrian competitions.
Trevor Catalano (theatre) will be working with the Prairie Fire Children’s Theatre this summer, touring the Midwest with their production of Snow White. He will start an acting apprenticeship with the Florida Studio Theatre in the fall. Trevor studied with the Midsummer In Oxford program in 2014 through the British American Drama Academy in Oxford, United Kingdom. He is a Clarence Award recipient within the Department of Theatre and Dance. Trevor has performed in eight mainstage productions and worked on two mainstage makeup designs. He also served as a general manager of Cisternyard.
Ebony Chisolm (arts management) was a member of the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society. Ebony also received departmental honors in arts management.
Avery Cole (biology and theater) will spend the summer backpacking through Europe before moving to New York City to pursue an acting career. Avery graduates from the Honors College with a Bachelor’s essay on the different factors affecting fractal growth. Besides working as a peer facilitator, she was an active participant in local theatre, performing in mainstage, centerstage, and community theatre shows. She previously interned with the Atlantic Neurosurgery Specialists in New Jersey.
Aaron Clark (English) graduates with a 3.9 GPA from both the School of Humanities and Social Sciences and the Honors College. His undergraduate research focused on John Milton’s use of astronomy in Paradise Lost. Clark received scholarships and recognition from the Department of English and the Center for International Education in addition to the Honors College.
Sam Dahabi (arts management and theatre) was the scenic designer for the production of Marie Antoinette that played at Charleston’s PURE Theatre in 2015. He received the Clarence, the Maria Alicia Elfe and the Faculty awards from the Department of Theatre and Dance, along with an Outstanding Student Award from the Department of Arts Management.
Lance Cooper (political science) came to the College after multiple tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. He was a member of the Pi Sigma Alpha Political Science Honors Society and made the Dean’s List at the College after he transferred from Trident Technical College. Following graduation, Lance plans to work in federal law enforcement in a counterterrorism context until he can turn his passion for sustainable agriculture into a business, with the ultimate goal of opening an organic farm. He was awarded the Humanities and Social Sciences Scholars Award.
Becca Daniels (sociology and women’s and gender studies) hopes to begin a graduate or doctoral program within the next two years. Her research focused on critical postmodern feminist theory as it relates to spirituality and social change. Becca studied abroad at the University of Amsterdam, Netherlands, and she was involved with the Diversity Advocates and the Office of Institutional Diversity at the College.
Emily Davidson (political science) will attend the University of Virginia School of Law beginning fall 2015. During her time at the college, Emily was an active member of the Student Government Association (SGA), the Zeta Tau Alpha sorority, and a volunteer at Susan G. Komen’s Lowcountry Race for the Cure. She studied abroad in Italy in the summer of 2013 and traveled to Washington, D.C. during spring of 2014 for the Model African Union. She was a Global Scholar, a Dengate Scholar, and one of the political science departments “Outstanding Students” in 2015.
Emily Duell (theatre and English) will be working in New York, N.Y. as an intern with Campus Crusade for Christ’s U.S. ministry. She was a student leader with the organization at the College for three years, and she participated in two summer mission projects in Gatlinburg, Tenn. and New York, N.Y. Emily was a Resident Assistant for two years in and she partnered with the HALOS organization in Charleston. She performed in several productions with the Department of Theatre and will be performing in the Stelle Di Domani series for the 2015 Piccolo Spoleto Festival.
Caitlin Dwyer (arts management) will move to Venice, Italy in July to work at the Peggy Guggenheim collection.
Jacob Dye (arts management) will remain at the College as an employee in the video services division following his graduation. The film studies minor was a also sponsored skimboarder.
Emily Farris (arts management) was a member of the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society and a student in the Honors College. She minored in art history and business administration, and interned with Southeby’s Institute of Art during summer 2014. She received departmental honors in arts management.
Malka Fox-Epstein (public health) was a student-athlete on the equestrian team and a trained peer mentor. After graduation, she plans to attend medical school to become a physician. A member of the Women’s Health Research Team, she presented, “Investigating correlates of daily and nondaily contraception use among collegeaged women” at the American Public Health Association (APHA) Annual Meeting. Malka traveled to Nicaragua twice to provide medical care for communities and volunteered with the Lowcountry Autism Foundation and Respite Care Charleston. She is also involved in national pre-health honor society Alpha Epsilon Delta. Malka is a recipient of the Laura S. Griffin Health Educator Scholarship.
Ashley Gennarelli (arts management and theatre) will work with Charleston’s PURE Theatre this summer and hopes to travel to Hawaii in the fall to continue her theatre studies. Ashley has been recognized for her work with the Department of Theatre and Dance through her reception of the Clarence Award, the Center Stage Award, the Faculty Award and the Valerie Morris Award for Excellence in Acting. She worked as a marketing intern for the Drama Desk Award-winning Ensemble Studio Theatre last summer, and she will continue working on both the performance and administrative sides of theatre production.
Tyler Jean Fridh (public health) graduates from the School of Humanities and Social Sciences and the Honors College with a 3.99 GPA. As a junior, she created the math and science curriculum for Charleston County School District’s summer program called Camp Fundamental. Tyler also worked as a counselor for Harbor View Elementary School’s afterschool program, Kaleidoscope and recently became the program’s assistant director. She will continue to work with Kaleidoscope while training for her second marathon after graduation.
Jayme Groth (exercise science) broke the 100-yard butterfly and other various relay school records with her swimming and diving teammates during her undergraduate career. Jayme received the Morgan Hall Memorial Scholarship Award, and she was named to the 2015 CAA All-Academic Team. After graduation, she will attend Boston University to earn her doctor of physical therapy degree.Brandon Glazer (exercise science) was been an integral member of the nationally ranked men’s baseball team. Early in the 2013 season, Brandon suffered a season-ending injury while making a catch against the wall in right field at Auburn. While injured, he showed unwavering support for the team from the dugout. Brandon has developed into one of the more dominant pitchers in the CAA as the Saturday starter, and he currently ranks in the top-three of the league in ERA and victories. After his time at the College, Brandon will work as a strength and conditioning coach.
Eliza Hay (business administration) enjoyed incredible success as a member of the College’s equestrian team. She competed at the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association Nationals three times in her four-year career and was a leading member of the Cougars’ national runner-up team in 2014. It marked the program’s third all-time IHSA Reserve National Championship. Eliza represented the College and the entire IHSA Zone 5 Region three times in competition for the Cacchione Cup, collegiate riding’s highest honor. Following graduation she will continue to work with horses as trainer and barn manager at a show barn on Johns Island.
Taylor Hill (arts management) minored in music with a vocal performance concentration. Taylor received an Outstanding Student Award from the Department of Arts Management.
Mikaela Hopkins (education) provided leadership both on and off the court for the women’s basketball team over the course of her four years. Mikaela was a talented center, earning all-conference honors and twice leading the Cougars in field-goal efficiency. She ranks third all-time in career blocked shots in program history including a career-high nine during the Cougars’ record-setting 2013-14 season, which included advancement to the postseason Women’s Basketball Invitational semifinals. A philanthropist off the court, Mikaela spends her free time working at local homeless shelters, and she has helped organize numerous campus bone marrow drives as well as the annual Curing Kids Cancer Night at TD Arena.
Colin Johnson (arts management) was the managing editor and the photography editor for CisternYard Media. The art history minor is also a founding partner of Annex Studio, LLC, a branding and interactive design firm.
Mackenzie Johnston (finance) made the College Athletic Director’s Honor Roll each semester, and he was a two-time recipient of the CAA Commissioner’s Academic Award. Athletically, Mackenzie capped his cross country career with all-conference honors, posting a fourth-place finish at the CAA Cross Country Championship with a time of 25 minutes, 07.73 seconds in 2014. One of the best distance runners in program history, the two-time team MVP currently holds school records in both the 8K (24:51.18) and the 10K (31:07.02) events.
Katie Kerbel (arts management) combined her passions for both the arts and the environment through her coursework in and outside of the classroom. While at the Office of Sustainability, Katie built a community around the Urban Garden Program. The environmental studies minor co-planned the Sustainability Week kick-off event which included an art walk, live music and spoken word performances.
Kiana Kim (arts management and psychology) was the Alternative Spring Break coordinator for the program’s trip to Nashville, Tenn. in 2015. She was an Avery Research Scholar and was part of the Psi Chi fraternity. She received an Outstanding Student Award in arts management and the 2015 Julie Jett Arts management Citizenship Award.
Hope Klicker (communication) ranks second in school history in career wins and strikeouts, with 69 and 534, respectively. She is one of the most successful pitchers in school history. Hope’s biggest career victory came against number seven-ranked Tennessee in a 3-1 win in February 2013. After graduation, the Walla Walla, Wash., native will remain in Charleston for the 2015-16 school year to serve as director of softball operations, while working towards her master’s degree from Washington State University’s online program in strategic communications.
Mackenzie Kohler (arts management) will head to Walt Disney World for an internship following graduation. She received an Outstanding Student Award in arts management.
Cara Lauria (geology) will continue her studies by enrolling in the Masters of Environmental Studies Program at the University of Colorado at Boulder this fall. At the College, Cara worked with the geology department, the Alliance for Planet Earth, and interned with the Office of Sustainability. She also volunteered with the Coastal Conservation League and GrowFood Carolina. Cara organized the College’s involvement with Relay for Life in 2014 and 2015. This year she was nominated for the Higden Leadership Cistern Award for outstanding student leadership.
Cara Lauria (geology) minored in both Spanish and environmental studies. Originally from northeastern Ohio, she spent two summers working with the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency’s Division of Surface Water. She sits on the executive board for College’s sustainability club, Green CofC, and also works as a teaching assistant for introductory geology labs. In addition, Cara helped to launch the College’s Bike Share program, and has taken initiative in environmental activism off campus through the local Sierra club and the South Carolina Coastal Conservation league.
Samantha Maddox (accounting) achieved All-CAA First Team honors in singles during her senior tennis season. The Lexington, Ky., native blossomed as a player throughout her junior and senior seasons, and triumphed in nine of her last 11 matches as a Cougar. Samantha’s all-conference honor is the second such accolade of her career, as she was also named to the All-SoCon Second Team as a freshman. The Spanish minor was active with the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and plans to work with medical and pharmaceutical companies as well as consulting firms in the future.
Mackenzie Maples (exercise science) boasts softball career numbers that rank in the top 10 in program history in games started (206) and hits (179) in addition to third all-time in RBIs (114) and second-time in doubles (40). She has started in 206 games of her career out of 223 opportunities, while enjoying 138 program wins. The 2015 team captain from Corona, Calif., was also the catcher for three perfect games. After graduation, Mackenzie plans to pursue her master’s degree while gaining valuable coaching experience as a graduate assistant for the College’s team during the 2015-16 school year.
Megan Maw (arts management) studied abroad in Chiang Mai, Thailand during summer 2014. The Asian studies minor was also a DJ on CisternYard Radio.
Georgia Maynard (women’s and gender studies) used the principles she studied in her women’s and gender studies courses to examine other fields, including religious studies and classics, through a feminist lens. A Ketner Emerging Leader Scholar, Georgia plans to attend a graduate school program focusing on gender, violence and law.
Stephanie McInnis (international studies) contributed to research investigating several in-depth issues as part of the Women’s Health Research Team. She presented this research at the MUSC’s (MUSC) Women’s Health Research Day. Traveling to underdeveloped countries sparked Stephanie’s interest in women’s health access and education. She spent a year in Denmark studying health care systems in Europe among other health related topics.
Hayley McMahon (psychology) is one of the premier mid-distance and cross country runners in women’s cross country and track and field history. She ranks third and fourth all-time on The College’s 5K and 6K cross country leaderboard, and she holds school records for the track and field program in the 800-meter run. Originally from Poughkeepsie, N.Y., Hayley was named CAA Track Athlete of the Week and will surely impress at the upcoming CAA Championships.
Stephanie Meier (biology) will pursue a master’s of arts in communication with a focus in health communication at the College of Charleston next year. A recipient of Biology Department Honors, Stephanie graduates from the Honors College with a Spanish minor and as a member of the Women’s Health Research Team. She is interested in the health of women in underrepresented populations and women’s health education and advocacy. Her Bachelor’s essay explored how reproductive coercion impacts women’s perceptions of long-acting reversible contraception (LARC). Stephanie sought and achieved competitive opportunities to conduct and present her research through an independent study, Summer Undergraduate Research with Faculty (SURF) Grant, and poster presentations at the Celebration of Summer Scholars and MUSC Women’s Health Research Day. She co-authored the article, “‘It makes you rethink your choice of the Pill:’ Theory-based formative research to design a contraceptive access campaign,” currently in press at the Journal of Health Communication. She is also active in the community as a volunteer at the North Charleston after school program Metanoia.
Daniel Mills (economics) worked as a research assistant with Professor Mark Witte. Daniel earned the highest departmental GPA and will begin the doctoral program in economics at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill in the fall.
Laura Mullett (sociology) leaves the School of Humanities and Social Sciences and the Honors College with an overall GPA of 3.94 and a 4.0 within her major. Laura completed her graduation requirements within only three years, and as a member of both the Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society and the Alpha Kappa Delta international sociology honor society. Laura’s bachelor’s essay focused on the challenges facing children of military families. She will get married in June 2015 and move to the Ramstein Air Base in Germany with her new husband.
Zach Munroe (finance) led the men’s golf team to back-to-back CAA conference titles and NCAA Regional appearances in his junior and senior years. The three-time CAA Player of the Week was named to the CAA All-Tournament Team after an individual runner-up finish at the 2015 CAA Men’s Golf Championship. Zack leads the nation in eagles made (11) and shot a career-low 65 at The Hootie at Bulls Bay Intercollegiate in 2015. It tied as the third-lowest round ever in school history. He is a two-time U.S. Amateur Championship qualifier who tied for the best-ever finish by a College golfer at a U.S. Amateur when he made it to the Round of 16 in 2012. After graduation, the Charlotte, N.C., native plans to play professionally and go through all four stages of PGA Tour Q-School.
Allyson Musmeci (theatre) will move to Orlando, Fla. to take on a position at Walt Disney World. After she completes her time there, Allyson has been invited to study with Atlantic Acting School in New York, N.Y. beginning in August 2016. She received the Clarence Award in 2013-2014 and is a two time KCACTF Irene Ryan nominee as well as a KCACTF Design nominee. She’s acted in four mainstage shows with the Department of Theatre and Dance, and Allyson has collaborated on two lighting designs and a projection design.
Joye Nettles (computer science and math) contributed to the College as the president of SCAMP, President of Zeta Phi Beta and the founding president of Women in Computing. As an undergraduate researcher for CIRDLES, she developed an open-source android app called CHRONI for geochronologists and presented her work on several occasions, including the 2014 AGU Fall Meeting in San Francisco. In her final year, as part of the founding class of the ICAT program, Joye worked with two other students to create a mobile app called SpotIt, with which drivers connect and find parking spots without the hassle of searching for a space. After graduation, Joye will leave for Pune, India, to train as a Junior Associate Consultant for ThoughtWorks.
Michelle Nichols (dance) plans to attend graduate school to become a licensed dance and movement therapist for children. She currently teaches preschool, incorporating movement into lesson plans to add kinesthetic learning to the school environment. Michelle was an officer for CofC Dance Alliance, helping to bring in free master dance classes and coordinate student led dance classes. She was one of only two students statewide to be awarded the Betty Ann Darby Scholarship and was selected as the 2015 Outstanding Student for dance.
Shelby North (theatre) is one of only four students accepted into Yale’s MFA program in Stage Management for next year. She won the Future Professional Award and the Outstanding Student Award in the Department of Theatre and Dance. Over the last four years Shelby has stage managed six productions, written a stage management manual for the department and trained several other students to follow in her footsteps. Two summers ago she was a stage management intern at Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey. This summer will begin her career as a stage manager with the Berkshire Theatre Group.
Pablo Ortiz (arts management) was a four-year member of the men’s swimming and diving team and is the school-record holder in three events. He broke the record for the 400 individual medley with a time of three minutes, 59.02 seconds in 2013 and the 100 and 200 butterfly with times of 49.32 and 1:48.47, respectively in 2014. Pablo hopes to break into the music industry after graduation, which he focused on in his arts management studies.
Andrew Perry (theatre) will work as an account executive for Top Quality Logistics during the summer and begin his coursework in the fall for the University of Charleston, South Carolina’s master’s in teaching in the performing arts program. Andrew was elected National Pan-Hellenic Council Fraternity Man of the Year in 2014. As a student supervisor in the Annual Giving Office, Andrew raised more than $30,000 for the College of Charleston’s Annual Giving Fund. He was inducted into the Higdon Student Leadership Center’s Hall of Fame for his dedication to Dance Marathon.
Giovanna Quattrone (arts management and art history) was a recipient of the Albert Simons Memorial and Michael Haga scholarships. She will pursue her master’s in art business at Southeby’s Institute of Art in New York following graduation.
Cameron Reid (arts management and dance) choreographed a piece for the College of Charleston’s inaugural all-student choreographed dance concert, Chapel Moves! She also had the opportunity to show case her piece at the 2015 American College Dance Festival. Cameron interned for the Michael Mitchell Art Gallery, where her passion for arts management developed through professional experience. She hopes to continue working and growing in both fields in the Charleston area.
Christian “Stirling” Rentz (arts management) was awarded Miss North Charleston 2014 and is currently the reigning Miss North Charleston. This title requires her participation and leadership in many events in the community. She is offering a class in girls’ and womens’ self-defense with all proceeds going to support the Children’s Miracle Network. Stirling also teaches dance classes to young students and has held several part-time positions and participated in internships during her undergraduate career, including serving as an assistant at the Career Center. She is preparing to run for Miss South Carolina.
Dutch Reutter (arts management) received an Outstanding Student Award in arts management. Dutch minored in film studies, and studied abroad in Amsterdam during the fall of 2013.
Katie Ribant (arts management) minored in theatre and served as vice president of the Charleston Vibes a capella group. She received departmental honors in arts management.
Heather Roberts (psychology and theatre) is a teacher assistant at the College’s Early Childhood Education Center in the four- and five-year-old room. She will pursue her master’s degree in theatre education at the University of Charleston South Carolina beginning this fall. Heather hopes to earn her Drama Therapy license to work with children and adults with special needs.
Pasha Sadeghian (economics, accounting) received the Department of Economics Outstanding Student award. He has been a campus representative for the Bloomberg Aptitude Test, a national competence test of knowledge of business, finance and economics the results of which are used to recruit high-performing students to major firms. Additionally, Pasha has interned with local firm Blue Granite Capital, LLC, for more than a year.
Shea Savaria (political science) will graduate with honors and as a member of the Pi Sigma Alpha national Political Science honors fraternity. While at the College, Shea worked with the Office of Sustainability researching how e-signature software could impact campus, studied abroad in Cuba and Morocco and helped the College of Charleston’s women’s rugby team solidify a top-five national ranking.
Kelsea Sears (biology) worked as an intern with the Office of Sustainability on the Sustainable Greek Chair Initiative and the Garden Apprenticeship Program before becoming the Assistant Internship Coordinator in spring 2015. Kelsea was a psychology minor and a member of the Chi Omega sorority. She will continue her role as Assistant Internship Coordinator over the summer and hopes to pursue a career in food and health.
Benjamin Cameron Shaffer (history) leaves the College with a 3.9 GPA and a history of community service with various local museums and organizations. He won the first place undergraduate W. Curtis Worthington, Jr. Research Paper Competition for his article, “The Euro-Confederate Doctors: The Impact of the 19th-Century European Medical World on the Careers of Three Southern Physicians.” The article is set for publication in the Journal of South Carolina Medical Association this year. Benjamin actively participates in historical battle reenactments and he works as a tour guide at the Old Exchange Building in downtown Charleston. He will begin a Ph.D. program in history at the University of New Hampshire in fall 2015.
Jonathan Cardell Sims (theatre) will pursue a career in comedy, acting and directing. He has hosted many College events including one for his own philanthropy, Talent for TaTas, which he started in 2010 to raise money and awareness for breast cancer. He was a CisternYard Radio DJ with two talk shows, Transcend and Transform and Cardell Live. Both shows won awards for best talk shows within CisternYard Radio. Additionally, Jonathan is a stand-up comedian who opened a show for comedian Travon Free, a former writer for the Daily Show with Jon Stewart. He was cast as Kindred in the mainstage play Home on the Mornin’ Train. He was also cast as William Bell in Lincoln’s Last Day, the Smithsonian Channel documentary about Lincoln’s assassination.
Tiffany Sisk (public health) was one of the best field athletes in the history of the track and field program. She won the outdoor championship title in the shot put, before repeating that same feat at the CAA Championships in 2014. Tiffany is the school-record holder in the shot put and will be competing for her third conference crown at the 2015 CAA Track and Field Championships.
Reina Slaymaker (arts management, international studies and Spanish) was a student of the Honors College who studied abroad in Chile during the spring 2014 semester. She will spend summer 2015 in Istanbul as a counselor at Robert College. Reina additionally received the Seltzer Prize in Arts Management this year.
Emma Speiser (arts management) secured an internship with the Chautauqua Theater Company for summer 2015. She will begin an internship with Hubbard Street Dance in Chicago, Ill. in fall 2015.
Peter Spearman (English and theatre) will intern with the Tokyo International Players in Tokyo, Japan this coming fall. He has performed in 12 productions at the College of Charleston and will be reprising his role in A Steady Rain for the College’s series in the 2015 Piccolo Spoleto Festival. In September of 2014, Peter presented his research on Lord Byron’s The Deformed Transformed at the International Conference on Romanticism in Minneapolis, Minn. He has received several awards including the Franklin Ashley Playwriting Award, the Mary Jollensten Scholarship and the Seltzer Prize in Theatre.
Anthony Stitt (sociology) became the 28th all-time men’s basketball player in school history to gain entrance into the 1,000th-Career Point Club in 2014. He played in 111 career games with 85 career starts and is among an elite group of eight all-time College players to record 1,000 points and 300 assists in a career. The Charlotte, N.C., native knocked down a career-high 23 points twice, once in 2011 and again in 2014. He scored in double figures 55 times including seven 20-point games in his four-year career. He closed out his career with 1,091 points and will pursue a professional basketball career overseas after graduation.
Marisa Taddei (arts management) was a CofC Global Scholar and an Italian studies minor. She studied abroad in Florence, Italy for a year and she received an Outstanding Student Award from the Department of Arts Management.
Madison Tarleton (religious studies) is a graduate of both the School of Humanities and Social Sciences and the Honors College. She spoke at the Religion and Media conference at Georgia Southern University, and she was awarded an Honors College Summer Enrichment grant to travel to the Princeton Index of Christian Art. On this trip, Madison performed research for her bachelor’s essay, which compares the theme of betrayal and arrest in medieval Germany and 18th-century German art. Following graduation, she will attend the University of Denver in the fall to pursue a master’s degree in religious studies.
Emily Tran (arts management and music) will attend Texas Christian University’s master’s program in piano pedagogy in fall 2015. She made the Dean’s List from 2011 through 2014 and received an Outstanding Student Award from the Department of Arts Management. Emily also received the Jon A. Zeigler, Jr. Award for Excellence in Piano and was a recipient of the Presidential Scholarship, the Music Academic Scholarship, the Kite Foundation Scholarship and the AT&T Foundations Scholarship among others. She was a member of the Phi Eta Sigma and Golden Key honor societies.
Jaclyn Trayte (biology) completed internships at the South Carolina Aquarium and the Office of Sustainability. While at the Office, Jaclyn worked on Sustainable Residence Life Programming and helped to host the clothing drive and swap both semesters. After graduation she will remain in Charleston and work with sea turtles at the Aquarium.
Katie Vaughan (computer science) was a Palmetto Fellows Scholar and a member of Phi Eta Sigma and Upsilon Pi Epsilon Honor Societies. She was involved in Women in Computing, the Association for Computing Machinery and CofC Belly Dance Club. Katie also represented the Computer Science Department as a Computer Science Student Ambassador. During her time at the College, she interned with QinetiQ-NA through the Charleston Defense Contractor Association and with local tech company, Blue Acorn. She has accepted a position with Blue Acorn as a frontend developer following graduation.
Jaclyn Vernet (arts management) studied abroad in Australia during the spring 2014 semester. She received the Southeby’s Institute Arts Management Summer Study Award in 2015 and minored in business administration.
Darby Wagner (arts management) received an Outstanding Student Award in arts management. She minored in French and francophone studies.
Jake Webb (philosophy and mathematics) graduates from the School of Humanities and Social Sciences and the Honors College with the Outstanding Student Award from the Department of Mathematics along with departmental honors from the Department of Philosophy. He will travel to France over summer 2015 to teach English with the Teaching Assistant Program in France. He eventually hopes to pursue a Ph.D. in philosophy.
Virginia Whorley (political science) worked as an intern with the Office of Sustainability for the four semesters, focusing on integrating sustainability into Fraternity and Sorority Life. Virginia was selected to present at the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability National Conference, as well as attend the Summer Institute on Sustainability and Energy Conference at the University of Illinois. Her independent study focused on barriers to sustainability in student life at the College. She hopes to start a career in environmental policy in Washington, D.C.
Elizabeth Ryan Wickham (arts management) will attend North Carolina State University’s industrial design program beginning fall 2015 to pursue her master’s degree.
Danielle Woodberry (historic preservation) worked on the Office of Sustainability’s Sustainable Transportation Initiative (STI) during the spring 2015 semester and helped to manage the Bike Share Program. Danielle also worked at the Historic Charleston Foundation and experimented with creative nail art designs. She hopes to pursue a career in historic preservation and continue to work on the STI with the sustainability office.
Isabel Williams (political science) was awarded the Bishop Robert Smith Award, the highest student honor bestowed on a College of Charleston student. She worked as a summer fellow with Campus Pride in Charlotte, N.C., where she helped organize an anti-bullying campaign. At the College Isabel served as the president of the Gay-Straight Alliance and worked as SafeZone’s Student Coordinator. Additionally, she led the college-wide effort to designate more than eighty gender-neutral restrooms on campus to help the College’s transgender community. Her bachelor’s essay examines the challenges of promoting awareness and social justice for domestic workers.
Abigail Wiseley (exercise science) was an Honors College student and member of the Women’s Health Research Team. She hopes to attend a physician assistant program following graduation. She was involved in organizations on campus including Delta Gamma Sorority, MEDLIFE, and Alpha Epsilon Delta pre-health honor society. She also volunteered at Roper Hospital and the MercyMed Clinic in Columbus, Ga. Abigail’s Bachelor’s essay explored the myth of menstruation and its effects on a woman’s contraceptive choice.
Christopher Wynn (Theatre) plans to continue creating and writing original plays and performing in plays and musicals. He hopes to create, produce and perform in his own plays. He dreams of working in African American Theatre alongside Tyler Perry.
Graduate Class of 2015: By the Numbers
| 165 | master’s degree candidates (up from 141 last April) | |
| 3 | M.A. in communication | |
| 5 | M.A. in English | |
| 12 | M.A. in history | |
| 12 | M.A.T. – early childhood | |
| 6 | M.A.T. – elementary education | |
| 4 | M.A.T. – middle grades | |
| 7 | M.A.T. – special education | |
| 7 | M.Ed. – science and mathematics for teachers | |
| 4 | M.Ed. – languages | |
| 4 | M.Ed. – teaching, learning and advocacy | |
| 9 | Master of Public Administration | |
| 6 | M.S in accountancy | |
| 3 | M.S. in computer science and information systems | |
| 6 | M.S. in environmental studies | |
| 12 | M.S. in historic preservation | |
| 9 | M.S. in mathematics | |
| 8 | M.S. in marine biology | |
| 3 | arts management certificate | |
| 4 | statistics | |
| 3 | operations research certificate | |
| 6 | urban studies and regional planning certificate | |
| 5 | dual degrees | |
| 1 | ESOL | |
| 37 | Masters of Business Administration |
Graduate Class of 2015: Award Winners
Outstanding Graduate Scholar
- EDEC – Lauren Adderley
- SMFT – Stacey Ancona
- SMFT – Cailin Asmo
- DUAL – Christian Bailey
- EVSS – Rachel Bassett
- URBP – Christopher Berg
- PUBA – Nicholas Bowman
- CSIS – Kathleen Campbell
- MTLA – Sarah Chrzanowski
- HIST – Hannah Conway
- ARTM – Nancy Cooper
- ACCY – Louisa Debenham
- MBIO – Courtney Gerstenmaier
- MTLA – Caroline Graham
- EDSP – Virginia Hirschey
- CSIS – Matthew Jameson
- MCOM – Annabel Jones
- EVSS – Mary McGovern
- ENGL – Ashley Rhett
- EDEL – William Schmieding
- EDEL – Shasta Shumway
- MATH – Phillip Staley
- MBAD – Larissa Clarke
- MATH – Thaddeus Sulek
- EDMG – Kaylee Sutton
Graduate Class of 2015: A Closer Look*
Sean Bath (environmental studies, public administration and urban and regional planning) interned with the South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium working on a federal grant to help Beaufort County, S.C., plan for sea level rise. After graduation, Sean will attend a Ph.D. program in geography at the University of South Carolina where he will also work as an assistant for the climate lab, helping Carolina communities to prepare for the effects of climate change. He received full funding and the Presidential Fellowship to attend this doctoral program. Additionally, Sean is a national finalist for the John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship, which includes a year of paid work at a legislative or executive agency in Washington, D.C.
Kathy Campbell (computer and information sciences) graduated with the first class of women from the United States Air Force Academy in 1980. Kathy earned her master’s of business in 1983, and she completes her master’s of science in computer and information sciences in 2015 as her son Miles completes his bachelor’s degree in business from the College. After graduation, Kathy plans to find a position within the community that will leverage her background in both business and computer science.
Mark Christian (mathematics) will teach math at Fort Dorchester High School and is looking forward to applying knowledge and experience he gained through the College’s master’s program to explore new career opportunities.
Hannah Conway (history) will attend Harvard University’s doctoral program in history. She will begin working on her Ph.D. in the History of Science at Harvard in fall 2015.
Nancy Cooper (public administration and arts management) pioneered the Charleston Self-Portrait Project as part of her graduate research. Nancy’s capstone research is titled Technology Integration in Art Museum Education. She received multiple grants for the Self-Portrait Project and won second place in the three-minute thesis competition in fall 2014. Nancy authored Point of View: Self-Made, an article for the College of Charleston Magazine in Spring 2015, and she will study at Sotheby’s Institute of Art: Contemporary Art in London during summer 2015.
Cara Howley (communication) was been a standout player for the women’s volleyball team. In 2014, Cara was named an All-CAA Second Team selection following a stellar regular season in which the McKinney, Texas, native notched 422 kills (3.20/set). As talented in the classroom as she is on the court, Cara graduated early from the University of South Carolina, before attending The College, and she completed a global communications internship with Nike over summer 2014.
Annabel Jones (communication) received the Department of Communication’s Outstanding Graduate Student award. She served as a graduate assistant for the graduate communication program and worked in the Office of Admissions. Additionally, Annabel was president of the MCSA Chapter and a member of the Women’s Health Research Team. Her research has been accepted for presentation at the MUSC Women’s Health Research Day and the S.C. Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy Summer Institute. She is also a co-author on a top-tier publication, “‘It makes you rethink your choice of the Pill:’ Theory-based formative research to design a contraceptive access campaign,” which is currently in press at the Journal of Health Communication. Annabel has experience in strategic communication, serving as director of public relations and social media at Franchise Clique before founding Jones Communications. She continues to provide public relations services to clients and contributes to CHARLIE magazine and The Local Palate.
Tripp Mcelwee (environmental studies, public administration) served as co-director for the 2015 8k4h2O and as the Zero Waste Project Leader for the Office of Sustainability. Tripp completed thesis research on PCB load awareness for fish in Brunswick, Georgia. He is a skilled vocalist and guitarist and has performed at several local venues. After finishing this semester, Tripp will head to New Orleans, La. with his new wife.
Drew Passarello (mathematics) will pursue a career in analytics. He presented a poster at the 2015 Carolina Sports Analytics Meeting at Furman University on ranking methods for Olympic sports. He and classmate Bryce Pruitt gave an award-winning presentation and paper at the SE INFORMS meeting. Additionally, Drew worked on an externship with the U.S. Olympic Committee.
Bryce Pruitt (mathematics) will pursue post-graduate studies at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. He and classmate Drew Passarello gave an award-winning presentation and paper at the SE INFORMS meeting. Additionally, Bryce worked on an externship with the U.S. Olympic Committee.
Joey Randich (mathematics) completed a master’s thesis on Pants Decomposition of Surfaces. He will remain in Charleston for a year teaching in the mathematics department and drawing illustrations for Professor Amy Langville’s Calculus Journal series before applying to Ph.D. programs.
Traci Rhoden (business) will complete her second master’s degree from the College of Charleston, the first being a master’s of teaching in special education. Traci received the Graduate Scholars Award for Summer 2015 and has researched importing a foreign car into the United States. In the process of her research she formulated a proposed marketing plan and presented it at the 2015 Graduate Research Poster Session. Traci will remain in Charleston and she will work as the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) project director with local nonprofit Charleston Area Senior Citizens, Inc.
Corey Seacrist (business) taught chemistry labs at both the College and at Trident Technical College. Corey also worked as a technology transfer intern at the MUSC Foundation for Research Development. He will attend Vanderbilt University in the fall to pursue a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences to prepare for a career in the pharmaceutical industry.
Fill Staley (mathematics) completed a master’s thesis on Vortex Dynamics in Any Dimension. He will move Eugene, Ore. to become a graduate assistant the mathematics doctoral program at the University of Oregon.
Larissa Steinfeldt (business) interned in the finance department of Daimler Vans Manufacturing LLC, assisted with research projects for the Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management in the School of Business, and she served as the chief financial officer of the MBA Association. Larissa also participated in the student art exhibition at Lightsey Center. After graduation she plans to work in corporate finance.
Thad Sulek (mathematics) will attend the University of Georgia’s doctoral program in statistics. He presented a poster at Carolina Sports Analytics Meeting and he attended the Sloan Analytics Conference at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
