Five Newberry Students Honored At Newberry College Spring Convocation
Pictured: Spring 2023 student inductees into the Bachman Honor Society. Back row, left to right: Shield Sawyer, Timothy Luker, Marcel Schomburg; Front row, left to right: Robin Bedford, Emily Hughes, Shanna Wicker, Emma Johnson, Tyron Dennis. Not pictured: Giulia Bongiorno, Nastassia Chamoun, Hillary Dana, Holly Davies, Haley Havermann, Courtney Wilson
Newberry College celebrated the achievements of students, faculty and staff with its annual spring awards convocation, held April 14 in Wiles Chapel. The honors included scholastic, ministry, student life and student governments awards, along with the induction of 14 students and two professors into the prestigious Bachman Honor Society. Five of the inductees are from Newberry County.
Founded in 1962 by Phi Beta Kappa-affiliated professors, the Bachman Honor Society recognizes seniors in the top 8% of their class, as well as distinguished faculty and staff members. The society is named for the Rev. John Bachman, Newberry College’s principal founder and first chair of its Board of Trustees. Induction is the highest academic honor the college bestows.
This spring, the following seniors were inducted:
Hillary Dana, an elementary education major from Prosperity
Holly Davies, a sport management major from Newberry
Shield Sawyer, a business administration major from Newberry
Shanna Wicker, an elementary education major from Little Mountain
Courtney Wilson, an early childhood education major from Newberry
Robin Bedford, an accounting major from Welwyn, England
Giulia Bongiorno, a sport management major from Rome, Italy
Nastassia Chamoun, a business administration major from Dijon, France
Tyron Dennis, a criminal justice major from Columbia
Haley Havermann, an art and digital marketing major from Indian Land
Emily Hughes, a business administration major from Parrish, Florida
Emma Johnson, a health care management major from Camden
Timothy Luker, a psychology major from Goldsboro, North Carolina
Marcel Schomburg, an exercise science major from Bingen, Germany
The society also welcomed two faculty members, Dr. Carrie Caudill and Dr. Sara Peters, both associate professors of psychology.
The Jerrol S. Oxner Business Merit Scholarship recognizes excellence in scholastic achievement, service to the college, and potential for future accomplishments in graduate school and in business or education. This scholarship was presented to Robin Bedford.
The Donald K. Melaas Business Merit Scholarship is given in honor of the time Melaas spent at Newberry College as a Navy V-12 cadet during the Second World War. The scholarship is given to a business administration major who demonstrates academic excellence, service to the college, and potential for future accomplishments in graduate school. This award was presented to Nastassia Chamoun.
The Joe & Jeffrey McDonald Community Service Scholarship recognizes a student who has demonstrated a dedication to public service through involvement in the community. The award was presented to Jayden Davila, a junior nursing major from West Hills, California, who has volunteered locally with her soccer teammates and as a digital volunteer for the Smithsonian Transcript Center and for Zooniverse.
The award for Outstanding Service and Leadership to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes was presented a Jonathan Wright, a senior accounting and criminal justice major and men’s basketball player from Myrtle Beach.
The award for Outstanding Service and Leadership was presented to Tatyanna Chapman, a first-year psychology major from Myrtle Beach.
The Campus Pastor’s Special Service Award was presented to Marshall Maddy, internal communications and media services coordinator, who has served Newberry College faithfully from behind the scenes for 31 years.
The Office of Student Affairs presented four awards for individual contributions to student life at the college:
- Senior Resident Advisor of the Year: Nicole A. Harker, of Naples, Florida
- The Dr. Travis Ballenger First-Year Experience Award: Reggie Wright (senior from Summerville), Shakiyah Lunsford (senior from Columbia), and Dr. John Lesaine ’07, associate dean for student-athlete success
- Student Ambassador of the Year: Payton Findlay, junior from Cairns, Queensland, Australia
- Student Ambassador Rookie of the Year: Camryn Wiley, first-year from Cayce
Each year, the Student Government Association presents two awards to members of the faculty and staff for their dedication and service to the college and its students. The association elected Dr. John Lesaine ’07 as the 2023 Professor of the Year, and presented Sherrigan Feaster-Johnson, director of housing and residence life, with the Sadie Crooks Award.
Pictured: Spring 2023 student inductees into the Bachman Honor Society. Back row, left to right: Shield Sawyer, Timothy Luker, Marcel Schomburg; Front row, left to right: Robin Bedford, Emily Hughes, Shanna Wicker, Emma Johnson, Tyron Dennis. Not pictured: Giulia Bongiorno, Nastassia Chamoun, Hillary Dana, Holly Davies, Haley Havermann, Courtney Wilson
Newberry College celebrated the achievements of students, faculty and staff with its annual spring awards convocation, held April 14 in Wiles Chapel. The honors included scholastic, ministry, student life and student governments awards, along with the induction of 14 students and two professors into the prestigious Bachman Honor Society. Five of the inductees are from Newberry County.
Founded in 1962 by Phi Beta Kappa-affiliated professors, the Bachman Honor Society recognizes seniors in the top 8% of their class, as well as distinguished faculty and staff members. The society is named for the Rev. John Bachman, Newberry College’s principal founder and first chair of its Board of Trustees. Induction is the highest academic honor the college bestows.
This spring, the following seniors were inducted:
Hillary Dana, an elementary education major from Prosperity
Holly Davies, a sport management major from Newberry
Shield Sawyer, a business administration major from Newberry
Shanna Wicker, an elementary education major from Little Mountain
Courtney Wilson, an early childhood education major from Newberry
Robin Bedford, an accounting major from Welwyn, England
Giulia Bongiorno, a sport management major from Rome, Italy
Nastassia Chamoun, a business administration major from Dijon, France
Tyron Dennis, a criminal justice major from Columbia
Haley Havermann, an art and digital marketing major from Indian Land
Emily Hughes, a business administration major from Parrish, Florida
Emma Johnson, a health care management major from Camden
Timothy Luker, a psychology major from Goldsboro, North Carolina
Marcel Schomburg, an exercise science major from Bingen, Germany
The society also welcomed two faculty members, Dr. Carrie Caudill and Dr. Sara Peters, both associate professors of psychology.
The Jerrol S. Oxner Business Merit Scholarship recognizes excellence in scholastic achievement, service to the college, and potential for future accomplishments in graduate school and in business or education. This scholarship was presented to Robin Bedford.
The Donald K. Melaas Business Merit Scholarship is given in honor of the time Melaas spent at Newberry College as a Navy V-12 cadet during the Second World War. The scholarship is given to a business administration major who demonstrates academic excellence, service to the college, and potential for future accomplishments in graduate school. This award was presented to Nastassia Chamoun.
The Joe & Jeffrey McDonald Community Service Scholarship recognizes a student who has demonstrated a dedication to public service through involvement in the community. The award was presented to Jayden Davila, a junior nursing major from West Hills, California, who has volunteered locally with her soccer teammates and as a digital volunteer for the Smithsonian Transcript Center and for Zooniverse.
The award for Outstanding Service and Leadership to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes was presented a Jonathan Wright, a senior accounting and criminal justice major and men’s basketball player from Myrtle Beach.
The award for Outstanding Service and Leadership was presented to Tatyanna Chapman, a first-year psychology major from Myrtle Beach.
The Campus Pastor’s Special Service Award was presented to Marshall Maddy, internal communications and media services coordinator, who has served Newberry College faithfully from behind the scenes for 31 years.
The Office of Student Affairs presented four awards for individual contributions to student life at the college:
- Senior Resident Advisor of the Year: Nicole A. Harker, of Naples, Florida
- The Dr. Travis Ballenger First-Year Experience Award: Reggie Wright (senior from Summerville), Shakiyah Lunsford (senior from Columbia), and Dr. John Lesaine ’07, associate dean for student-athlete success
- Student Ambassador of the Year: Payton Findlay, junior from Cairns, Queensland, Australia
- Student Ambassador Rookie of the Year: Camryn Wiley, first-year from Cayce
Each year, the Student Government Association presents two awards to members of the faculty and staff for their dedication and service to the college and its students. The association elected Dr. John Lesaine ’07 as the 2023 Professor of the Year, and presented Sherrigan Feaster-Johnson, director of housing and residence life, with the Sadie Crooks Award.
