Periodically, Omicron Delta Kappa has the opportunity to share news and announcements about member achievements. Below are some of the accomplishments and passages reported since throughout Spring and Summer 2022.
Collegiate Member News
- Rivers R. Benton (The Citadel – The Military College of South Carolina, 2021) is one of this year’s recipients of the school’s Palmetto Medal Awards.
- Shelbi R. Cornelison (Marymount Manhattan College, 2021) is the Spring 2022 valedictorian for the school.
- Elizabeth I. Dorssom (Chatham University, 2011) is this year’s recipient of the 2022 Excellence in Teaching Award from the Graduate Professional Council at the University of Missouri. Elizabeth, who has been a volunteer with O∆K, recently completed her Ph.D.
- Kasey T. Draper (Roanoke College, 2021) has been selected as an Academic All-American 2nd Team member for men’s basketball by the College Sports Information Directors Association (CoSIDA). Draper was also selected as the 2022 ODAC/Virginia Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete of the Year for men’s basketball.
- Leo S. “Stephen” Fama III (New England College, 2021) received College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-District® First Team honors for men’s basketball.
- Maci D. Ferguson (Georgetown College, 2019) was profiled by the student newspaper at the school.
- Katelin V. Hayward (University of Mississippi, 2020) has been selected as one of the ten students to be inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame.
- Jacklyn Kemly (University of Richmond, 2021) has been named one of the top 100 undergraduate business students Poets&Quants’ Best & Brightest Business Majors of 2022.
- Kitty C. Lackey (Georgetown College, 2019) was recently profiled in the student newspaper.
- Troy J. Larsen (Washington and Lee University, 2021) has been awarded a Fulbright to study in Hungary next year.
- Catherine C. “Cici” Montalvo (Roanoke College, 2021) is one of this year’s recipients of the school’s Susan Highfill ‘79 Student LeadHERship Awards.
- Madison R. Nagel (Missouri Southern State University, 2020) was selected as the school’s 2022 Leader of the Year. Additional students honored by the school this year include the following members: Taylor P. Powell (2021), Madeline G. Phillips (2021), Austin Rose (2020), Sarah K. Peoples (2021), Tess Hultman (2021), Megan R. Hibbard (2021), Brent Olson (2020), Corinne Gould-Cleveland (2020), Addyson Greek (2021), Elizabeth N. Robinson (2021), Josephine K. Landwehr (2021), Rebekah Sweyko (2020), Christine Ibeagi (2020), and Syeda I. Mustafa (2020).
- Arianna R. Sabatino (Washington College, 2019) has received the prestigious NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship.
- The disability advocacy work of Elizabeth M. Smith (Rollins College, 2021) was recently featured in a campus communication.
- Sean K. Woo (Emory University, 2021) will be spending the 2022-23 academic year at the University of St. Andrews as one of the Bobby Jones Scholars.
Higher Education News and Appointments
- Javaune Adams-Gaston (University of Maryland, College Park, 1997) and Thasunda Brown Duckett (University of Houston, 1994) have both been appointed to the White House’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Adams-Gaston is the president of Norfolk State University. Brown Duckett is the president and CEO of TIAA.
- Jonathan Benjamin-Alvarado (University of Nebraska – Omaha, 2012) has been chosen as the new chief inclusion officer at Texas Christian University.
- Charles Dumas (Pennsylvania State University, 1997) is the 2022 recipient of the school’s prestigious Lion’s Paw Medal.
- Deborah R. Garrison (Widener University, 2008) has been named the vice chancellor and dean at Indiana University Fort Wayne.
- Jeffrey P. Gingerich (Cabrini University, 2014) is the new president of St. Bonaventure University.
- Janet L. Gooch (Truman State University, 2002) is the new chancellor at the University of Illinois Springfield.
- Elizabeth B. “Betsy” Holloway (Vanderbilt University, 1991) became vice president for university advancement at Samford University as of July 1, 2022.
- Lamar R. Hylton (University of North Carolina Asheville, 2013) was elected regional director for 2022-23 for NASPA Region IV-East.
- Dennis A. Pruitt, Sr. (University of South Carolina – Columbia, 1984) has announced his January 2023 retirement from the position of vice president for student affairs at South Carolina. Dennis, a 2021 Eldridge W. Roark, Jr. Meritorious Service Award recipient, has served the school for nearly 40 years.
- Dawn M. Staley (University of South Carolina – Columbia, 2017) is the coach of the 2022 national championship women’s basketball team at USC. She was also recognized with the WHYY PBS/NPR-affiliate (Philadelphia) 2022 Lifelong Learning Award. As part of the virtual event, Staley was interviewed by NPR’s Terry Gross (Fresh Air).
- Brooke L. Supple (University of Maryland, College Park, 2001) has retired from the Division of Student Affairs at Maryland at the end of May 2022. Brooke is a former winner of the Society’s Morlan-Bishop Outstanding Advisor Award and has been a long-time supporter and volunteer for O∆K.
- Donald B. Taylor (Cabrini University, 2015) has been appointed the 26th president of the University of Detroit Mercy.
- John R. Thelin (University of Kentucky, 2000) recently gave his “last lecture” at UK. A profile of John and his years of service as a higher education researcher and historian may be found here.
- Gregory J. Vincent (University of Akron, 2018) is the new president at Talladega College.
- Ross A. Wolf (University of Central Florida, 1987) has been selected as a 2022-23 American Council on Education Fellow.
Lifetime Member News
- David S. Branden (Mississippi College, 1978) was named the King of the Krewe of Ceres annual charity ball (a Mardi Gras celebration).
- James R. Bullington (Auburn University, 1961) is a 2022 recipient of the Auburn University Alumni Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Anita Gentle Newcomb (University of Houston, 1986), who earned her undergraduate degree at Auburn, is also one of the 2022 honorees.
- Michael D. Chason (Valdosta State University, 1973) has been inducted into the Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College Athletics Hall of Fame.
- David E. Dobbs (University of Alabama – Birmingham, 1988) was recently profiled for all of his leadership and coaching accomplishments with the track, field, and cross country teams at Hewitt-Trussville High School in Trussville, Alabama.
- Dorsey W. Dysart (Drury University, 1961) was recently recognized by Marquis Who’s Who for excellence in psychiatry and neurology.
- John C. Ford (University of Maryland, College Park, 1964), and his wife Sandra Sollod Poster, have received this year’s Legacy Award from Maryland’s Alumni Association. The Student Success Center at the HUB on the campus of Neumann University has also been recently named in appreciation for Ford’s service and commitment to the school.
- Janine “Jan” M. Hathorn (Washington and Lee University, 2003) was recently named to the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association’s Hall of Fame.
- Curtis S. “Curt” King (University of Akron, 1983) has retired from the position of senior vice president for NBC/Universal.
- Kristina M. Lynch (Florida State University, 2021) is a 2022 recipient of the FSU Alumni Association/Grads Made Good Award, as is Jose B. Hernadez (Florida State University, 1995).
- Paul M. Maslansky (Washington and Lee University, 2004) has been given the Marquis Who’s Who Humanitarian Award.
- Edward W. Mullins, Jr. (University of South Carolina Columbia, 1956) was recently presented with the Order of the Palmetto, South Carolina’s highest civilian honor.
- Matthew S. Primous (SUNY Brockport, 2015) has published a new book of poetry entitled Close to My Heart.
- Ann M. Silverthorn (Gannon University, 1996) has published a book about the servant leader William E. Dimorier.
- Samuel E. “Skip” Vichness (Randolph-Macon College, 1996) is the current board chair for Hillel International.
- Christine D. Visner (Ferris State University, 1979) has been appointed to her alma mater’s foundation board.
Obituaries
- Lauro F. Cavazos (Texas Tech University, 1981), the first Hispanic member of the Federal Cabinet (Secretary of Education) and former president of Texas Tech, passed away in March.
- Renardo A. Hall (Morehouse College, 2014) unexpectedly passed away in late March. Renardo was the circle advisor at Millersville University.
