Alexander Ward of La Cañada was recently initiated into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines. Ward is pursuing a degree in computer science at Brigham Young University.
Ward is among approximately 30,000 students, faculty, professional staff and alumni to be initiated into Phi Kappa Phi each year. Membership is by invitation and requires nomination and approval by a chapter. Only the top 10% of seniors and 7.5% of juniors, having at least 72 semester hours, are eligible for membership. Graduate students in the top 10% of the number of candidates for graduate degrees may also qualify, as do faculty, professional staff, and alumni who have achieved scholarly distinction.
Founded in 1897 at the University of Maine and headquartered in Baton Rouge, La., Phi Kappa Phi is the nation’s oldest and most selective all-discipline honor society. The Society has chapters on more than 300 college and university campuses in North America and the Philippines.
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Allison Reik, a La Crescenta native and student studying liberal studies at San Diego State University, was named to Scholars Without Borders, an honors society dedicated to promoting international exchange and service and recognizing scholarly achievement in an international context.
Scholars Without Borders supports programs with an international focus and builds awareness of international issues and opportunities. Members strive to inspire SDSU students, faculty and staff to become engaged and committed scholar-citizens of the global community.
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In April, Jessica Palacios, a graduate of Clark Magnet High School, presented her original research as part of The Whitman College Undergraduate Conference.
The 18th Annual Whitman Undergraduate Conference brings together students from every academic area of the college to share their research and creative projects with the campus community. The projects are a result of the students’ work in their courses, senior theses, summer internships and study abroad.
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Rachel Mills-Coyne of La Cañada was recently initiated into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines. Mills-Coyne was initiated at California State University, Fullerton.
Mills-Coyne is among approximately 30,000 students, faculty, professional staff and alumni to be initiated into Phi Kappa Phi each year. Membership is by invitation and requires nomination and approval by a chapter. Only the top 10% of seniors and 7.5% of juniors having at least 72 semester hours are eligible for membership. Graduate students in the top 10% of the number of candidates for graduate degrees may also qualify, as do faculty, professional staff, and alumni who have achieved scholarly distinction.
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Grayson Frazier of La Cañada Flintridge has recently graduated from Pacific University (Oregon) with a bachelor’s degree in exercise science.
Kara Lankey of La Cañada Flintridge, Grace Kenny of Montrose and Michael Ashley of Tujunga of have been named to the dean’s list at Pacific University (Oregon) for fall semester 2015.
These three are among 411 undergraduate students at Pacific

University to achieve this high academic honor. To qualify for the dean’s list at Pacific, a student must achieve a term grade-point average 3.70 (4.00 scale) and complete 12 or more graded hours.
Founded in 1849, Pacific University (Ore.) is a diverse and sustainable community dedicated to discovery and excellence in teaching, scholarship and practice. The university consists of colleges of Arts & Sciences, Optometry, Education, Health Professions and Business, with campuses in Forest Grove, Hillsboro, Eugene and Woodburn.
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The Worcester Academy Upper School announced its first semester honor roll and headmaster’s list for the 2015-16 school year. The honors represent the achievements that each high school student has earned through academic excellence, challenge, and personal growth.
Among the students was Sewon Park, grade 11, of La Cañada Flintridge, who was named to the honor roll.
Worcester Academy is an independent co-ed day and boarding school for grades six to 12 and postgraduates. The urban setting, diverse community, and innovative curriculum provide each student with unique opportunities for self-discovery, academic achievement, and personal empowerment. Visit www.worcesteracademy.org.
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Denison University graduate Annelise Thompson of La Cañada Flintridge was one of six Denison students and recent graduates awarded with a highly prestigious Graduate Research Fellowship Program Award from the National Science Foundation (NSF). Thompson is a member of the Denison class of 2013. She is studying electrochemistry at the California Institute of Technology.
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Kyle Patterson of La Cañada Flintridge graduated from Champlain College with a degree in managing creative media on May 14. During his time at Champlain he was one of several senior students recognized by the College’s Robert P. Stiller School of Business for academic excellence. Students were honored at the Stiller School of Business Honoring Excellence Reception in April on Champlain College’s campus in Burlington, Vermont.
Patterson also participated in the 2016 Game Studio Senior Show at Champlain College. Game design, game art and animation, management of creative media, and game programming majors were all involved in creating nine different games that were presented to game industry recruiters from around the United States and Montreal. After the games were presented, recruiters had the chance to meet the seniors, try their games, and select candidates to interview the following day.
Typically, five to 10 seniors are hired in the game industry from this event.
Founded in 1878, Champlain College is a small, not-for-profit, private college with additional campuses in Montreal, Quebec and Dublin, Ireland. Champlain offers a traditional undergraduate experience from its beautiful campus overlooking Lake Champlain and more than 60 online undergraduate and graduate degree programs and certificates.
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Jessica Rust of Glendale and Ryan Longoria of La Crescenta were recently initiated into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines. They were initiated at California State University, Los Angeles.
Rust and Longoria are among approximately 30,000 students, faculty, professional staff and alumni to be initiated into Phi Kappa Phi each year. Membership is by invitation and requires nomination and approval by a chapter. Only the top 10% of seniors and 7.5% of juniors, having at least 72 semester hours, are eligible for membership. Graduate students in the top 10% of the number of candidates for graduate degrees may also qualify, as do faculty, professional staff and alumni who have achieved scholarly distinction.
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The Fort Lewis College School of Arts and Sciences held its annual Undergraduate Research & Creative Activities Symposium on April 21. Student participants were selected by their departments to represent the best undergraduate research and performances done at Fort Lewis College this year. Each department selects two students to give talks, and up to five groups of students to present posters or performances. Many of these students have also presented at professional conferences in their disciplines.
Pam Bogust of Sunland was part of a team that presented a project titled “Development of an SAE Baja Racecar,” supervised by faculty mentor Devin Leahy. Bogust’s major is engineering.
The presentations can be seen on the Fort Lewis College You Tube channel via the archived live streams of the Morning & Afternoon sessions.
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Vance Adams of La Crescenta has been awarded a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in marketing and management cum laude from McMurry University. Adams is one of 194 graduates who received degrees during the commencement in Hunt P.E. Center on Saturday, May 7. Adams was also named to the spring 2016 dean’s list. To be eligible for the dean’s list, a student must have maintained at least a 3.5 grade point average while taking 12 or more credit hours.
Founded in 1923 as a United Methodist institution, McMurry University is a vibrant and comprehensive center of undergraduate education. McMurry has a national reputation for excellence and value through the achievements of its faculty, students and graduates.
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The following students graduated from Azusa Pacific University on May 7. They joined approximately 2,000 graduates at the spring commencement ceremonies.
From La Crescenta: David Aguilar with a Bachelor of Science in biology,
Katlyn Dalmas with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in acting for the stage & screen, Elizabeth Gruss with a Bachelor of Arts in mathematics, Robert Walker with a Bachelor of Arts in mathematics, Camille Newbro with a Bachelor of Arts in sociology; Stephanie Fuentes of Montrose with a Bachelor of Arts in communication studies; Jonah Kang of Tujunga with a Bachelor of Arts in computer information systems; Lana Mardirossian of Glendale with a Bachelor of Science in business: accounting; Vanessa Brooks of Sunland with a Bachelor of Arts in youth ministry.
Azusa Pacific University is an evangelical Christian university committed to God First and excellence in higher education. With 71 bachelors’ degrees, 47 masters’ degrees, 18 certificates, 14 credentials, eight doctoral programs, and three associates’ degrees, the university offers its more than 10,700 students a quality education on campus, online, and at six regional campuses throughout Southern California.
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Lindsey Espe of La Cañada qualified for the spring 2016 dean’s list at Belmont University. Eligibility is based on a minimum course load of 12 hours and a quality grade point average of 3.5 with no grade below a C.
Approximately 38% of Belmont’s 5,600 undergraduate students qualified for the spring 2016 dean’s list.
Ranked No. 5 in the Regional Universities South category and named as a “Most Innovative” university by U.S. News & World Report, Belmont University is celebrating its 125th anniversary in academic year 2015-16. Founded in 1890, the University consists of more than 7,400 students who come from every state and more than 25 countries.