2022 Birthday Convocation a Celebration of Service and Community
The Washington College community gathered for traditional Birthday Convocation, a celebration of service and community
The Washington College community gathered recently for the traditional Birthday Convocation, with a program that focused on highlighting extraordinary examples of service and dedication to the institution.
Numerous members of the WC community were honored for their contributions and continued commitment to the College including faculty, staff, alumni and local partners. The program also recognized those students who are candidates for induction into the College’s chapter of Phi Beta Kappa academic honor society, one of the oldest and most prestigious in the country.
“There is such a wonderful spirit around this community and one way that I most often see that reflected back is in service to others,” President Michael J. Sosulski said. “We are fortunate to study, work and learn in an environment that places a high value on community, and kindness and looking for ways to make this campus and this world a better place.”
The Chester River Chorale’s River Voices opened with the National Anthem as President Sosulski, SGA President Katharine DeSantis ’22 and Board of Visitors & Governors Chair Stephen T. Golding ‘72 greeted attendees at the Gibson Center for the Arts. The honorees were then introduced and invited to accept their awards on the Decker Theatre stage.
“This event is always cause for celebration, and restoring the in-person version of Convocation certainly puts an exclamation point on the afternoon,” Golding said. “It’s wonderful to be back together and our most deserving award winners represent a sampling of how the college stood strong, despite the never-ending challenges presented over the last two years.”
The award recipients (full write-ups are available to view here) are:
Cromwell Award for Innovation in Teaching, presented by Dr. Michael Harvey:
Joseph L. Holt Distinguished Service Award, presented by President Sosulski:
- Robert Bishop
- Marc Dykeman M’07
- Josephine “Peach” Hawn ’08
- Dr. Shaun Ramsey
- Jennifer Schultz
Alumni Service Award, presented by Suzanne Hewes ’91:
- Lois Ireland ’84
- Arian Ravanbakhsh ‘89
Alumni Horizon Ribbon Award, presented by Suzanne Hewes ‘91
- Mollie Binotto ‘07
President’s Medal, presented by President Sosulski
- Charlene Perry, Kent County Health Department
Phi Beta Kappa candidates were presented by Kerrin Ehrensbeck, president of Phi Beta Kappa, Theta chapter of Maryland (all 2022 graduates):
- Nathaniel Braddock
- Analiese Bush
- Jillian Curran
- Melissa DeFrancesco
- Katharine DeSantis
- Katherine Desrosiers
- Teresa Draves
- Stephanie Fleming
- Teddy Friedline
- Anna Hall
- Samuel Hamilton
- Skyler Hancock
- Elizabeth Hay
- Emily Hurley
- Sarah Kelly
- Madison Krivda
- Wenhuan Li
- Austen Markus
- Tegan McBride
- Maggie Moore
- Alaina Perdon
- Kitri Post
- Erica Quinones
- Kyle Rufo
- Noah Smith
- James Williams
These candidates for the Class of 2022 will be officially inducted into the College's PBK chapter at a ceremony in April.
About the Awards
The Cromwell Award for Innovation in Teaching is awarded annually to an instructor who has exhibited exceptional accomplishments in pedagogy, including using new instructional technologies, revamping traditional technologies in creative ways, applying novel approaches to instruction, innovating curricular development, and engaging students in the learning process in new ways. Through this award, The Cromwell Center for Teaching and Learning seeks to sustain and encourage Washington College’s instructors to continuously rethink and redevelop their teaching and learning approach. This honor is awarded each fall to an instructor for exceptional accomplishments during the two previous academic years and includes a $1500 prize.
The Joseph L. Holt Distinguished Service Award recognizes exceptional performance, leadership and service by an employee of Washington College. Recipients have a record of exemplary performance and distinctive contributions to the operation of an administrative, academic, research or service unit on campus. They have clearly demonstrated initiative toward the improvement of the College’s programs or campus activities and have shown commitment to the campus community as a whole.
The Alumni Service Award is presented annually to an alumnus who has given outstanding and continued support to the College. Recipients have enthusiastically participated in the life of Washington College through personal involvement on leadership committees, association with the student body and engagement of fellow alumni. Their selfless commitment of time and talent has been augmented by their willingness to enhance the financial welfare of the College.
The Alumni Horizon Ribbon Award was established and passed by the full Washington College Alumni Board on April 25, 2009. It is awarded annually to an alumnus of the last 15 years who has demonstrated outstanding scholarship, leadership, or service through their career or through an area of interest.
The President’s Medal is awarded to an individual or organization with an exemplary record of sustained and acknowledged contribution to the quality of life in Chestertown, Kent County and Washington College. The successful candidates demonstrate service to their fellow human beings and these contributions have exerted a wide-ranging and positive influence upon the greater community.
The Phi Beta Kappa Society, the nation’s oldest and largest academic honor society, was founded on December 5, 1776, by five students at the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. For more than 200 years, the Phi Beta Kappa Society has pursued its mission of fostering and recognizing excellence in the liberal arts and sciences. The Society’s distinctive emblem, a golden key, is widely recognized as a symbol of academic achievement. The pointing finger and three stars on the key symbolize the ambition of scholars and the three distinguishing principles of Phi Beta Kappa: learning, morality and friendship.