Covenant student named National Merit Scholarship semifinalist

Kirby Thigpen, a high school senior with Covenant Classical School in Concord, has been named a Semifinalist in the 2017 National Merit Scholarship Program, and has an opportunity to continue in the National Merit Scholarship competition. Kirby is among approximately 16,000 academically talented high school seniors with the opportunity to continue in the competition for 7,500 National Merit Scholarship awards that will be offered next spring.

 Catawba Alphi Chi inducts new members

Eighteen new members were inducted into Catawba College’s Omicron Chapter of Alpha Chi, the national college honor society, on Friday, Sept. 16. The ceremony, part of 2016 Family Weekend activities on campus, was held in Omwake-Dearborn Chapel on campus.

Dr. Kim Creamer, an assistant professor of Teacher Education, delivered the homily entitled, “Not As Expected.” The organization’s 2016-2017 co-presidents, Lauren Gaskill of Salisbury and Nathan Wyatt of Gold Hill, officiated, assisted by faculty sponsor, Dr. Sharon Sullivan, and faculty advisors, Drs. James K. Stringfield and Buster Smith. Alpha Chi member, Collin Denton of Linwood, delivered the invocation.

Candidates inducted into Catawba’s Omicron Chapter of Alpha Chi include seniors Graham Sledge of Mooresville, Elizabeth Smith of Salisbury and Hope Woods of Burlington, Conn.; and juniors Kerry Aitken of Spencer; Ashley Bain of Bel Air, Md.; Allison Benton of High Springs, Fla.; Breki Bjarnason of Reykjavik, Iceland; Austin Collins of Mooresville; Laurel Edge of Waxhaw; Elizabeth Farmer of Salisbury; Amanda Fuller of Salisbury; Julieanna Herriven of New Bern; Victoria Layton of Concord; Hana McGuire of Orinda, Calif.; Kara Peschock of Statesville; Caitlin Rimmer of Troutman; Kristen Rocko of Johns Creek, Ga.; and Catherine Sexton of Frederick, Md.

Catawba’s Omicron Chapter of Alpha Chi was founded in May 1978 with the induction of 13 members. To date, 730 members have been inducted. Membership is open only to those students in the top 10 percent of the junior and senior classes and represents the highest academic achievement at Catawba College.