The Society of Westover Fellows includes a talented and diverse group of students with many interests, experiences, and stories. What makes each student unique is what also makes each individual a valued member of the Society...

December 2007 Student Spotlight

Kellie Parks
Chesapeake, Virginia
Senior

A senior nursing student, Kellie was the recipient of a prestigious student nurse apprenticeship with Sentara Healthcare during the summer of her junior year. As a student nurse, she worked in the cardiac step-down unit; this opportunity solidified her commitment to her chosen field.  She is eager to begin her career as a certified registered nurse and has recently accepted a position at Georgetown University Hospital -- where she hopes to work in the oncology unit.  She plans eventually to attend graduate school to continue her nursing education. 

Kellie visited the Lynchburg College campus during the spring of her senior year in high school, and that visit was instrumental in her decision to attend LC.  Kellie notes, “The atmosphere and the friendliness I encountered were different from any other college I had visited. I felt welcome and as if I belonged.  Additionally, the fact that LC is a small, private school was also a bonus because I knew they would take my education seriously and I wouldn’t be just another face in the crowd.” 

During her sophomore year, Kellie participated in a three-week, Lynchburg College study abroad program to Vietnam. She traveled from Hanoi to Saigon with stops in between at Hué and Danang. Swimming in the beautiful and mysterious Halong Bay, only miles from the Chinese border, was a highlight of the trip. According to Kellie, the time she spent in Vietnam "was the most amazing experience of my life."

Kellie’s stellar academic profile includes memberships in Phi Kappa Phi (Academic Honorary), Sigma Theta Tau (Nursing Academic Honorary), Omicron Delta Kappa (Leadership Honorary), and Phi Eta Sigma (Freshman Academic Honorary).  For her Westover Honors thesis, Kellie is researching the impact of a child’s chronic illness on the family, a sensitive topic that requires a deep commitment on the part of the student/scholar. Dr. Ellen De Luca, director of her senior thesis, says that “Kellie is very passionate about her thesis topic and is also very sensitive to the persons and families she is interviewing. She cares a lot about the participants and she also cares deeply about the quality of her research. I’m sure she will make an excellent nurse.”

As a senior, Kellie has had the opportunity to reflect on her time at LC. “I have grown up and matured so much during the past four years. My classes have made me so much more well rounded and knowledgeable than I could have imagined. Before college, I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life and I had never traveled outside the U.S.  Now, I am on my way to beginning the career of my dreams and I have traveled halfway around the world.” 

Derrick Van Leer
Culpeper, Virginia
Junior

A double major in Spanish and art with an emphasis in graphic design, Derrick has been going non-stop since he arrived on the LC campus nearly three years ago. Attending a small school was important to Derrick, but he also wanted one “with a variety of fields of study, lots of extracurricular activities, and a developed art program.”  At LC, Derrick said, “The studio art facilities were advanced in comparison with other small schools I had visited, and the developing graphic design program was very attractive.”

He is active in a variety of campus organizations -- and currently serves as president of the Baptist Collegiate Ministry. Derrick is also the founding editor and publication designer for the Hornet International Newspaper, which publishes articles in French, German, and Spanish. While enrolled at LC, Derrick has acted in college and local theatre productions:  he was a cowboy in Oklahoma as a sophomore, Dr. Frankenstein in a student-composed-and-directed musical as a sophomore, and an Aggie football player visiting the Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, produced by the Renaissance Theatre.  

Derrick also recently completed a semester-long internship with the Lynchburg College International Programs Office.  Derrick worked with the director to design the marketing campaign for the nine 2007-2008 study abroad trips.  His designs are featured on bulletin boards across campus, on the College web page, and in advertisements published in the Critograph.  Derrick’s graphic design instructor, Ms. Ursula Bryant, says “Derrick is an outstanding student who shines academically.  His creativity is boundless and his diligence is inspiring. His dedication, commitment to learning, eager attitude, and enthusiasm are a delight to have in the classroom.”

Derrick has been recognized by his instructors for his extraordinary academic accomplishments with Dean’s List Honors during all five of his semesters at LC, and membership in Phi Kappa Phi (Academic Honorary), Phi Sigma Iota (Foreign Language Academic Honorary), and Phi Eta Sigma (Freshman Academic Honorary).

As a freshman, Derrick's participation in a spring break program took him to Madrid, Toledo, Burgos, Segovia, Zaragoza, and Barcelona. The trip inspired his plans to spend a semester abroad to work on his Spanish and infuse his graphic designs with a European sensibility. When asked to reflect on his first three years of college, Derrick says, “I feel that I have matured a lot since entering college. I have had to learn to manage my time effectively, to get along with people that are very different from me, and to take some time to relax.” 

Carolyn Walsh
Wayland, Massachusetts
Sophomore

Carolyn majors in international relations with a minor in special education. She plans to pursue a graduate degree in international public health while also finding time to participate in the Peace Corps. Lynchburg College was not a first-choice school for Carolyn, but after visiting for the annual scholarship competition, she says, “I was surprised by how comfortable I felt.” Carolyn also says that what drew her to Lynchburg College was “the amount of volunteer service students engage in as well as the prospect of joining the Westover program.” 

Carolyn’s major is interdisciplinary in nature and her curriculum includes course work from history, political science, and economics as well as a host of other academic disciplines. She will complete one of her Westover Honors colloquia requirements by traveling to France on a study/travel program. Carolyn says that her “most enjoyable” Westover class to date is Dr. Lipani’s Humanities 211 course. She “looks forward to this class” each day and knew that “the discussions would always be stimulating." Dr. Lipani, chair of the English Department, returns the compliment. “Carolyn is the kind of student everyone wants in his classroom. Because she’s a Westover, I expect her to be bright, to be a good reader and writer, but what makes her stand out for me are two things:  her enthusiasm combined with genuine delight in discovering something new, and her uncommon versatility – she is good at everything she puts her hand to.”

While only a sophomore, Carolyn has already become involved with important causes both on campus and around the world.  After she finishes the spring semester, she will travel to the Caribbean nation of St. Lucia to study the politics and culture of the island while lending her energies and talent to an international service-learning project. Upon her return from St. Lucia, Carolyn will travel to Uganda where she will help with a public health project under the direction of Dr. Todd Olsen. She is co-founder and vice president of Lynchburg College’s Chapter of STAND: A Student Anti-Genocide Coalition. The College awarded this organization the 2007 Ed Williams Peace and Social Justice Price during the leadership awards ceremony in the spring semester. Her leadership and academic efforts have been recognized by her instructors and peers with invitations to join Phi Eta Sigma (Freshman Academic Honorary) and Sigma Phi Alpha (National Leadership Honorary).

In his first-year at Lynchburg College, Andrew has already had the opportunity to star in two College productions. After a well-received performance as lead in August Wilson’s Book of Days, he played the lead again in Lou Gehrig did not Die of Cancer. Theatre Program chair and director, Jeff Wittman, has already been impressed with Andy’s work ethic. “As a freshman theatre major, Andrew has found a creative home in the Dillard Theatre. Attentive and articulate in the classroom, he has thoughtful insights into dramatic literature. Andrew has also had immediate involvement in our productions, as he has been cast in plays on our main stage and in the Studio Theatre.” 

Andy was drawn to LC by its “friendly environment, gorgeous architecture, attention to studying abroad, and academic freedoms associated with the Westover Program.”  When he first visited, he sensed “a charm unlike any other college I had seen.”  For Andy, the greatest opportunity available at LC is the stress placed on studying abroad.  He will participate in a multi-country study abroad this summer that will take him to Great Britain, Belgium, France, Germany, and the Czech Republic.

With only one semester under his belt, Andy says that he has “become much more independent and more aware of my talents.” He expects to pursue his creative talents once he graduates by either working in theatre or design.