Member of All-Academic Team
Ashley Meyer, a senior Westover Fellow from Springfield, Mo., has been named by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association to the Division III Women's Cross Country All-Academic Team. The USTFCCCA All-Academic award honors those student-athletes who have succeeded both academically and athletically. To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must carry a minimum 3.3 cumulative grade point average and must finish in the top 35 among the field at her respective NCAA regional meet. Ashley, one of 188 honorees to the team, finished 13th at the South/Southeast Regional Meet while achieving a 3.95 cumulative QPA.
Holiday Bash a Surprise for Freshtovers!
On December 9, the Society held its annual Holiday Pizza Party in the Daura Gallery with over 120 Westover Fellows and faculty in attendance. The Freshtovers were summoned to the all-society meeting with the usual ominous message from the program director. Despite the admonishments to guard the "secret," many upperclassmen revealed the true nature of the event well before the date. Nevertheless, Westover Fellows enjoyed the opportunity for free food and fellowship as they entered the stressful end of the semester.
Appointment to Virginia Alzheimer's Commission
Charlotte Arbogast '10, a history major and political science and Spanish minor from Harrisonburg, Virginia, has been appointed by Gov. Tim Kaine to the Virginia Alzheimer's Commission. She will serve in a public-at-large position until June 30, 2013.
The commission looks at how the Commonwealth of Virginia currently addresses Alzheimer's disease and dementia and what more can be done for the 130,00 Virginians suffering from these diseases. Charlotte will bring personal experience to these findings, since her maternal grandfather is in the advanced stages of Alzheimer's.
Fellows Present Research Papers
Seniors Haylee Nelson and Jordan Taylor presented their papers in international relations/comparative politics at the recent Virginia Political Science Association'sannual conference in Norfolk, Va. To add to that accomplishment, they were presenting on professional/faculty panels rather than on separate undergraduate panels. And according to Dr. Marek Payerhin, associate professor of international relations and political science, they held their ground well.
Haylee's presentation was on Upsetting the Balance: The Catholic Church and Government Sanctioned Violence in El Salvador from 1970-1990, and Jordan's was on The Guatemalan Coup of 1954: An Analysis of the CIA Bureaucracy.
Honors at the EU Simulation
The Mid-Atlantic European Union Simulation was held in Washington, D.C., just before Thanksgiving, and three Honors Fellows not only participated but played vital roles in the proceeding.
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Danielle Miller, a Senior from Sterling, Va., with an international relations major and minors in French and business, was prime minister. Junior Conor McFarland, a double-major in international relations and philosophy and a minor in history from Nokesville, Va., chaired the Christian Democrats, one of the largest parties in the European Union. The EU Commissioner was Darby Wheeler, a junior from Keswick, Va., and a history major and political science minor. For Darby, one perk of drafting an important part of the resolution as EU's Commissioner for Energy was that she visited the commission's delegation ('embassy') to the U.S.
Westovers Participate in Big Brothers/Big Sisters Program
Several Westover Honors students are actively participating in Big Brothers/Big Sisters, a national youth mentoring organization. The students visit their Little Brother or Sister for one hour a week at the "Little's" elementary school to help them with homework or other needs. According to the the Big Brothers/Big Sisters organization, these mentorships are very successful, since the children who participate are less likely to do drugs, start drinking alcohol, or skip school. View pictures of them and their Little Sibs (docx).
Jess Mader on a Final Four Team!
Jess, a sophomore midfielder from Red Bank, New Jersey, and an environmental science major, is a member of the first-ever Lynchburg College women's soccer team to make it to the NCAA Division III Tournament's Final Four! The team advanced on penalty kicks over host Trinity University in the Elite Eight on November 22, 2009.
Westovers Part of Fall Championship Athletic Teams
Congratulations to these Honors Fellows who contributed to the success of the Fall ODAC Championship Teams:
Men's Soccer - Ben Phelps
Women's Field Hockey - Sara Cates, Caitlin Gibb, and Deanna Smith
Women's Cross Country - Suki Hoffman, Ashley Meyer, Monica Ramstad, Ashley Saba
Men's Cross Country - Daniel Cutright
Go Westovers!
Thomas (Brad) Coles Named Marshall Scholar
Brad Coles '12 (Lynchburg, Va./Brookville) was one of two Lynchburg College students selected this year as 2009-2010 George C. Marshall Undergraduate Scholar. Brad, a history major, will be conducting research for an ongoing history project: he is examing George C. Marshall's 1945 trip to China and the impact the experience had on Marshall's ideas for providing aid to China.
The Marshall Scholarship, housed at the George C. Marshall Research Library in Lexington, Va., gives undergraduate students at selected Virginia and Mid-Atlantic colleges an opportunity to use primary materials in their research.
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lena Kritter is Hornet Athlete of the Week!
Elena Kritter '12 (Culpeper, Va./Rappahannock) led the Hornets recently to two huge five-set victories in ODAC play and was named Hornet Athlete of the Week for October 5, 2009. LC defeated Bridgewater for the first time since 1999, as Kritter had 13 kills and 21 digs. The 5'9 outside hitter slammed 16 kills and added 19 digs as the Hornets took sole possession of first place in the conference with a thrilling come-from-behind win over Randolph-Macon College in Turner Gymnasium. For the week, Kritter had 29 kills and a .297 hitting percentage, three aces, and 40 digs.
Induction Ceremony 
A record 48 freshmen were inducted into the Society of Westover Fellows on September 19, 2009, during Parents & Family Weekend. The moving ceremony, attended by parents, friends, faculty, and the entire Society, took place in Snidow Chapel during a gorgeous fall afternoon. The inductees enjoyed addresses by fellow Frestover Rob Arold (who gave them not only his expectations but also many inside jokes) and Society President Jenna Jewell (who imparted many words of wisdom--if only they were listening!)
First Ever Society-Wide Picnic Begins the New Semester!
At the urging of its new Executive Board, the Society held the first of what we hope will become an annual event -- a picnic at the Pavilion. Fellows mingled with new and old friends, ate surprisingly good food grilled by the the Executive Board, and played games like "Look Up and Look Down." It was great fun -- and even wearing those red Westover Honors Society t-shirts had its plus side!
Frestover Retreat 
On August 19 and 20, 40 Westover Honors first-year students attended the annual Frestover retreat in the Blue Ridge Mountains at Wilderness Adventure at Eagle Landing, along with the Westover Student Executive Board members and the faculty directors. Here they were able to enjoy confidence- and team-boosting activities, such as whooshing down a zip line and discovering random bits of information about each other. The students were then ready to tackle their college careers!