University of Lynchburg alumni can keep an eye out for one of their own on the 20th season of ABC’s “American Idol,” which premiered at 8 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 27. While he didn’t show up in the premiere, Danny Czerkawski ’16 could appear on “American Idol” sometime this season.
alumni accomplishments
Comm studies alum takes deep dive in the right direction
Sometimes, finding your purpose takes a deeper dive than you imagined it would.
Lynchburg family shines at Old City Cemetery Candlelight Tours
University of Lynchburg students, faculty, staff, and alumni shined a light on local history this month at the Old City Cemetery Candlelight Tours.
Documentary about Lynchburg alumna and her Hiroshima experience premieres online Aug. 8
“The Vow from Hiroshima,” a 2019 documentary that tells the story of Setsuko Nakamura Thurlow ’55 and her lifelong effort to abolish nuclear weapons, will be screened online at 7 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 8. The online event is the Canadian premiere of the film.
Music alum singing in Endstation Theatre talent show finals July 31 at Lynchburg
Not long before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Christopher Badgett ’13 and his mother had planned to see “The Color Purple” together. The popular musical, based on a novel by Alice Walker and a 1985 movie starring Whoopi Goldberg, is one of Badgett’s favorites. So is one of its musical numbers, “I’m Here.”
Lynchburg MEd grad one of area’s ‘Top Teachers’
Tim Wilhelm ’18 MEd was named one of the Lynchburg area’s “Top Teachers” by Lynchburg Living magazine.
Lynchburg MEd grad is area ‘Reading Teacher of the Year’
Caitlin Pugh ’07, ’19 MEd, a reading specialist at Robert S. Payne Elementary School in Lynchburg, has been named “Reading Teacher of the Year” by the Piedmont Area Chapter of the Virginia State Literacy Association.
Lynchburg arts grad, Food Network champion returns to TV
University of Lynchburg graduate Tarsha Joyner ’13 and her downtown bakery, Mrs. Joy’s Absolutely Fabulous Treats, will again be featured on national television — this time in Canada.
Helen Mundy Witt ’67 remembered for perseverance, love of education
Helen Mundy Witt ’67, who died on Jan. 8 at the age of 88, was more than the first Black graduate of what was then Lynchburg College. She was also an educator, civil rights advocate, wife, mother, friend, author, and an accomplished tennis player.
DMSc grad advocates for homeless women vets through ‘Ms. Veteran America’
Liza Gainey ’20 DMSc was inspired to start volunteering in her community during her coursework for the Doctor of Medical Science at the University of Lynchburg. In particular, she credits her classes in global health and disaster medicine with providing that spark.