Graduates at a Glance 2015
Photo by Carl Socolow '77.
CLASS COMPOSITION
The class of 2015 is composed of 562 graduates, including 21 who completed their degree requirements last summer and in February. Seventy-seven percent of the class earned bachelor of arts degrees, and 23 percent earned bachelor of science degrees. Thirty-six percent graduated with Latin honors.
Departmental honors were awarded to 54 students.
The class ratio was 59 percent women and 41 percent men.
Sixteen percent of the graduating class is represented by students of color (excluding international students): 40 Hispanic or Latino, 20 multi-ethnic, 17 African Americans, 12 Asian Americans and 20 multi-ethnic.
Fifty-three graduates were inducted into Phi Beta Kappa.
POINTS OF ORIGIN
Members of the class of 2015 reside in 31 states and the District of Columbia. Twenty-four percent are from in-state. After Pennsylvania, most come from New Jersey (11 percent), New York (11 percent) and Maryland (10 percent).
Thirty graduating students are citizens from 15 foreign countries.
MAJORS AND MINORS
Seventy-eight percent of seniors graduated with one major, while 22 percent were double majors. Forty-four percent majored in an interdisciplinary field, and 31 percent majored in an international area, such as foreign languages, international studies, international business & management or area studies.
The most popular majors with this graduating class were international business & management, political science, economics, psychology, English, biology, international studies, mathematics, history and French.
Thirty-four percent of the class graduated with a declared minor, with the most popular minors being economics; Spanish; film studies; art & art history; Chinese and Italian (tie); history; anthropology, Arabic and creative writing (tie); and mathematics, political science and religion (tie).
STUDY-ABROAD AND GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT
Fifty-eight percent of the graduating class studied abroad during their undergraduate years, including 43 percent of students majoring in the sciences and 55 percent of students of color. These students studied in 32 countries on six continents.
Sixty-nine percent of women and 42 percent of men studied abroad.
Five percent of students participated in off-campus study programs such as the Washington Center.
Eleven graduates successfully completed the health-studies certificate requirements, and 17 graduates successfully completed the security-studies certificate requirements.
FULBRIGHT SCHOLARSHIPS
Five graduating seniors were awarded a Fulbright this year:
- Caroline Elkin, who graduated summa cum laude with a double major in international studies and Russian, received a Fulbright Research Scholarship to Kazakhstan.
- Jane Feldmann, who graduated cum laude with a double major in English and German, received a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship to Germany.
- Anna Leistikow, who graduated summa cum laude with a major in international studies, received a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship to Germany.
- Eric Neumeister, who graduated cum laude with a major in international studies, received a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship to Germany.
- Olivia Wilkins, who graduated magna cum laude with a double major in chemistry and mathematics, received a Fulbright Research Scholarship to Germany.
TEACH FOR AMERICA
Three seniors have accepted positions as teachers with Teach for America:
- Julie Ashton, who graduated cum laude with a major in psychology, will be teaching at the early childhood level in Tulsa.
- Carisma Bishop, who graduated magna cum laude with a major in English, will teach special education at an elementary school in Baltimore.
- Gaberella Ramos, who graduated with a double major in political science and Spanish, will teach Spanish in Baltimore.
COMMISSIONED U.S. ARMY OFFICERS
Six members of the class of 2015 will receive their commission into the United States Army as 2nd lieutenants:
- David Ashbridge, who is graduating with a major in political science, will be assigned to the U.S. Army Reserves as an Engineer Corps officer in New Jersey.
- Christopher Brogger, who graduated with a major in international studies, will be assigned to the U.S. Army Reserves as a transportation officer in New York.
- Riley Dickson, who graduated with a major in economics, will be assigned to the U.S. Army as an infantry officer at Fort Campbell, Ky.
- Sean Fay, who graduated with a major in economics, will be assigned to the U.S. Army as an infantry officer at Fort Hood, Texas.
- Walter Givhan, who graduated with a major in religion, will be assigned to the U.S. Army as a transportation officer at Fort Story, Va.
- Jason Trommer, who graduated with a major in history, will be assigned to the U.S. Army Reserves as a military police officer in New Jersey.
AMERICORPS
Six seniors have accepted positions with AmeriCorps:
- Alexandra Bennett, who graduated with a major in psychology, will provide intensive tutoring to children in grades K-2 as A Community for Education (ACE) member. She will be based in a low-income school in Austin, Texas.
- Thomas Brangs, who graduated with a major in environmental science, will serve as a biological-technician intern with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge in West Virginia.
- Molly Joyce, who graduated with a major in international studies, will join as a VISTA volunteer. She will work with the Family Resource Center and Boys and Girls Club in Anaconda, Mont.
- Sabiha Madraswalla, who graduated cum laude with a major in Spanish, will join as a City Year Corps member in Boston.
- Elizabeth Reese, who graduated with a major in biochemistry & molecular biology, will work with Buena Vista University’s civic engagement office and its BV Buddies-TeamMates mentoring program.
- Peter Yingst, who graduated with a major in sociology, will join as a City Year Corps member in Washington, D.C.
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Published May 19, 2015