35 inducted into Phi Beta Kappa at Wofford

Nation’s oldest, most widely known academic honor society 

SPARTANBURG, SC – Wofford College recently inducted 35 students and recent graduates into its chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, the nation’s oldest and most widely known academic honor society.

Inducted were:

Saif Iqbal Alimohamed, Class of 2015, Spartanburg, S.C. Alimohamed is majoring in biology and mathematics with an emphasis in computational science. He is a member of Beta Beta Beta biology honor society, Pi Mu Epsilon math honor society, the College Bowl Team, the Interfaith Youth Core and has played intramural soccer. He is the recipient of the Philip Foster Scholarship from the Departmejnt of Biology and the Gus and Maria Papadopoulos Scholarship. He held a summer undergraduate research fellowship at the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and also was a research intern at the University of Oxford. A candidate for both a bachelor of science and a bachelor of arts degree, Alimohamed plans to pursue a career as a physician.

Emily Perrin Bacher, Class of 2015, Summerville, S.C. Bacher is majoring in chemistry and mathematics. She has spent two Interims doing research at Wofford and also served as a materials co-op student at Robert Bosch LLC during the summer of 2013. In the summer of 2014 she participated in a research experience for undergraduates at the University of Notre Dame. Bacher is involved with the Wofford chapter of the American Chemical Society, Kappa Alpha Theta sorority and the Space to Impact, and she serves as a peer tutor in both the Department of Chemistry and the Department of Mathematics. Bacher plans to attend the University of Notre Dame, where she will pursue a Ph.D. in organic chemistry.

Maggie Elizabeth Bosley, Class of 2014, Charleston, S.C. Bosley graduated in May 2014 with a bachelor of science degree inchemistry. A member of the Wofford women’s soccer team, she was named to both the Southern Conference’s Honor Roll and All-Academic Team as well as being First Team All Southern Conference. Bosley participated as a student researcher in the STAR Program at Georgia Regents University and received the J. Charles Eldridge Award for Outstanding Student Training and Research Program Participant. She was the recipient of the Roper St. Francis Physicians Scholarship and the Carolina Panthers Graduate Scholarship. Bosley is enrolled at the College of Medicine at the Medical University of South Carolina.

Frances Mills Brown, Class of 2015, Florence, S.C. Brown is majoring in English and art history with a concentration in studio art. She has studied abroad in France and Amsterdam, started a graphic design business and has published a children’s book titled “The Artist’s Alphabet.” Brown undertook significant research on a body of important Southern landscapes, and her research was accepted for presentation at the National Conference for Undergraduate Research. She has had paintings accepted for display in the prestigious Artfields juried exhibition for the past three years, and currently her artwork is being exhibited in several venues. Brown has been awarded a scholarship at American University, where she will pursue a graduate degree in studio art.

Victoria Anastacio DaSilva, Class of 2015, East Greenwich, R.I. DaSilva is majoring in finance and mathematics with a minor instudio art and a concentration in applied mathematics. She has been engaged in many activities at Wofford, including the CFA Institute Research Challenge, the Math Research Group, the women’s tennis team, the Campus Union Financial Affairs Committee and the Chamber Music Trio. She currently is managing partner of the R. Michael James Student Managed Investment Fund. As part of her time working with that fund, she participated in a trip to Haiti to distribute microloans to local entrepreneurs. DaSilva was the recipient of the Old Main Scholarship and the Boyd C. Hipp II Endowed Scholarship. She has been honored with a number of awards, including the ITA All-American Team and Scholar-Athlete Award. Fluent in Portuguese, she also is an accomplished pianist, paints in various media and competes nationally in sailing. Following graduation DaSilva will join Wells Fargo Investment Bank as a financial analyst.

Grace Brannon DeMarco, Class of 2015, Marion, S.C. DeMarco is majoring in psychology with a minor in government, and she has served as a tutor in both departments. She had a research article published in the international peer-reviewed journal “Learning & Behavior” and is working to publish her senior thesis. In the summer of 2014 DeMarco carried out neuroscience research investigating the effects of anti-anxiety drugs on food palatability. She also has studied abroad in Israel, Italy and Costa Rica. DeMarco plans to pursue a master’s and doctorate degree to become a neurologist.

Tianyu John Dong, Class of 2015, Beijing, China. Dong is majoring in philosophy with minors in economics, history and mathematics. A member of the Wofford Activities Council, he also was founder and president of the Terrier Dynasty Chinese Club. Dong organized a summer camp in Beijing, China, for underprivileged elementary school students to create opportunities for them to learn harmonica-playing, jazz dance, tennis and basketball. A candidate for a bachelor of arts degree, Dong plans to work at a law firm in Indiana for a year and then attend law school.

Katherine Ann Donzella, Class of 2015, Greenville, S.C. Donzella is majoring in accounting and economics. She was the recipient of an Anna Todd Wofford Scholarship and a Hipp/Boyd Scholarship for Future Business Leaders. She has served as a Junior Marshal, an economics tutor, a resident assistant and as portfolio manager of the R. Michael James Student Managed Investment Fund. She also was one of five selected members of Wofford’s DFA Global Investment Research Challenge Team. Donzella will be attending graduate school at the University of Texas for her master’s degree in accountancy.

Michelle Elizabeth Green, Class of 2015, Johnson City, Tenn. Green is majoring in English and environmental studies. She is a member of Order of Omega, Sigma Tau Delta and Kappa Alpha Theta, where she was service and philanthropy chair. She also co-founded Let’s Read and was a member of the Terrier Consulting Group, a senior writer for the Old Gold and Black student newspaper, an Impact Scholar at The Space and a Fierce Green Fire Student Group member. A candidate for a bachelor of arts degree, Green plans to hike part of the Appalachian Trail and to travel to several national parks across the United States. Next year she plans to begin work as a strategist and operational business analyst at Deloitte in Atlanta, Ga.

Alden Davis Groves, Class of 2015, Glenside, Pa. Groves is majoring in English and has completed requirements for certification as a secondary English teacher. A participant in the Student Teacher Education Program, he has served as president, and he represented the Department of English in the Presidential Seminar. He also was active in the Ultimate Frisbee Club and was a Bible study leader in Campus Outreach and the Reformed University Fellowship. A candidate for a bachelor of arts degree, Groves has accepted a two-year internship with Reformed University Fellowship, after which he plans to pursue a career in the ministry.

Kulsoom Junaid Haq, Class of 2015, Spartanburg, S.C. Haq is majoring in French and history. She was a member of Twin Towers service organization and the French Club and holds leadership positions as president of the Muslim Student Association and supervisor of Wofford on Call. As an Impact scholar in The Space, Haq created Fantasyland, a non-profit organization aimed at providing the magic of Disney to underprivileged children in the community of Spartanburg. During Wofford’s 2014 Impact & Launch Competition, she pitched Fantasyland and won first place. Haq has pursued her passion in fashion design on-campus as costume designer for the Wofford production of “The Good Woman of Setzuan” and off-campus with two internships under Parisian designers in the fall of 2014. A candidate for a bachelor of arts degree, Haq plans to pursue graduate work at the School of Art in Chicago or Parsons: The New School for Design.

Victoria Erin Hill, Class of 2016, Indian Springs, Ala. Hill, majoring in biology, will be graduating a year early from Wofford. She is a member of Beta Beta Beta Honor Society, has served on the Student Athlete Advisory Committee and played on the Wofford women’s soccer team. She also was a member of the Southern Conference All-Conference Academic Team for three years, received the Southern Conference Commissioner’s Medal and has been named to the Dean’s List every semester of her college career. A candidate for a bachelor of science degree, Hill plans to work as a veterinary technician for a year before applying to graduate school to pursue a career as a veterinarian.

Megan Elizabeth Kauffman, Class of 2015, Fuquay Varina, N.C. Kauffman is majoring in biology and French. She received the Old Main Scholarship and the Dewitt L. Harper Scholarship. She has served as a lab teaching assistant in biology, as chaplain for Delta Delta Delta fraternity and as a volunteer at Newspring Church. A member of Wofford’s track and field team, she holds the college record for distance medley relay. Co-author of a soon-to-be-published book “Beta-Lapachone: A Natural Cure,” Kauffman was awarded the Presidential Scholarship to begin study this fall at the Campbell University School of Osteopathic Medicine in preparation for a career as an osteopathic physician.

Sarah Grace Keaveny, Class of 2015, Charleston, S.C. Keaveny is a candidate for a bachelor of arts degree in Spanish and a bachelor of science degree in biology. An Arthur Vining Davis High Impact Fellow, she also served as a Junior Marshal, was a member of Twin Towers service organization and Kappa Alpha Theta sorority. Keaveny was the co-creator of “Let’s Read” parent-child literacy program in Arcadia, S.C., and her team won the 2014 Impact & Launch Competition for that project. She also studied abroad in Chile. Keaveny will be attending the Medical University of South Carolina in the fall as she pursues a career as a physician.

Addie Elise Lawrence, Class of 2016, Duluth, Ga. Lawrence is majoring in English and philosophy. The recipient of an Anna Todd Wofford Scholarship and two South Carolina Press Association awards as well as a SCPA internship for summer 2015, she has made the Dean’s list every semester at Wofford. She is active on campus as a staff writer for the Old Gold and Black student newspaper and was selected as editor for the 2015-16 academic year. She is also a Writing Center tutor and a member of the Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity. Lawrence plans to pursue a career in journalism after she graduates from Wofford in May 2016.

Amanda Kathetine Liguori, Class of 2014, Jacksonville, Fla. Liguori graduated from Wofford in May 2014 with a degree in art history. Having been accepted into graduate programs at Florida State University and at Clemson University, she chose to defer both enrollments and to spend the year completing a prestigious internship at the Smithsonian. Liguori, a member of the Wofford volleyball team, also served on the Student Athlete Advisory Committee, participated in the Presidential Seminar and earned the art history honors award.

Nicolas Anthony Limogiannis, Class of 2015, Greer, S.C. Limogiannis is majoring in biology and computer science with a minor in mathematics and an emphasis in computational science. While at Wofford, he has participated in the Jazz Band, been a tutor and teaching assistant and was a member of Reformed University Fellowship and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. As a Papadopoulos Scholar, he has been conducting bioinformatics cancer research at Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System. During the past year he has presented talks on his research at the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics Conference in Chicago and the Computational Science and Engineering Conference in Salt Lake City. Following graduation in May, Limogiannis will continue his research with plans to pursue and an M.D. and Ph.D. in the future.

Mary Kathryn Macklen, Class of 2015, Irmo, S.C. Macklen is majoring in English, with certification to teach English in secondary schools, and completing a concentration in African/African-American Studies. A member and team captain of the Wofford women’s soccer team, she has served on the Student Athlete Advisory Committee and worked as a peer tutor in the Writing Center. She was the recipient of an Anna Todd Wofford Scholarship and a Wofford Athletic Scholarship and was named to the Southern Conference All Academic Team each of her four years at Wofford. She also was awarded the Columbia University Teachers College Scholarship. A candidate for a bachelor of arts degree, Macklen plans to pursue a master of education degree in social analysis at Teachers College, Columbia University.

Mariya Abbas Mohammed, Class of 2015, Spartanburg, S.C. Mohammed is majoring in biology and Spanish. She has held leadership positions in the service fraternity Alpha Phi Omega and the biology honor society Beta Beta Beta. During two study abroad experiences she spent a semester in Granada, Spain, and an Interim studying the health care industry in Santiago, Chile. She also has completed three summer internships exploring various facets of health care. A candidate for both a bachelor of arts and a bachelor of science degree, Mohammed will continue her studies as a scholarship recipient of the Wake Forest University School of Medicine.

Savannah Paige Murray, Class of 2015, Candler, N.C. Murray is an environmental studies and history major. A member of the Wofford Dance Team and a sister of the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority, she also has worked as a laboratory teaching assistant in biology and as an outreach/education intern at Wofford’s Goodall Environmental Studies Center. She took first place in poetry in this year’s Helmus Creative Writing Contest. A candidate for both a bachelor of arts and a bachelor of science degree, Murray plans to begin graduate work at Appalachian State University, where she has been offered an editorial assistantship at the Appalachian Journal.

Nicholas Jay Napier, Class of 2015, Roebuck, S.C. Napier is majoring in biology with a minor in computer science and an emphasis in computational science. A recipient of numerous academic scholarships, he worked as a bioinformatics intern at the Gibbs Cancer Research Institute. He also developed his own honors course where he independently explored the primary scientific research literature concerning the influence of the environment on changes in the mammalian epigenome. A candidate for a bachelor of science degree, Napier plans to begin a career as a bioinformaticist before attending graduate school.

Jayce Lee O’Shields, Class of 2015, Union, S.C. O’Shields is majoring in biology and humanities with a concentration in gender studies. A member of the Honor Council, Twin Towers service organization and Alpha Epsilon Delta, he also is the recipient of the prestigious Daniel Scholarship. O’Shields studied abroad in Copenhagen, Denmark, where he received an Academic Excellence Award in Medical Practice and Policy. He completed his senior capstone in gender studies by hosting Wofford’s First Drag Show, where he and others illustrated gender as performance and the advantages of diversity inclusion. A candidate for a bachelor of arts and a bachelor of science degree, O’Shields will be joining Teach For America to teach chemistry to middle and high school students.

Katherine Jill Pellon, Class of 2015, West Simsbury, Conn. Pellon is majoring in accounting, finance and Spanish. She has served as a member of the Twin Towers service organization, a research associate with the R. Michael James Student Managed Investment Fund and a Wofford Ambassador. Pellon studied abroad in Alicante, Spain, and volunteered with the United Way Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program preparing tax returns for low-income Spartanburg residents. Following graduation, Pellon will travel to Haiti with student representatives of the James Fund to renew the fund’s microloans to local entrepreneurs. A candidate for a bachelor of arts degree, she will begin her career as a management consultant with Ernst & Young in its financial services consulting practice.

Lindsey Grace Perret, Class of 2015, Charleston, S.C. Perret is majoring in Spanish with concentrations in Latin American and Caribbean Studies and gender studies. She was a co-founder of Arcadia Volunteer Corps, and she helped design and launch the Reading Buddies program, complete with a special reading room for Arcadia Elementary School first graders. She also has been active with Alpha Phi Omega, Sigma Delta Pi Spanish Honor Society, Twin Towers service organization and Spectrum. A Bonner Scholar, she was Wofford’s 31st Presidential International Scholar and conducted research in Nicaragua, Mexico and the Dominican Republic. She also studied abroad in Argentina. Perret plans a career in non-profit administration.

Carol Wagih Sadek, Class of 2015, Mount Pleasant, S.C. Sadek is majoring in computer science and mathematics with a concentration in computational science. She is a member of the Math Club and the Math Research Group and has tutored for both mathematics and computer science. Sadek was inducted into the mathematics honor society Pi Mu Epsilon, received Honorable Mention for the COMAP mathematical modeling competition and was a finalist for the CCSE-SE regional computer science competition. She also did summer research at the Oak Ridge National Laboratories and with the NSA. A candidate for both a bachelor of arts and a bachelor of science degree, Sadek will pursue her Ph.D. in applied mathematics at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill.

Mahalia Chante Sapp, Class of 2015, Bamberg, S.C. Sapp is majoring in accounting and mathematics. She has participated in the research experience for undergraduate summer programs in mathematics at Worcester Polytechnic Institute and at St. Mary’s College of Maryland. This spring she was a volunteer in the United Way Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program preparing tax returns for low-income Spartanburg residents. A candidate for a bachelor of arts degree, Sapp plans to pursue a master’s degree in accounting at Wake Forest University, where she has been awarded a full scholarship.

Chad William Sauvola, Class of 2015, Greer, S.C. Sauvola is majoring in art history and biology. He has served as a peer tutor and lab assistant for the Department of Biology and was co-planner for Wofford’s Brain Awareness Week. He was named the South Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities Undergraduate Student of the Year in 2014. In addition to holding a visiting research position at the University of Copenhagen during a semester abroad, he also participated in summer undergraduate research programs at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill and MIT. A candidate for a bachelor of arts and a bachelor of science degree, Sauvola plans to return to MIT to pursue a Ph.D. in neurobiology in the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences.

Erin Elizabeth Simmonds, Class of 2015, Baldwinsville, N.Y. Simmonds is majoring in French, history and religion. A Daniel Scholar, she also received the Lewis P. Jones Scholarship and the Paula Binovec Scholarship. She has served on the Wofford Athletics and Recreation Committee and is active in the French Club. Simmonds spent a semester studying abroad in Aix-en-Provence, France, and recently was inducted into Pi Delta Phi National French Honor Society. A candidate for a bachelor of arts degree, Simmonds has been accepted a Divinity School Scholarship at the University of Chicago Divinity School.

Julia Marianne Smith, Class of 2016, Sumter, S.C. Smith is majoring in psychology and intercultural studies. She studied abroad in Tanzania, where she carried out an independent research project that compared two villages, one served by an international NGO and the other not. After returning to Wofford, she became president of Jambo Africa, an on-campus organization for sharing African cultures. She also worked with the Arcadia Volunteer Corps and as a tutor for an afterschool program for first graders. Smith plans to pursue a Ph.D. in social psychology and continue her research into factors that contribute to helping behavior.

Margaret Alice Stroud, Class of 2015, Chapin, S.C. Stroud is majoring in biology with a minor in business. She has served on the Honor Council, as president of the senior class and as a member of the Orientation Staff. She also served as president of Kappa Delta Sorority. During her junior year, she completed a study abroad experience that allowed her to study health and community in New Orleans, India, Argentina and South Africa. Following her study abroad, she participated in an Aspen Institute internship, where she discovered her desire to enter the field of education. A candidate for a bachelor of science degree, Stroud will enter the Teach For America program, teaching high school science this summer.

Travis Nathaniel Eaton Trojan, Class of 2015, Drayton, S.C. Trojan is majoring in Chinese and German and completing a concentration in gender studies. He is a Dean’s List student, has been a student fellow in the Arthur Vining Davis Foundation High Impact Fellows and has presented twice at Wofford’s annual Conference on Gender. Trojan has served as co-president of Delta Phi Alpha German National Honor Society. He co-founded the Terrier Dynasty, Wofford’s Chinese club, and has served as president and goodwill ambassador. Trojan recently received a scholarship to attend graduate school at Carnegie Mellon University. He will teach in Taiwan as a Fulbright Scholar. A candidate for a bachelor of arts degree, Trojan plans to pursue a career as a modern language professor.

Justin William Whitaker, Class of 2015, Free Home, Ga. Whitaker is majoring in physics and mathematics with a minor incomputer science and an emphasis in computational science. A member of Wofford’s cross country and indoor and outdoor track and field teams, he served on the Student Athlete Advisory Committee and founded the McCarthy Teszler Committee, which helps student-athletes serve at a local school for special needs children and adults. Whitaker was the recipient of the John Wesley Scholarship, the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation Honorable Mention, and the 2014 American Meteorological Society’s Guillermo Salazar Rodriguez Undergraduate Scholarship. Whitaker plans to pursue a Ph.D. in atmosphere science at Colorado State University.

Harmony Karole White, Class of 2015, Elgin, S.C. White is majoring in biology and mathematics. She has been a member of Spectrum and has served as vice president of the theatre fraternity Alpha Psi Omega. A teaching assistant for the Department of Biology, she also tutored students in mathematics. White has been a part of six theatre productions. A candidate for a bachelor of science degree, White plans to work as Wofford’s biology lab coordinator and then seek research opportunities involving big cats.

Alissa Marie Williams, Class of 2015, Kentwood, Mich. Williams is majoring in biology and computer science with a minor inmathematics and an emphasis in computational science. She has been a member of Wofford’s cross country, indoor track and outdoor track teams. She also is a member of Beta Beta Beta biology honor society. A 2014 Goldwater Scholar, she had summer research internships at Harvard Medical School, Cold Springs Harbor and the European Bioinformatics Institute in Cambridge, England. A candidate for a bachelor of arts and a bachelor of science degree, Williams plans to pursue a Ph.D. in computational biology at the University of California Berkeley.

Haiwen Zhang, Class of 2015, Beijing, China. Zhang is majoring inbiology. A member of the Alpha Phi Omega National Service Fraternity, he has served as a volunteer at the Spartanburg Regional Hospital Outpatient Center. He placed third in fiction writing in the Wofford College Helmus Creative Writing Contest in 2014. Zhang has conducted independent research exploring antibacterial antibiotic cross-resistance, and he was a research intern at the Medical University of South Carolina training in craniofacial and oral health research. A candidate for a bachelor of science degree, Zhang will pursue a D.M.D. degree at the College of Dental Medicine at the Medical University of South Carolina.

Wofford College received its chapter of Phi Beta Kappa at the 1940 triennial meeting of the United Chapters of Phi Beta Kappa.