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A number of local students made the dean’s list at their respective schools for the summer term. Colleges and universities are just now releasing the data from the June through August sessions. This year, that includes Jason Caputo for the University of Maryland Global Campus. The Farmville native earned Dean’s List honors by completing at least six credits during the term, achieving a grade point average of at least 3.5 for the term, and maintaining a cumulative GPA of 3.5 at UMGC.

He wasn’t the only one either. At Southern New Hampshire University, both Brittany Noel of New Canton and Jocelyn Selah of Cartersville made the dean’s list. At Southern New Hampshire, the summer term is a bit longer, stretching from May to August. Full-time undergraduate students who have earned a minimum grade-point average of 3.500 to 3.699 for the reporting term are named to the Dean’s List. Full-time status is achieved by earning 12 credits over each 16-week term or paired 8-week terms grouped in fall, winter/spring, and summer.

Middle school news program launches

At Prince Edward Middle School, the morning news program has officially started, giving students a chance to get involved with the world of broadcasting. 

Those selected are receiving training in various roles, including sound, editing, producing, lighting, and broadcasting. This student-led program delivers daily announcements to the student body, while also allowing participants to explore different aspects of production. Students say the creative freedom given enables them to personalize the show and make it their own. 

“This is the second year of the middle school news program. This program is a fantastic way for our students to develop new skills and express their creativity,” said Mrs. Shelly Clark-Reed, Principal of Prince Edward County Middle School. “We’re excited to see how they’ll continue to grow and innovate throughout the year.”

Thomas named Campbell semi-finalist

Hampden-Sydney College senior defensive end Will Thomas has been named a semifinalist for the 2024 William V. Campbell Trophy. That’s college football’s top scholar-athlete award, known as the “Academic Heisman”. Thomas is among a record number of 203 semifinalists from all divisions, while the only one from the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) and among the 44 selected from NCAA Division III-the new highwater mark eclipses the 201 nominees in 2023.

He is Hampden-Sydney’s fifth consecutive semifinalist for the award, following Tyler Howerton ’21, Kaleb Smith ’22, Michael Harris ’23 and George Langhammer ’24-Howerton went on to become one of 12 finalists for the prestigious award in 2020.

Will Thomas is a four-time Dean’s List honoree majoring in English with a minor in Spanish and has attained a 3.40 GPA. He is a recipient of the Harrison Honors Scholarship and the Penshurst Scholarship, and participated in the Global Education Spanish Immersion Program at Instituto Franklin, Universidad de Alcalá, in Madrid, Spain this past summer. Will has been inducted into the Phi Sigma Iota National Foreign Language Honor Society and the Sigma Tau Delta English Honor Society, is a member of the Spanish Club, and has one publication at the College, as well: Thomas, William G. “Timeless Words.” 

Hampden-Sydney reaches 103

One more thing to mention about Hampden-Sydney before we go. The school has now been ranked as No. 103 among the 2025 Best Colleges by U.S. News & World Report. Now in its 40th year, the rankings evaluate nearly 1,500 national colleges and universities on up to 17 measures of academic quality and place an emphasis on social mobility and outcomes for graduating college students.

The rankings offer detailed information of the institutions and data on factors such as outcome measures — including graduation rates, graduate indebtedness and post-graduate earnings.