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University of Richmond

Class of 2009

The Jepson School's 16th graduating class numbered 56 -- 38 majors and 18 minors. Representing 7 percent of the University’s graduating class of 756 students, Jepson seniors accounted for 7 percent of students admitted into Phi Beta Kappa, 19 percent of students admitted into Mortar Board and 18 percent of students admitted into Omicron Delta Kappa. Many Jepson graduates took on honors work, played leadership roles on campus and received fellowships for research or to support their internships. Graduates report next-step activities including moves, travel, graduate school and jobs in various fields. Senior plans, Senior Recognition Ceremony Speech

Honors and Accomplishments

The James McGregor Burns Award. The Burns Award is presented to a graduating senior in recognition of his/her accomplishments as a student in the Jepson School of Leadership Studies. The winner of the award has demonstrated an outstanding grasp of the body of knowledge associated with leadership studies; excelled in his/her studies at the University generally; been actively involved in service to the community, School and University; shown an ability to generalize and apply leadership theory and research in unique and imaginative ways; and displayed the capacity both to lead others and help others lead themselves. In 2009 there were two recipients: John Andrew Frank and Xenia Corali Schneider.

Senior Honors Thesis. The honors track provides students the opportunity to develop a research project in a particular area of leadership studies and to spend a full academic year working on this project with a Jepson faculty member. Students are expected to engage in rigorous and original research that will enrich and complement their previous study of leadership and contribute to the academic community of the Jepson School. The students listed below completed a senior honors thesis and graduated with honors in leadership studies. John Frank presented his research at the annual Arts & Sciences Symposium.

Anthony James DeRosa Deliberative Democracy at the Local Level
    Advisor:  Thad Williamson     View Presentation

John Andrew Frank Reducing the Negative Attitudes of Religious Fundamentalists Toward Homosexuals
    Advisor: Crystal L. Hoyt     View Presentation

Rachel Meredith Hull Political Socialization and the Youth Vote: A Study of Political Engagement During the 2008 Election
    Advisor: George R. Goethals     View Presentation

Laura Elizabeth Musser Empathy, Group-level Guilt and Identification: Measuring Their Relationship Through Past American-Cambodian Relations
    Advisor: Donelson R. Forsyth     View Presentation

Xenia Corali Schneider Treating Animals Right: Introducing a New Fairness Approach
    Advisor: Terry L. Price     View Presentation

William W. Stanton VII  Sex, Power and Deep Diversity
    Advisor: Donelson R. Forsyth     View Presentation

The Clarence J. Gray Achievement Award. The C.J. Gray Awards are given to one graduating senior in each of the four schools who is a member of both Phi Beta Kappa or Beta Gamma Sigma and Omicron Delta Kappa or Mortar Board and has an outstanding four-year record in scholastic achievement and leadership. The 2009 recipient is Xenia Corali Schneider.

Class of 1964 Scholarship. This award goes to one student in each of the four undergraduate schools on the basis of character, leadership and scholarship. Jepson's recipient is Lindsay A. Petty.

The George Matthews Modlin Book Award for Student Book Collections. Established in 1971 by the University faculty in honor of Chancellor Emeritus Modlin, awarded to the senior with the best personal library collection. The 2009 recipient was Rebecca S. Frazier.

The John Neasmith Dickinson Research Awards for Undergraduates. Established in 1977 in memory of Mr. Dickinson by his family and friends, awarded to a biology major and a psychology major to aid in carrying out research projects during the recipients’senior year. A double major in psychology and leadership studies, Rebecca S. Frazier received this award for her research in psychology.

The Austin E. Grigg and Helen W. Grigg Award for Excellence in Psychology. Established in 1998 in memory of Dr. and Mrs. Grigg by their son and friends, awarded to the graduate who best combines academic excellence, leadership, and outstanding promise in the field of psychology. The winner of this year’s award was Rebecca S. Frazier.

The Nick Carter Award. Established in honor of Nick Carter, a 1921 graduate of Richmond College, awarded to the Richmond College student who makes an outstanding contribution to the male student government program. The 2009 award went to Isaac C. Aaron.

Phi Beta Kappa Academic Honor Society. Anthony J. DeRosa, Rebecca S. Frazier, and Xenia C. Schneider are members of Phi Beta Kappa, the nation’s most prestigious academic honor society.

Beta Gamma Sigma Business Honor Society. Kathleen A. Scrimale and Amy B. Shockley were inducted into Beta Gamma Sigma, the international honor society serving business programs accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) International.

Omicron Delta Kappa Society. This national leadership honor society recognizes and encourages superior scholarship, leadership and exemplary character. These seniors were selected to join: Adrian L. Bitton, Jenny C. Boylan, Anthony J. DeRosa, John A. Frank, Rebecca S. Frazier, Amanda E. Friend, Rachel Meredith Hull, Laura E. Musser, Lindsay A. Petty, Xenia C. Schneider, Kathleen A. Scrimale and William W. Stanton.

Mortar Board National Leadership Honor Society. Rachel Meredith Hull, Laura E. Musser, Xenia C. Schneider, Kathleen A. Scrimale and William W. Stanton are members of Mortar Board, the nation’s oldest national college senior honor society, recognizing leadership, service and academic achievement.

Presidential Student-Athlete Citation. This award goes to female and male graduating student-athletes with the highest grade point average. To be eligible, the student-athletes must have been on an intercollegiate athletics sports team a minimum of three years and lettered in the sport two years (one of these two years must be in the senior year). The female award went to Xenia C. Schneider.

Scholar Student-Athletes. A scholar student-athletes must have contributed significantly to the Intercollegiate Athletics Program and have a 3.0 or higher GPA. Jepson's 2009 student-athletes were Amanda E. Friend, lacrosse, Thomas Duncan McLean, basketball and Xenia C. Schneider, tennis.

Leadership Studies Honor Society. The Leadership Studies Honors Society recognizes outstanding academic achievement in leadership studies. To be eligible for membership, a student must be a major in the top 10 percent of the class, with a leadership studies GPA of 3.5 or higher and a cumulative overall GPA of at least 3.2. Honorees were Anthony J. DeRosa, John A. Frank, Xenia C. Schneider, Kathleen A. Scrimale and William W. Stanton.

Jepson  Student Government Association. The 2008-09 president was Lisa A. Sinkovitz. Other officers were: Amy B. Shockley, Vice President for Administration/Finance; Anthony J. DeRosa, Vice President for Academic Affairs; Amanda E. Friend, Vice President for Student Affairs, and Julia E. Nouss, Vice President for Public Relations.

Research and Fellowship

Burrus Fellows were Christian F. Amendola, Deanna M. Boyd, Margaret L. Deichman, Amanda E. Friend, Brian J. Holcomb and Emily F. Nowlan. Friends of Robert Burrus created the Robert L. Burrus Jr. Fellowship Program for Developing Leaders to honor the former chairman and senior partner of McGuireWoods LLP, who is also a former rector of the University’s board of trustees. The program began in 2004. Details

The Keck Fellow was Rachel Meredith Hull. The Keck Initiative is a collaboration between three universities to integrate topics of responsible leadership across liberal arts disciplines. The Keck fellows grant provides annual support for stipends for undergraduate students to pursue a research project stemming from a Keck course. The first Keck fellowships were awarded to students conducting research during the summer of 2006. Details

United States Naval Academy Leadership Conference. Christian F. Amendola and Jennifer L. Hofman served as student representatives.

Accomplishments, Interests and Activities

Members of Jepson’s 2009 class served in many key campus roles, among them were:

  • Isaac C. Aaron served as head resident in University Forest Apartments and served on the Academic Affairs Committee for the Richmond College Student Government Association.
  • Adrian L. Bitton served as President of Lambda Pi Eta, was a student representative for the Common Ground Action Committee, a student representative for the Undergraduate Admission Committee, and a Speech Center consultant.
  • Jenny C. Boylan was President of the Volunteer Action Council.
  • Louisa A. Brody chaired the Student Affairs Committee, the External Affairs Committee and the Restructure, and Constitution Revision Committee in the Westhampton College Government Association Senate.
  • Mary Margaret T. Colleary served as Campus Activities Board president and Pi Beta Phi sorority vice president of administration.
  • Matthew M. Counihan served on the Richmond College Judicial Council.
  • Maggie L. Deichman served as a Jepson Student Government Association senator.
  • Hunter G. Cuniff was a Bonner Scholar.
  • Christine J. Datt majored in business administration with finance concentration and minored in leadership studies.
  • Anthony J. DeRosa was president of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity, vice president of academic affairs for the Jepson Student Government Association, and vice president of community service for Omicron Delta Kappa.
  • Colleen C. Farrell majored in economics and double minored in leadership studies and women, gender and sexuality studies. 
  • Jessica J. Fleskes was a member of the Jepson Student Government Association.
  • John A. Frank was elected member of the Community Board for Gender and Sexual Diversity.
  • Rebecca S. Frazier doubled majored in psychology and cognitive science and double minored in leadership sudies and women, gender and sexuality studies. She was president of ODK, president of Psi Chi, vice president of intellectual development and vice president of communications for Alpha Chi Omega sorority, a Psychology Department teaching fellow, and a family cluster co-chair for the Peer Advising and Mentoring Program.
  • Michael E. Fredrickson majored in business administration with finance concentration and minored in leadership studies.
  • Amanda E. Friend was president of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee, vice president of student affairs for the Jepson Student Government Association, and Varsity Lacrosse captain. Mandy also represented the Richmond Student-Athletes at the NCAA Leadership Conference.
  • Shanaya J. Fullerton majored in English and double minored in women, gender and sexuality studies and leadership studies.
  • Christopher Genualdi served on the Senior Class Cabinet.
  • Jennifer L. Hoffman was a member of the Phi Eta Sigma honor society.
  • Brian J. Holcomb served as a Writing Center tutor and was a Burrus Fellow.
  • Brett Holtzman was a member of the Collegiate Disaster Relief Team officer, a manager of the Phonathon, and vice president of Pi Kappa Alpha.
  • Rachel Meredith Hull was Westhampton College Judicial Council chair, Mortar Board president, facility supervisor at the Weinstein Center for Recreation and Wellness, and Delta Gamma apparel chair.
  • Rebecca L. Kauffman was vice president of administration for the Campus Activities Board and director of activities for Delta Gamma.
  • Julian D. Kurlan co-chaired music on the Campus Activities Board and served as a senator on the Jepson Student Government Association.
  • Sarah A. Latimer majored in history and minored in leadership studies.
  • Jennifer L. Lewis majored in leadership studies and minored in history
  • Michael M. Mattes double majored in leadership studies and economics.
  • Robert A. Mazzanti was an undergraduate admissions intern, Club Tennis president, and an ESL instructor at a local church.
  • Thomas Duncan McLean played on the UR men’s basketball team.
  • Theodore M. Mangan was president of Delta Epsilon Chi.
  • Mark L. Mendez was vice president of student affairs for the Richmond College Student Government Association.
  • Amelia B. Meadows majored in international studies with a world politics and diplomacy concentration and double minored in Latin American and Iberian studies and leadership studies.
  • Katherine G. Messenger majored in business administration with a marketing concentration and minored in leadership studies.
  • Deanna Boyd Meyer was a Bonner Scholar.
  • Katie L Moscarino was a Speech Center consultant and fellow and recording secretary of Kappa Kappa Gamma.
  • Caitlin M. Murray majored in rhetoric and communication studies and minored in leadership studies.
  • Laura Elizabeth Musser was vice president of social standards for Delta Gamma, vice president of web development and advertising for ODK, and a Career Development Center peer advisor. She also served as a French teaching assistant.
  • Paul Matthew Negrin majored in political science and minored in leadership studies.
  • Emily J. Neuberger served as a Class of 2009 Cabinet member.
  • Julia Elise Nouss was vice president of Kappa Kappa Gamma, vice president of Jepson Student Government Association, a White House intern and a member of the UR Women’s Varsity Golf Team.
  • Emily F. Nowlan was an Orientation advisor and a Burrus Fellow.
  • Lindsay Ann Petty chaired the Westhampton College Honor Council.
  • Abigail M. Rodriguez was a senator for the Westhampton College Class of 2009 and vice president of membership for Delta Delta Delta.
  • Allison W. Rosser was a member of the Westhampton College Judicial Council.
  • Patrick Hunter Scanlan was president of Kappa Alpha Order, a senator for the Richmond College Student Government Association, and a UR Strategic Plan group member.
  • Garrett M. Schlein was recording secretary for Phi Gamma Delta fraternity and publicity chair for Choeur Du Roi.
  • Xenia Corali Schneider was captain of the UR Women’s Tennis Team, a senator and vice president of the Jepson Student Government Association, a Student-Athlete Advisory Committee member, and a peer-advising associate.
  • Kathleen Ann Scrimale was education chair for the Honor Council, vice president of administration for the Panhellenic Council, a student admissions representative, new member coordinator for Pi Beta Phi, and an orientation advisor.
  • Amy B. Shockley was a tutor, a Jepson Student Government Association senator, a Westhampton College Government Association 2009 Class Cabinet member, and a ministry assistant at Intervarsity.
  • Lisa A. Sinkovitz was president of the Jepson Student Government Association, a Richard S. Reynolds Jr. scholarship recipient, and a Burrus Fellow. She also received the Donchian Foundation Travel Grant Award.
  • William W. Stanton VII founded and served as president of the UR Skateboard Club, served as vice president of Mortar Board, was a student representative for the Jepson Scholarship and New Member Selection Committees, and a member of the Jepson Student Government Association. Will was also an editorialist for The Collegian.
  • Terese R. Tornincaso was a member of the Catholic Student Association Leadership Team.
  • Andrew E. Werner majored in leadership studies and minored in business administration.
  • Paige D. Wigginton served as a senator for the Westhampton College Government Association, a senior intern at the Bonner Center, a CCE student coordinator, and vice president of membership of Delta Gamma.