D3hoops.com has placed Oglethorpe University's Women's Basketball junior center Savannah LeGate on its All-South Region second team. It marked the second career all-region honor for the Stormy Petrel. She earned her second career All-South Region honor from D3hoops.com after nabbing first-team honors and winning the region's Rookie of the Year award in 2018. Legate garnered All-SAA (Southern Athletic Association) first-team honors in early March, marking the third all-conference distinction of her career. She earned SAA Tournament MVP honors, doubling up with back-to-back performances of 24 points and at least 12 rebounds over the final two rounds of the event. LeGate continued that run into the NCAA tournament, recording double-doubles in each of the Petrels' two games. She served as the top offensive rebounder in the region, finishing 20th in the nation in the category with 4.7 per game. She also finished third regionally in double-doubles (14), fourth in total rebounds (279), sixth in rebounds per game (9.3) and ninth in field goal percentage (49.1).

On February 22, Oglethorpe University students participated in a beautification project at Piedmont Park in Atlanta, as a part of Oglethorpe's civic engagement Service Saturday program. The program is designed to expose students to diverse communities around Atlanta and their service needs. When reflecting on the experience, student volunteer Justin Bennett said, "I was really happy when Erica [a horticulturalist who led the project] said that she really appreciated our work and that we were the best group she has had." The Service Saturday volunteers included the following Oglethorpe students: Victor Navarrete Skylar Buggs Andrea Carlos Natalia (Taly) Torrens-Soto Jazmyne Everett Justin Bennett Kaniya Bates Lillian Coleman

Sophomore Jalina Rodriguez of the Oglethorpe women's lacrosse team has been named the OU Female Athlete of the Week. Rodriguez led Oglethorpe to a 14-11 win over Truett McConnell University. The Stormy Petrel midfielder finished with five ground balls, six caused turnovers, and totaled two goals on four shots. She currently holds the early SAA lead in caused turnovers with those six, while also placing herself in the top three in ground balls. Rodriguez also earned Southern Athletic Association Women's Lacrosse Defensive Player of the Week honors for her performance.

Congratulations to the 428 students named to Oglethorpe University's Fall 2019 Dean's List, honoring those who achieved at least a 3.50 term grade-point average while earning 12 or more semester hours.

English and Comparative Literature major Lexi Covalsen '20 was recently awarded the Davies-Jackson Scholarship to pursue a second Bachelor of Arts degree in English at St. John's College at the University of Cambridge. Her studies will begin in October following her graduation from Oglethorpe in May 2020. Covalsen is one of only two students in the U.S. who were awarded the Davies-Jackson Scholarship. This award, which covers the full cost of the program, presents a unique opportunity for first-generation recent college graduates with exceptional academic records. Scholarship recipients have the opportunity to take the more advanced courses of study of a Cambridge degree course and qualify for a Cambridge B.A. in two years instead of the usual three. The degree is usually considered the equivalent of a U.S. master's degree due to its academic rigor, the international travel opportunities available, and the career preparation provided during the course of study. The Council of Independent Colleges, of which Oglethorpe is a member, assists the scholarship's U.S. Selection Committee in administering the program. Oglethorpe students are eligible via the university's CIC membership. Previously, Covalsen was the recipient of the 2018 Summer ESU Dr. Manning Pattillo, Jr. Travel Scholarship. This award covered tuition, program costs, and airfare expenses in the U.K. while Covalsen studied at Oxford University in London for two weeks. In this program, her course focused on Shakespeare studies led by Dr. Robert Hornback, professor of English. "I know I would not be where I am today without all the support I've received from Oglethorpe," said Covalsen. "I would also not have been able to achieve this opportunity to study at Cambridge without the guidance and community my professors and fellow Ogles have given me these past four years."

The election results for Oglethorpe University's student organization Students Today, Alumni Tomorrow (STAT) 2020 leadership have been announced. The following students will lead the student organization for the next year: President: Michael Woods Vice President: Elijah Istre Treasurer: Sharon Olubajo Secretary: Jakeb Sanders PR/Marketing: Imisha Sayani STAT strives to create connections between students and alumni, to provide networking opportunities for students, to work together to uphold cherished Oglethorpe traditions, and to benefit the entire Oglethorpe community in any way possible. The following students will join the Executive Officers in carrying out all that STAT does for the university and its alumni: Mikayla Carter Kelli Bryant Makayla Adams Sukrat aloboh-bakare Fantasia Smith BreAnna Malone Deanna Long Megan Heintz Melinda O'Connor Aaliya Adame Alyssa Givance Rachel Lester Kathryn Thompson Alivia Mattiace Lauren Adams Karah Lindsey Ally Benisek Emma Istre Kushboo Patel Jalia Killings Miguel Enea

Oglethorpe University's Oyinlola (Lola) Oyinloye '21, a politics and economics major, was selected to receive a full scholarship to attend the recent 2019 Forbes Under 30 Scholar Summit held in Detroit, October 27-30, 2019. Oyinloye is a graduate of Sprayberry High School in Marietta, Ga. Touted as the "world's greatest event for entrepreneurs," the annual Summit welcomed 1000 diverse college students and future leaders, looking to grow their network and gain new life experiences in their fields. The immersive experience provides opportunities for learning and accelerated networking in the fields of technology, entertainment, finance, fashion, food, philanthropy and more. Scholars heard from special guests like Serena Williams, Kevin Durant, and Olivia Munn, participated in a service day, and enjoyed a music and food festival. Through the scholarship program, Forbes aims to ensure that a diverse set of high-achieving students from universities across the country are able to engage in the conference program. Scholars are evaluated and selected based on various criteria, including a written statement on how they embody the "Under 30" principles of leadership and innovation. While at Oglethorpe, Oyinloye has been proactive in pursuing experiential learning opportunities, including a recent summer internship on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. On campus, she has served on honor council and as a residence assistant, and is a member of Epsilon Iota Psi Sorority, International Justice Mission, Black Student Caucus, African Student Association, LEAD Campus Ministry, and Bethel Campus Fellowship. "The resources on campus, from the Career Development Center to the faculty, have been major contributors to my success," said Oyinloye. "It is very easy to find your niche and be a leader on campus because we have diverse clubs (and) organizations. Just the overall atmosphere of the community is inspiring, and it encourages me to do more. With every opportunity I am presented with, I aim to represent Oglethorpe University and its values well."

Graduating senior Gillian Rabin was awarded the Sally Hull Weltner Award for Scholarship at the university's commencement ceremony on May 18, 2019. The award honors the student in the graduating class who has attained the highest grade-point average with the greatest number of hours in course work completed at the university. This award is given annually in loving memory of Sally Hull Weltner, wife of Dr. Philip Weltner, president of Oglethorpe University from 1944-1953.

Eighteen Oglethorpe University students were inducted into the national leadership honor society Omicron Delta Kappa on December 6, 2019: Andrew James Aycock Erin Raquel Battaglia Fatima-Ezzahra Boumahdi Jasmine Darius Nyree S. Dowdy Samantha Joy Foster Daira J. Galindo Navarro Jalisa Kassam Olivia Grace Kelly Roi Levi Michael Dean Masi II Yesha Nayee Oyinlola Oyinloye Khushboo Patel Mikayla Ries Fernanda Stelzer Rodrigues Lane T. Sticher Talia J. Weinstein Omicron Delta Kappa is a highly selective national leadership honor society that encourages and rewards the highest standards of excellence for young leaders and innovators at universities nationwide. ODK's mission is to identify, honor and develop leaders in collegiate and community life; encourage collaboration among students, faculty, staff and alumni to advance leadership; and to promote and publicize its ideals. Oglethorpe University's ODK Circle was established in 1976 and remains a vital, thriving part of the campus today. Initiation into the circle is one of the highest honors an Oglethorpe student can achieve.

Oglethorpe University junior Claudine Niyonsenga has received the U.S. Department of State's Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship to study abroad during the 2019 spring semester. Niyonsenga, a Business Administration major, will attend the Council On International Educational Exchange (CIEE) Open Campus program, where she will earn credits in three cities and countries: Buenos Aires, Argentina; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; and Santiago, Chile. The Gilman Scholarship Program broadens the student population that studies and interns abroad by supporting undergraduates who might not otherwise participate due to financial constraints. The program encourages students to study and intern in a diverse array of countries and world regions, with an emphasis on foreign language study, especially critical need languages deemed important to national security. By supporting undergraduate students who have high financial need, the program has been successful in supporting students who have been historically underrepresented in education abroad

Oglethorpe University students Caroline Chamberlain '19 and Victoria Lindbergh '18 worked side-by-side as interns at Oglethorpe's Pegasus Creative student communications agency last semester. This fall, through her internship at Hive Talent Acquisition Firm, Chamberlain recruited Lindbergh, a recent grad, helping her to land a job at Atlanta design firm Yellow Bungalow. A senior Human Resource Management major, Chamberlain has interned with Hive since summer 2018. She is able to work both in the firm's shared office environment, as well as on her own schedule from Oglethorpe's campus. As part of her position, Chamberlain helps with creative HR solutions and staffing. "At my internship, I actually have a curriculum... I'm learning the business development side and the recruiting side," Chamberlain explains. "My favorite part is the real-world experience I'm getting and that I feel like an employee." While helping her peers land jobs, Chamberlain has also managed to do the same for herself. She has been offered a full-time position with the company after graduation. Watch a video about Chamberlain's internship experience.

The Student Government Association recently held freshman class elections to fill president, senator, and programming board vacancies. These students will meet weekly as part of SGA to discuss campus issues, bring awareness to student concerns, and work to administer the student activities fee.

The Jazzy Petrels, Oglethorpe's jazz ensemble, recently performed at St. James Methodist Church in Brookhaven, offering a line-up of jazz standards from Coltrane, Ellington and Gershwin, plus several Lennon/McCartney songs. Directed by Dr. Brent Runnels, the group has seen a significant increase in instrumentalists this semester, and with that, instrumental variety. The ensemble's growth is due in part to the migration of some instrumentalists from Oglethorpe Winds. With the Winds on a hiatus during fall semester, the music department wanted to ensure those students still had the chance to participate in an ensemble. During the hiatus, the Winds program will be revamped, based in part on feedback from an upcoming student survey. "We'd like to relaunch the Winds program in a way that encourages and maximizes student participation," said Dr. Runnels, Oglethorpe's director of music. "Eventually we'd like to have multiple ensembles-both classical and jazz-that will give students the opportunity to explore different musical genres." The Jazzy Petrels include: Alexander Oakley, alto saxophone Rachel Bacchus, trumpet Miles Davidson, drum set Kinsey Degroat, vocals Sean Handy, bongos Ryan Holtzen, guitar Elizabeth Kontyko, violin Tadjudin Nathasya, alto saxophone Alan Payne, tuba Tre Rice, piano Tyrell Snagg, alto saxophone Justin Speer, soprano saxophone Max Wagner, electric bass

Engineering major Mateo Villa '20 is the recipient of a McKee "Men of Action" Scholarship, a $2,500 award for his commitment to outstanding service to the community, presented annually by Delta Sigma Phi.

On July 20, Oglethorpe University welcomed incoming students to campus for MAP Day (Making a Petrel), an event for students who have committed to attend Oglethorpe starting in fall 2018. During MAP Days, first-year students meet with their advisors, enroll in fall semester classes, and receive their official Petrel Pass student IDs.

Museum studies major Taylor Roberts '21 has been awarded the prestigious Mellon Undergraduate Curatorial Fellowship -- the first Oglethorpe University student to achieve this honor.

Incoming first year student Caleb Smith '22 can now add the title of "world champion" to his resume. Smith earned a spot in the 2018 Optimist International Oratorical World Championship in St. Louis, Mo. over June 28-29, and emerged the winner after two days of competition.

Members of the 2018-2019 Honor Council have been announced. These are students selected by their peers to be entrusted with being a part of upholding the academic standards of Oglethorpe University.

More than 370 accepted students have indicated their commitment to attend Oglethorpe University by submitting their enrollment deposit. We're excited to welcome these new "Stormy Petrels" to campus this fall! The Class of 2021 will begin classes on August 21, 2017.

Oglethorpe University congratulates the nearly 200 graduates who received their degrees on May 12.