USCA celebrates students’ academic achievements

USCA held its annual Academic Honors Ceremony on May 5 in the Etherredge Center, recognizing students from across the campus for their academic excellence. 

“You have excelled in your studies, and we recognize your commitment to excellence,” Dr. Phillip Bridgmon, provost, told the students at the start of the ceremony. 

Ainhoa Colino, originally from Spain, was chosen as the Outstanding Senior Student. She speaks five languages and graduated May 6 with a 4.0 GPA and a degree in psychology and exercise and sports science.  

“It is an honor to be recognized as the 2026 Outstanding Senior Student,” she said. “USC Aiken has given me friendships and memories I will carry with me forever, and I will never be grateful enough for them. This university has seen me grow not only as a student, but as a person, and it is because of those experiences and opportunities that I am standing here today. 

“Thank you again to everyone who has shaped my college experience in any way. I will carry everything this place has given me into whatever comes next.” 

Multiple students were recognized by the deans of each college or school and for research conducted with faculty advisors. 

“I’m extremely proud of each of you,” said Dr. Daniel Heimmermann, chancellor. “The journey does not end here. It’s the beginning.” 

“Challenge yourselves, press on and embrace opportunities.”  

Magellan Scholars  

• Emily Walker, “Syntheses and Analyses of Metal-Organic Frameworks for Separation of Water Isotopologues”  

• Austin Powell, “Is Tobacco Free Really Tobacco Free?”  

• Skylar Shirey, “Embracing LIFE: Examining the Attitudes about Individuals with Disabilities at a Comprehensive Institution to Promote Learning is For Everyone (LIFE)”  

• August Beltran, “What is Keeping Immigrant Families Resilient?” 

• Palmer McCay, “Vietnam Veterans Oral History Project: Wartime Expectations, Realities, and Reflections”  

• Samantha Keats, “Associations Among Childhood Emotional Maltreatment, Identity Disturbance, and Sexual Functioning”  

• Cassidy Green, “Examining Causality Between Cultural Mindsets and Help-seeking in Young Adults” 

• Winifred Branscum, “Examining Decision-Making and P300 Amplitudes in Individuals Exhibiting Successful Life Redirection Following Adverse Childhood Experiences” 

• Kamya Brooks, “Political Fandoms & Misinformation: Examining the Role of Fan Culture in Political Discourse” 

• Chloe Elizabeth Grigsby, “Write to Read: An Encoding-centered Approach for Teaching Students with Dyslexia” 

• William Garlick, “The Biological Carbon Pump in the Gulf of Mexico: Insights from Sediment Trap Fluxes” 

• Isabella Cardenas and Lucero Rodriguez Lopez, “Teasing apart egg development in Culicoides sonorensis midges.”  

• Tamea Chappelle and Emma Trotter, “Developers Assemble” 

• Addisen Alvanos and Laurie Collins, “William Gregg – Digital Edition”  

• Malia Tatyanna Patten, Allaina Rayne Szilveszter, and Ainhoa Colino, "Measuring mindfulness with electro-physiology: A pain perception study” 

• Samantha Owen, "Investigating the roles of rcor1 and rcor2 in zebrafish development"  

• Sanja Becnel, “The relationship between attachment anxiety and zero-sum thinking”  

 

Honors Program Graduates    

• Emory Owens, biology 

• Alexa Carnahan, nursing 

• Andrew Towner, nursing 

• James Saxon, biology 

• Emily Walker, chemistry 

 

Library Research Award 

• Caroline Wright, “The Graniteville Manufacturing Company’s Textile Worker Strike of October 1933” 

• Alexa Carnahan, “The Need to Please: People-Pleasing Tendencies in Prelicensure Nursing Students” 

  

College of Arts, Humanities and Social Science 

• Imogen Veal, Mona L. Martin Prize in First-year Writing 

• Laurie Collins, Phebe Davidson Prize in Creative Writing 

• Laurie Collins, Virginia Kaplan Writing Award  

• Kirstie McElmurray, Outstanding Student in English 

• Kylie Michelle Burns, Ernestine B. Law Communication Student of the Year 

• Katie Carter, Outstanding Student of the Year in Emerging Media 

• Angela Grace Hayden, Outstanding Online Palmetto College  

• Sela Groomes, Albin Beyer Excellence in Art Award 

• Vivica Birt, Richard S. Maltz Excellence in Music Award 

• Beth Smith, Jack P. Benjamin Excellence in Theatre Award 

• Palmer McCay, Outstanding Student in History 

• Elenora Gazzelli, Outstanding Student in Political Science 

• Kylie Michelle Burns, Outstanding Student in Sociology  

 

College of Sciences and Engineering 

• Lauren Strock, Outstanding Student in Biology 

• William Garlick, Outstanding Student in Geology 

• Emily Walker, Outstanding Student in Chemistry  

• Peri Rouillard, Outstanding Student in Physics 

• Savanna Spires, Outstanding Student in Exercise and Sports Science 

• Samantha Burns, Outstanding Student in Applied Mathematics 

• Denton Spivey, Outstanding Student in Applied Computer Science 

• Chadburn Wells Heath II, Outstanding Student in Cybersecurity 

• Aidan Clayton, Outstanding Student in Engineering 

• Sanja Becnel, Outstanding Student in Psychology 

• Jessica Ann Brannam, Outstanding Graduate Student in Psychology 

 

School of Business Administration 

• Ian Dumas, Outstanding Student in Accounting 

• Logan Page, Outstanding Student in Management 

• Lindsey Greene, Outstanding Student in Marketing 

• Jenna Couch, Outstanding Student in Finance 

• Paula Gant, Outstanding MBA Student 

 

School of Education  

• Skylar Davis, Outstanding Student in Early Childhood Education 

• Brenne Hoeven, Outstanding Student in Elementary Education 

• Bailey Davis, Outstanding Student in Middle Level Education  

• Kayla Cox, Outstanding Student in Secondary Education  

• Skylar Shirey, Outstanding Student in Special Education  

• Stephanie Bell, Outstanding Student in the Master of Education in Educator Leadership 

 

School of Nursing 

• Alexa Carnahan, Outstanding Traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing Student 

• Philip Joel Harris, Jr., Outstanding RN-BSN Student 

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