Shenandoah University

On April 24, the Student Government Association held its inauguration ceremony for the 2025-26 Executive Council in the Pruitt Health & Life Sciences Building, Halpin Rotunda. The Executive Council consists of undergraduate and graduate students dedicated to leading other members of the SGA and serving as liaisons with faculty. Although most positions are chosen through an application process, Shenandoah University students elect the president and vice presidents each spring. The 2025-26 Executive Council is as follows: President: Carter Sand Vice President of Undergraduate Affairs: Masha Balakersky Vice President of Graduate Affairs: Carlie Cross Director of Communications: Amy Oleksy Director of IDE: Jessica Velasquez Director of Finance: Emma Thompson Speaker of the House: Elisabeth Myers Chief of Staff: Jaxson Hall

Shenandoah University golfers Ben Gray and Dan Ailor were each named to the All-Old Dominion Athletic Conference third team by placing among the top 18 individuals at the ODAC Men's Golf Championships held April 28-30 at Forest Oaks Country Club in Greensboro, North Carolina. Gray, a junior from Warrenton, Virginia, tied for fifth overall with a three-round total of 218 (+2). He fired a 69 (-3) in the last round on April 30 to climb 12 spots on the final day of the tournament. Ailor, a junior from Montpelier, Virginia, tied for 10th overall with a three-day total of 220. His best round came on Day 2, when he shot a 1-under-par 71.

Samuel Soste-Taffur '25 (Bachelor of Music Therapy) has been awarded the 2025 Ben-Dov Family, Luminescence Foundation Scholarship for music therapy. This $12,000 scholarship was created in partnership with A Place to Be, a private, nonprofit music therapy practice with offices in Middleburg, Virginia, and Leesburg, Virginia, to support music therapy students during their internship. Soste-Taffu will begin his internship at A Place to Be this summer.

Shenandoah University senior Makenna Thrush earned third-team All-Old Dominion Athletic Conference honors in the women's 1,500-meter run during day two of the ODAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships on April 26 at Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg. Thrush completed the race with a time of 4:50.71 to place third in the event. She crossed the finish line just 1.2 seconds behind winner Olivia Warr (Washington and Lee University).

Shenandoah University's football program had 13 student-athletes named to the 2025 National Football Foundation Hampshire Honor Society in selections announced by the NFF on April 21. Shenandoah is one of only 44 NCAA Division III institutions - and one of 97 schools across all divisions nationwide - to have 10 or more student-athletes recognized in this year's prestigious group. In all, a record 2,514 college football players were named to the 2025 NFF Hampshire Honor Society. Shenandoah's honorees are Ethan Brown, Dominic Gulli, Braden Holt, Steven Hugney, Corey Kidwell, Nate Lednum, David Munoz, DeMarcus Perry, Quante Redd, Nolan Riley, Michael Sheil, Deklin Smith, and Isaac Tucker.

From March 20-22, three of Shenandoah University's sport management students attended the NCAA Division I Men's Wrestling National Championships held at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. Brian Wigley, Ed.D., chair of the Division of Sport Management & Esports, accompanied them on the experiential learning trip. Students Cody Carbaugh '25, Tyler Garr '26 and Sam Tighe '28 volunteered at the championship by helping fans enter the arena safely, directing them to their seats, and answering questions about the event's timeline.

During spring break, Shenandoah University sent 10 students, faculty and staff members to Colombia as a part of its Global Citizenship Project (GCP). During the trip, the group visited seven different cities, took five flights, and explored various ecosystems and regions of the country. Shenandoah University's Global Citizenship Project celebrated its 20th year in 2025 and sent students, faculty and staff members to Colombia, Nepal, Poland, Taiwan and Tanzania this spring. Since its inaugural year in 2005, GCP has sent over 1,400 students, staff, faculty, and trustees to over 70 countries and seven U.S. states and territories so that each participant might learn more about the world and themselves. To learn more about GCP, visit su.edu/gcp.

Over spring break, a group of 10 Shenandoah University students, faculty, and staff members embarked on a Global Citizenship Project (GCP) trip to Taiwan. During the trip, the group toured a number of historical sights, engaged with locals, and participated in cultural exchange, creating lifelong memories and learning about Taiwanese culture. Shenandoah's Global Citizenship Project celebrated its 20th year in 2025. Since its inaugural year in 2005, GCP has sent over 1,400 students, staff, faculty, and trustees to over 70 countries and seven U.S. states and territories so that each participant might learn more about the world and themselves. To learn more about GCP, visit su.edu/gcp.

During spring break, Shenandoah University sent a group of 10 students, faculty and staff to Poland as a part of its Global Citizenship Project (GCP) program. Shenandoah University's Global Citizenship Project celebrated its 20th year in 2025 and sent students, faculty and staff members to Colombia, Nepal, Poland, Taiwan and Tanzania this spring. Since its inaugural year in 2005, GCP has sent over 1,400 students, staff, faculty, and trustees to over 70 countries and seven U.S. states and territories so that each participant might learn more about the world and themselves. To learn more about GCP, visit su.edu/gcp.

Shenandoah University third-year Pharm.D. student Sheridan Herron '26 won the American Pharmacists Association-Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA-ASP) National Patient Counseling Competition during the APhA Annual Meeting that took place March 21-24, in Nashville, Tennessee. Herron, who was recognized during the APhA-ASP Student Awards Celebration on March 22, is the third Shenandoah University student in the Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy to win the APhA-ASP National Patient Counseling Competition, joining Joanna Lyon (2014) and Danielle Przychodzin (2003). Shenandoah, which admitted its first class of doctoral pharmacy students in 1996, began participating in the National Patient Counseling Competition in 2000. Shenandoah University's three national winners are the most of any pharmacy school over the last 25 years, and Shenandoah is tied with the University of California, San Francisco for the most in the history of the National Patient Counseling Competition, which debuted in 1985.

Beda Vining '25 (Bachelor of Music in Music Education) was awarded the Presser Foundation's 2024-25 Undergraduate Scholar Award. The award is designed to encourage and support the education of a music student who has achieved a high level of musical and academic excellence, demonstrated leadership and service, and contributed to an inclusive community. Beda received the award based on her musical and academic excellence, leadership and service and contribution to an inclusive community.

Emma Shockey '25 (Bachelor of Music in Music Education with a Performance Certificate) was awarded a $5,000 scholarship award from the Hattie M. Strong Foundation (HMSF) to defray costs during student teaching in the fall semester. Shockey is a student teacher at Sycolin Creek Elementary School in Leesburg, Virginia, and Seneca Ridge Middle School in Sterling, Virginia.

Shenandoah Conservatory announces the winners of the 2025/26 Student Soloists Competition (SSC) on behalf of the SSC committee. Competition Winners Christopher Gilley, cello (Category I) Timur Mustakimov, piano (Category II) Cadence Weaver, voice (Category II) The final round of the competition was held at 7 p.m. on Sunday, March 2, in Armstrong Concert Hall (view the digital program to learn more about the final round). Winners of this year's competition will be featured in performances with the Shenandoah Conservatory Symphony Orchestra throughout the 2025/26 season.

Rylie Barr '27 (Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance) performed her solo work, "Show Me What Not to Do," at the Koresh Artist Showcase on Saturday, March 1, and Sunday, March 2. The initiative is hosted by the Philadelphia-based Koresh Dance Company and was created to give local, emerging talent a platform to present their work, as well as give the community a chance to discover new artists and new styles of dance. Barr's piece was created during her solo composition class at Shenandoah.

MiKayla Lynn Hatfield '22, '26 (Master of Music in Performance, Doctor of Musical Arts in Performance) and Reese Holahan '25 (Master of Music in Pedagogy - Classical Voice) performed with the Charlottesville Opera in "Sing Me a Story: Your Journey to the Stage" from Feb. 21, through Feb. 25. "Your Journey to the Stage," is an engaging program designed for students in grades 3-8, although impactful for high school students who are interested in the arts as well. This immersive Arts Education experience pulled back the curtain on opera, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the diverse roles and journeys that bring this vibrant art form to life.

Shenandoah University senior Terese Greene has earned another spot among the nation's elite NCAA Division III women's basketball players, as she was named to the D3hoops.com All-America fifth team on March 22. The national honor comes after Greene was announced as an NCAA Division III All-American honorable mention selection by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) and a first team All-Region 6 pick by D3hoops.com earlier in the week. The Culpeper, Virginia, native also was selected to the WBCA's Division III Women's Collegiate All-Star Team. Greene put together a dominant senior season, averaging 21.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 2.0 steals per game. She shot 45% from the field, 31.8% from beyond the arc, and 75.8% from the free-throw line, totaling 559 points during her senior season. She played a key role in leading the Hornets to a 17-10 overall record and an 11-5 finish in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference, culminating in an appearance in the ODAC semifinals. "Terese has worked incredibly hard to elevate her game and our program," said Shenandoah head coach Melissa Smeltzer-Kraft. "Her dedication, leadership, and talent have been evident all season, and this honor is well deserved."

Shenandoah University senior Terese Greene added to her list of accolades this week as she was an All-Region 6 first team pick by D3hoops.com and an NCAA Division III All-American honorable mention selection by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) for the 2024-25 season. Greene is the first player in program history to earn first team all-region honors from D3hoops.com and the first to receive WBCA All-American honorable mention recognition since Laura Johnson in 1985. Greene also was selected to the WBCA's Division III Women's Collegiate All-Star Team, another first in program history.

Shenandoah University graduate student William Crowder has earned indoor track and field All-Region honors from the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA), as announced by the organization on Wednesday. Crowder received All-Region recognition for his performance in the 60-meter dash this season. His best time of the year came in the prelims of the ODAC Indoor Championships, where he clocked in at 6.85 seconds. He went on to finish second in the championship race with a time of 6.86 seconds, matching his runner-up performance at the South Region Final Qualifier hosted by Shenandoah on March 7-8. The Winchester native consistently displayed his speed throughout the season, breaking the 6.90-second mark four times and running under seven seconds in 10 races. In total, he competed in six 60-meter dash finals across the Hornets' nine-meet indoor campaign.

Shenandoah University graduate student Will Crowder and SU's women's distance medley relay team earned All-Old Dominion Athletic Conference accolades at the ODAC Indoor Track and Field Championships in Salem, Virginia, on March 1-2. Crowder, a national championship qualifier and second team All-American during the indoor season in 2024, scored second team All-ODAC honors on March 2 with a runner-up finish in the men's 60-meter dash (6.85 seconds). The women's DMR team, composed of junior Amy Oleksy, first-year Megan Brophy, first-year Grace Semow, and graduate student Mackenzie Plowman, earned third team All-ODAC recognition with a third-place finish (13:09.98) on March 1.

Shenandoah University sophomore guard Dorian Davis was named to the 2025 All-Old Dominion Athletic Conference men's basketball team, in selections announced by the league on Thursday, Feb. 27. In his first season as a Hornet, Davis became just the fifth player in program history to earn All-ODAC honors. He led the team in scoring, averaging 14.2 points per game, while tallying four rebounds and 1.3 assists in 24 games.

In January, 60 students in Shenandoah University's physician assistant studies program, accompanied by Associate Professor of Physician Assistant Studies Jennifer Miller, D.M.S., and Interim Director of the Division of Physician Assistant Studies Erika Francis, D.M.S., traveled to Richmond, Virginia, to participate in Lobby Day during the Virginia General Assembly's legislative session. During Lobby Day, an annual event organized by the Medical Society of Virginia and the Virginia Academy of Physician Assistants, students engaged in briefings about key issues, gained insight into the Virginia legislative process, and had the opportunity to speak directly with legislators in the Virginia State Capitol. The day concluded with a special meeting with Lt. Gov. Winsome Sears, providing students with invaluable first-hand experience in advocacy and policy making. This impactful experience highlighted the critical role of legislative engagement in shaping the future of the PA profession.

Three Shenandoah University women's basketball players were named to the 2025 All-Old Dominion Athletic Conference team in selections announced Thursday, Feb. 27, by the league. Terese Greene was named All-ODAC first team, Maddie Kimble received All-ODAC second team honors, and Shawnise Campbell secured a spot on the All-ODAC third team.

Shenandoah University welcomed 31 new inductees into the Omicron Delta Kappa (ODK) national leadership honor society on Sunday, Feb. 9. ODK recognizes sophomores, juniors, seniors, graduate students and alumni who excel in leadership and academics. Students selected to Omicron Delta Kappa must meet the honor society's leadership values of collaboration, inclusivity, integrity, scholarship and service. Additionally, they must be in the top 35% of their class and demonstrate leadership in at least one of the five pillars of campus life: academics and research; athletics; service to campus and community; communications; and creative and performing arts. To become a member, students can self-nominate or be nominated by a faculty member, staff member or current ODK member. Nominees are then selected for induction through an application process.

Students in Shenandoah University's virtual reality design program had the opportunity to showcase some of their work at the 2024 Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation and Education Conference (I/ITSEC), the world's largest modeling, simulation and training event held each December in Orlando, Florida. Seniors Ann Fink '25, Jacob Eisenhart '25, Michael Reynolds '25, and Zoe Grimes '25 each presented their individual projects at the prestigious conference, which had over 18,500 registrants and attracted nearly 10,000 exhibit visitors this year.

Shenandoah University men's basketball player Joshua Randolph '28 gained some first-hand sport management experience when he traveled to Alabama for the Battle in Birmingham, a high-profile NCAA men's basketball showdown between Auburn and Purdue at Legacy Arena in the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex, on Dec. 21. Randolph - who was joined by Fritz Polite, Ph.D., director of academic success and experiential learning for Shenandoah University's men's basketball program - worked directly with Russ Potts Productions, Inc. and gained real-world experience managing luxury suites, skyboxes and team operations, including the oversight of locker room logistics and coordination of the pregame shootaround, according to Shenandoah men's basketball coach Nick Doyle.

A group of Shenandoah University students gained some hands-on professional experience in sport management when they traveled to Miami for the Orange Bowl, which served as the College Football Playoff semifinal game between Notre Dame and Penn State on Jan. 9. The game, which was played in Hard Rock Stadium, provided Shenandoah's students with the opportunity to work directly with John Mas, senior vice president for partnerships for the Orange Bowl. Their game-day responsibilities included managing the 50/50 raffle, which raised over $80,000 for the Orange Bowl Cares. Students also assisted with setup for the Orange Bowl Fan Fest, which took place prior to kickoff, and they were given field access and a tour of Hard Rock Stadium.

Shenandoah University held its First-Year Seminar Awards ceremony on Dec. 5 to celebrate the outstanding accomplishments of FYS faculty, mentors and students. Each year, winners are announced for the Gabriella Miller First-Year Student Award, the Timothy Doak Mentor Leadership Award, and the Teaching Excellence Award.

Shenandoah University women's cross country student-athletes Makenna Thrush, Maddy Chorney, and Amy Oleksy earned All-Academic awards from the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA), while SU's men's and women's programs were recognized collectively in awards announced by the organization on Jan. 30. Of the three student-athletes to claim the All-Academic award, Thrush and Chroney each have a perfect 4.00 cumulative GPA and Oleksy has a career GPA of 3.52.

Shenandoah University quarterback Steven Hugney was named Offensive Player of the Year to lead a group of eight Hornets who were selected to the Virginia Sports Information Directors Association's 2024 College Division All-State Football Team, which was released on Jan. 30. Joining Hugney (Fairfax, Virginia) on the first team were offensive tackle David Munoz (Louisa, Virginia), linebacker Matt Conroy (Bel Air, Maryland), and cornerback Sean Perry (Baltimore). Running back Jalen Redfearn (Woodbridge, Virginia), wide receiver Broden Domenico (Fleming Island, Florida), offensive lineman Dominic Gulli (Monrovia, Maryland) and defensive lineman Ethan Brown (Ellicott City, Maryland) earned second-team honors.

Shenandoah University graduate student David Munoz and senior Steven Hugney have been named to the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-America Division III Football Team in selections released by the organization on Jan. 28. Munoz, an offensive tackle for the Hornets, earned first team honors with a 3.79 undergraduate GPA and a 3.67 GPA in his digital marketing graduate program. Hugney, a data science and computer science major, was voted to the second team with a 3.99 career GPA.