AUBURN — Auburn resident Luke Gardner recently participated in the Alabama Governor’s Youth Leadership Forum (YLF) on the campus of Auburn University. The five-day event equips high school students with disabilities with valuable leadership skills through sessions on self-esteem, career exploration, technology, independent living and etiquette. As part of the camp, participants traveled to Montgomery to meet state leaders, tour the Capitol and the State House and attend a mentor luncheon, where they interacted with and received advice from successful adults with disabilities. YLF delegates are chosen through a statewide search for students displaying leadership potential. To be eligible, an individual must be a high school junior or senior with a disability between 17 and 21 years old.

DURANGO, Colorado — An-Mei Ellisor, of Auburn was named to Fort Lewis College’s Dean’s List for Spring 2024 semester. Ellisor’s major is Marketing. To be eligible for Dean’s List, a student must carry a semester GPA of 3.6 or better in no fewer than 15 credit hours of graded college-level work and have completed all work for which they are registered by the end of the semester.

CANTON, New York — Matthew B. Holt, a SUNY Canton Legal Studies major from Smiths Station, earned Part-Time Honors at SUNY Canton during the spring 2024 semester. The college created this award to recognize students who earned at least a 3.25 GPA in 6 to 11 credit hours of coursework. It stands alongside the college’s Dean’s List and President’s List as one of the top awards given for academic success during a single semester.

ADELPHI, Maryland — Amir Alinaghian of Opelika was named to the inaugural President’s List in June 2024 at University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC). Students who qualified for the prestigious list at UMGC must have graduated with a bachelor’s or master’s degree and a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 4.0. Alinaghian earned a Bachelor of Science in General Studies.

TUSCALOOSA — Four local students enrolled in UA Early College during Spring Semester 2024 at The University of Alabama were named to the director’s list with an academic record of 3.6 or higher: Mahalie Davis of Phenix City and JaNiah Hoskins of Smiths Station, both of whom attend Smiths Station High School; Kori Key of Auburn, who attends Opelika High School; and Dominic Lupo of Opelika, who attends Everest Academy. UA Early College allows high school students to get a head start on their college courses. High school sophomores, juniors and seniors enrolled in UA Early College can choose from more than 80 different online and on-campus courses and earn up to 30 hours of college credit.

TUSCALOOSA — The University of Alabama has announced the names of students who recently graduated during Spring 2024 Commencement. Local graduates include
From Auburn: Alicia Aikens received a Master of Public Administration, Tyra Braswell received a Bachelor of Arts, Mary Bridges received a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology, Aiyanna Brown received a Bachelor of Science in Commerce & Business Administration, Cassie Carpenter received a Master of Arts, Michael Cohan received a Bachelor of Arts in Communication & Information Sciences, Emma DeCarlo received a Bachelor of Arts, Cayleigh Depriest received a Bachelor of Science, Marcus Hardnett received a Bachelor of Science in Commerce & Business Administration, Abigail Hayley received a Master of Social Work, BriAsia Kelley received a Bachelor of Arts in Communication & Information Sciences, Kelly Lynch received a Master of Science, Brian Strength received a Bachelor of Science in Commerce & Business Administration, Elizabeth Tillis received a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and Robin Watson received a Master of Library & Information Studies.
From Opelika: Terrian Battle received a Bachelor of Science in Commerce & Business Administration, Tanner Bennett received a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering, Kenneth Capps received a Bachelor of Science, Kevin Knight received a Bachelor of Science in Commerce & Business Administration, Takeysha McCullough received a Master of Arts, Scott Puckett received a Master of Science in Nursing, Jocelyn Strickland received a Bachelor of Arts, Chelsea Stroud received a Bachelor of Arts, Steven Harvey oreceived a Bachelor of Science in Commerce & Business Administration, Arianna Hickman received a Bachelor of Science, Brittany Johnson received a Master of Library & Information Studies, Stephene Johnson of Phenix City (36870) received a Bachelor of Arts, Sequoia Williams received a Bachelor of Science in Commerce & Business Administration and Rebecca Wilson received a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Commerce & Business Administration.
From Salem: Elizabeth Varner received a Master of Social Work.
From Smiths Station: Macie Fanning received a Bachelor of Science in Education and Katherine Williams received a Bachelor of Arts in Communication & Information Sciences.

TUSCALOOSA — The University of Alabama has released the names of full-time undergraduate students recognized for academic achievement on the Dean’s List, with an academic record of 3.5 or above, or the President’s List, with an academic record of 4.0 (all A’s).
DEAN’S LIST
From Auburn: Kristen Aldridge, Mary Bridges, Aiyanna Brown, Alyssa Brown, Veronica Cherry, Michael Cohan, Ashley Evans, Gary Gray, BriAsia Kelley, Jacob Kerr, Minseok Kim, Matthew Kinser, Emre Kor, Jarrett Lane, Catherine Pearson, Rachel Robbins, Allison Tarpley, Elizabeth Tillis, Quashonda Ware, Kalia Williams,
From Opelika: Kenneth Capps, Carly Culpepper, Kylin Fears, Kevin Knight, Lauren Landry, Sydney Lowe, Kinslee Morris, Orah Preston, Alessandra Ruble, Lajadan Tolbert, Jasmine Trimble, Jordan Warren and Emily Wright.
From Phenix City: Garielle Allen, Olivia Allen, Gracie Binns, Brenasia McKenzie, Arabella Mills, Thomas Saunders and Vinicius de Carvalho.
From Salem: Carson Brandt, Ann Raines, Kylee Thompson and Sarah Webber.
From Smiths Station: Kamryn Cumberlander, Taylor Dawson, Francisco Soto and Katherine Williams.
From Waverly: Anna Overton.
PRESIDENT’S LIST
From Auburn: Jackson Alexander, Hannah Arnall, Kathryn Arnall, Sarah Bodiford, Wyatt Busby, Abigail Chandler, Sara Cohan, James Crawford, Emma DeCarlo, David Kelsey, Gregory Lane, Aria Monroe, Olivia Seale Esposito, Celia Spiers, Olivia Tole and Noah Warren.
From Opelika: Linsey Boies, Susannah Couey, Steven Harvey, Arianna Hickman, Keely Rider, Jocelyn Strickland, Michael Van Horn,
From Phenix City: Jakobe Bibbs, Carly Romero and Asya Wright.
From Salem: Evan Smith
From Smiths Station: Macie Fanning, Dalton Goodson and Riley Wilson.