CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER
MILLEDGEVILLE, GEORGIA
A number of local students participated in Georgia College & State University’s spring 2026 commencement ceremonies May 13-14, 2026, in Milledgeville, Georgia.
Maggie Mullins of Auburn, a master’s candidate criminal justice major in the College of Arts & Sciences
Jordyn Coleman of Smiths Station, Alabama, a bachelor’s candidate Computer Science major in the J. Whitney Bunting College of Business & Technology
BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA — Rosanna McGinnis of Opelika, Alabama, was recently elected to membership in The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest and most selective all-discipline collegiate honor society, at the University of North Alabama.
TROY, ALABAMA — Troy University is pleased to recognize new students who have completed sessions 1 and 2 of IMPACT orientation and enrolled in classes for the Fall 2026 semester.
Oliver Daniel of Auburn
Bethany Derdoski of Salem (36874)
Mary Dozier of Auburn
Andrew Haner of Auburn
Shaniyah Johnson of Opelika
Kaylee McIntyre of Opelika
Zaniya Moody of Opelika
Hehle Nelms of Opelika
BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA — Samford University recognizes 2,408 students named to the Dean’s List for the spring 2026 semester.
Rosemary Parker of Opelika
Cooper Mobbs of Opelika
Chase Mobbs of Opelika
Lachlan Caliguiri of Opelika
Brennan Reese-Williams of Opelika
Rachel Redmon of Auburn
Tanner Wages of Auburn
Faith Glover of Auburn
Ava Lombardo of Auburn
Mary Grace of Auburn
Jack Warren of Auburn
Ruth Donald of Auburn
Lillian Hunter of Auburn
Deborah Casey of Phenix City
Jenna Humphrey of Salem
Sarah Ellison of Smiths Station
Wesley Graham of Smiths Station
ADELPHI, MARYLAND — More than 20,000 University of Maryland Global Campus students were named to the Dean’s List for the spring 2026 term.
Brandon Baker of Opelika
Jasmine Brown of Smiths Station
Nautica Elder of Phenix City
Marcus Moran-Terry of Phenix City
Ramses Morera-Bolanos of Phenix City
Gabina Rios of Phenix City
Allegria Wright of Smiths Station
TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA — A total of 672 students enrolled in UA Early College during Spring Semester 2026 at The University of Alabama were named to the director’s list with an academic record of 3.6 or higher.
Local students include:
Piper Belcher of Auburn attends Auburn High School.
Mahalie Davis of Phenix City attends Smiths Station High School.
Kayleigh Easterling of Auburn attends Auburn High School.
Leo Hernandez of Opelika attends Opelika High School.
Lyla Poole of Salem attends Smiths Station High School.
Michaela Sanford of Auburn attends Auburn High School.
Zach Shleibak of Phenix City attends Smiths Station High School
Victoria Williams of Auburn attends Auburn High School
TROY, ALABAMA — Troy University is pleased to recognize students who have completed Session 3 and Transfer Session 1 of IMPACT Orientation and enrolled in classes for the Fall 2026 semester.
Alhanna Allen of Auburn
Sara Dunn of Auburn
Savana Etris of Opelika
Aamari Hart of Auburn
Haleigh Jones of Smiths Station
Nacia Lee of Opelika
Avery Massey of Opelika
Cailyn Morgan of Opelika
Chloe Song of Auburn
Bee Trettel of Opelika
Ansley Warlick of Opelika
Caroline Witten of Auburn
TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA — A total of 14,306 students enrolled during Spring Semester 2026 at The University of Alabama were named to 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).
Local students include:
President’s List
Jackson Alexander of Auburn
Byrdie Coleman of Smiths Station
Vinicius de Carvalho of Phenix City
Destiny James of Smiths Station
Christian Austin of Auburn
Sarah Bodiford of Auburn
Jessie Bush of Auburn
Yeri Choi of Auburn
James Crawford of Auburn
Chloe Gross of Auburn
Emerson Hornsby of Auburn
Matthew Kinser of Auburn
Ryan Lanier of Auburn
Huntley Marshall of Auburn
Ciana Norton of Auburn
Sara O’Rear of Auburn
Stone Pearson of Auburn
Naomi Polk of Auburn
Reagan Robbins of Auburn
Olivia Seale Esposito of Auburn
Anna Shirley of Auburn
George Mann of Opelika
Sarah Cosby Mann of Opelika
Whitney Crews of Opelika Zavier Dowdell of Opelika
Nolen Wilson of Opelika
Jakobe Bibbs of Phenix City
Samantha Mains of Phenix City
Allison McComas of Phenix City
Coco Meacham of Phenix City
Kristen White of Smiths Station
Francisco Soto of Smiths Station
Anna Overton of Waverly
Kalia Williams of Auburn
Samantha Freeman of Opelika
William Bennett of Opelika
Susannah Couey of Opelika
Dean’s List
Jayden Banks of Auburn
Connor Brown of Auburn
Amelia Buckingham of Auburn
John David Burns of Auburn
Ashley Evans of Auburn
Lauren Evans of Auburn
Jackson Graham of Auburn
Sarah Horton of Auburn
Elizabeth Jones of Auburn
Minseok Kim of Auburn
Jarrett Lane of Auburn
Alverine Merrill of Auburn
Catherine Pearson of Auburn
Jeffrey Russell of Auburn
Molly Smith of Auburn
Elizabeth Thurow of Auburn
Carson Ward of Auburn
Traynia Wilson of Auburn
Tamara Aikens of Opelika
Linsey Boies of Opelika
Raheem Crayton of Opelika
Clara Geriner of Opelika
Kali Harper of Opelika
Deanna Hillary of Opelika
Quinnya Jackson of Opelika
Lillian Johnson of Opelika
Alysa Lipscomb of Opelika
Ava Pike of Opelika
Mary Roach of Opelika
Alessandra Ruble of Opelika
Graison Tillery of Opelika
Lajadan Tolbert of Opelika
Mary Torbert of Opelika
Ashlynn Jones of Phenix City
Chadai Jones of Phenix City
Sebastian Thomas of Phenix City
Nicholas Truitt of Phenix City
Hallie Ennis of Salem
Kara Holbrook of Salem
Emily Hull of Salem
Lillian Rice of Salem
Keely Rider of Salem
Kylee Thompson of Salem
Keyonte Charleston of Smiths Station
Kennedi Glenn of Smiths Station
Emily Ludwig of Smiths Station
Taylor Dawson of Smiths Station
Luke Cardwell of Opelika
KENNESAW, GEORGIA — Isabella Fulgham of Auburn has been named to the Kennesaw State University Spring 2026 President’s List.
TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA — The Alabama ONE Aspire Foundation is proud to announce the recipients of its 2026 scholarship program. This initiative, designed to empower and invest in the higher education of deserving students within the Alabama ONE family, continues to demonstrate the credit union’s commitment to fostering growth and supporting our community’s future leaders.
ARECU Scholarship
Amberly Tillman — Auburn University
Grace Baker — Auburn University
Kyleigh Saunders — Auburn University
Lydia East — Auburn University
Merit Scholarship
Mary Hays Gipson — Auburn University
Aspire Together Scholarship
Dakota Dubose — Auburn University
Select Employer Group Scholarship
Fletcher Smith — Auburn University
KENNESAW, GEORGIA — Karson Moss of Opelika has been named to Kennesaw State University’s Spring 2026 Dean’s List in recognition of academic achievement.
TOPEKA, KANSAS —Washburn University has announced Jada Ware of Opelika as part of its spring 2026 Dean’s List.
