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D&E students awarded Honors Program Scholarships

Submitted photos Davis & Elkins College senior Makayla Haddix, right, receives a certificate signifying her $1,000 academic scholarship in recognition of her efforts in the College’s Honors Program. Presenting the award is Assistant Professor of Psychology Dr. Hillary Wehe, who directs the honors program.

ELKINS — A driving passion for pursuing their vocations yielded scholarships for two Davis & Elkins College students. Makayla Haddix and Madison Michels were each presented with $1,000 academic awards based on their participation in the College’s Honors Program.

A private luncheon in Graceland served as a recognition for Haddix and Michels, and a welcoming for seven new program members. Launched in 2019, the Davis & Elkins Honors Program pairs exceptional students and faculty for a sequence of courses designed to help students discover their passion and purpose.

Students accepted into the program receive a housing scholarship, while upperclassmen are eligible for funding for their independent research projects. Alexis Serback, an alumnus of the program, was the first to receive this award last semester for her project titled “The Perceptions of Females in Criminal Justice.” Haddix and Barbara Bernal will receive the award this semester for their ongoing projects.

Students are also eligible to receive a $1,000 academic scholarship awarded to two students who show exceptional dedication to their vocation. Haddix and Michels were the first such recognitions in the program.

“The program is focused on assisting students with discovering their vocation and living a life with intention and passion,” said Assistant Professor of Psychology Dr. Hillary Wehe, who directs the Honors Program. “Both Madi Michels and Makayla Haddix were chosen based on their embodiment of the program’s mission.”

Assistant Professor of Psychology and Director of the Honors Program Dr. Hillary Wehe, left, presents a certificate of achievement to Davis & Elkins College sophomore Madison Michels. The certificate signifies that Michels received a $1,000 academic scholarship in recognition of her efforts in the College’s Honors Program.

Haddix, a senior, is a resident of Philippi. A major in psychology and human services, she discovered a vocation to help others through counseling. To prepare for her career, Haddix utilized resources within the Honors Program and worked in the College’s office of Counseling and Wellness. She is currently researching the influence of an individual’s personality on their therapeutic experience.

Michels, a sophomore from Liberty, majors in exercise science on the pre-med track. She has been actively shadowing professionals to more clearly define which area of medical field she wishes to pursue. As a member of the D&E women’s cross country team, Michels helped earn the MEC Women’s Cross Country Championship in 2019, the first in the program’s history.

Now in their second year of the program are Barbara Bernal, a junior political science major from Davie, Florida, and Ana Ruf, a sophomore education major from Belington.

Students accepted into the program for the 2020-2021 academic year are: Amanda Cummins of Elkins, a junior criminology and history major; Kyle Hawthorne of

Morgantown, a sophomore biology major; Natalia Hidalgo of Alguazas, Spain, a sophomore political science major; Courtney Roth of Oakland Maryland, a junior history major; Reagan Sharp of Morgantown, a freshman exercise science major; Hunter Smith of Jackson, New Jersey, a freshman finance major; and Ryan Wickham of Sydney, Australia, a sophomore business management major.

Funding for the Honors Program is provided by a NetVUE Vocation across the Academy Grant. The award is made possible by a generous grant to the Council of Independent Colleges from Lilly Endowment Inc.

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