Hollins University

Hollins University congratulates students who graduated on October 1, 2022, and was recognized during the 181st commencement ceremony on May 21, 2023.

Hollins University congratulates students who graduated in October 2022, and were recognized during the 181st commencement ceremony on May 21, 2023.

Hollins University congratulates students who graduated during the 181st commencement ceremony on May 21, 2023.

Eighteen Hollins University students have been elected to Phi Beta Kappa, Iota of Virginia Chapter, for 2023. Since 1776, Phi Beta Kappa has championed education in the arts and sciences, fostered freedom of thought, and recognized academic excellence. As America's most prestigious academic honor society, Phi Beta Kappa honors the best and brightest liberal arts and sciences undergraduates from 293 top schools across the nation through a highly selective, merit-based invitation process. Ten percent of U.S. colleges and universities have Phi Beta Kappa chapters. These chapters select only about ten percent of their arts and sciences graduates to join. Hollins is an independent liberal arts university offering undergraduate education to women, selected graduate programs for men and women, and community outreach initiatives. Founded in 1842 as Virginia's first chartered women's college, its distinctions include a nationally ranked creative writing program, one of the oldest study abroad programs in the country, and extensive internship opportunities.

Hollins University's congratulates students who graduated during the 180th commencement ceremony on May 22, 2022.

Hollins University's congratulates students who graduated during the 180th commencement ceremony on May 22, 2022.

Emily Lauletta '22, who is majoring in gender and women's studies and minoring in social justice at Hollins University, was accepted at four graduate schools and this fall will be attending Claremont Graduate University in California, where she will pursue an M.A. in applied gender studies.

Tyler Sesker '22, who is majoring in gender and women's studies with a pre-law concentration at Hollins University, will enter the Master of Public Policy program at the University of Virginia's Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy this fall.

Margarite Fisher '22, a business major and French minor, will pursue a master's degree in digital marketing beginning this fall at the Rennes School of Business in France.

As she wrapped up her high school career, Faith Clarkson '22 wasn't sure what she wanted to study in college. But, after visiting Hollins University's website, she was convinced she had found the perfect school to guide her.

Virginia Lucey '24 spent this year's January Short Term observing the behavior of more than 100 wolves at the Wildlife Science Center near Osprey Wilds, an environmental learning center in east central Minnesota, and then actively tracked wild wolves, both on the ground and in the air.

When she learned that as a rising sophomore she was one of just 12 students selected for Hollins' Summer Fellowship program this year, Kayla Richardson '24 was both excited and grateful. "The fellowship would represent my first big research project," she explained. "I was really flattered that I was chosen, especially since I felt like I didn't have as much experience as other students." Working with Professor of Political Science Edward Lynch, Richardson spent the summer immersed in researching Catholic social thought and free market theory. Their study resulted in a paper that the two presented this fall at the annual conference of the Society of Catholic Social Scientists (SCSS), which this year was held at Franciscan University in Steubenville, Ohio. Richardson is a sociology major who anticipates declaring political science as her second major soon. She said the paper topic "was Dr. Lynch's idea. He approached me about it, and I thought, 'Oh wow, this is pretty cool.'" Throughout the summer, Lynch searched for relevant materials, which Richardson then read and summarized. The notes they compiled became the basis for the paper they co-authored starting in August. About midway through their research, Richardson was invited to deliver a virtual presentation at a conference at Virginia Tech on their findings. The experience was valuable preparation for the SCSS conference. "This was the first conference I'd done in person," she said. "I was very nervous, but it went pretty well." "The praise was universal," said Lynch. "One participant, who runs a theology program at Franciscan University, said it was the best presentation she had ever heard. She asked Kayla and me if we'd be willing to reprise our presentation for her students." Lynch added that other conference attendees complimented Hollins for providing collaborative opportunities for faculty and undergraduate students. "One participant was convinced, from the quality of her presentation and her knowledge, that Kayla was a grad student and was shocked to learn she's a sophomore undergrad. The experience confirms something I've said many times: when Hollins students bring their 'A Game,' they stun the world. We have a high degree of faith in our students' abilities, and based on what I've heard from my counterparts, the intellectual bonds formed between faculty and students at Hollins are almost unique in higher education." Richardson is now exploring various internship opportunities. "I'm trying to figure out if I'm interested in pre-law so I'll be venturing into that area a little more. I'm just open to any opportunity that presents itself to me," including further research. Whether she ultimately winds up at law school or grad school, she believes her summer fellowship will help her both short-term and long-term. "I'm really happy I did it. Not only did I get to have a good experience academically, but I got to meet some really incredible people as well. Others should take part in the program if they ever get the chance."