More than 100 students in the Virginia Tech Honors College were recently recognized as Norrine Bailey Spencer Strong Start Honorees. The recognition goes to Honors College students who achieved a 4.0 in their first semester of study at Virginia Tech.

The namesake of the award is the late Norrine Bailey Spencer, former associate provost and director of undergraduate admissions and former associate dean of the Pamplin College of Business, who often expressed to students the importance of getting a strong start in their university education.

Norrine Bailey Spencer
Norrine Bailey Spencer

“It is fitting that this award be named in memory of Norrine,” Spencer’s husband, Edward Spencer, said. “With an undergraduate mathematics degree and a Ph.D. in educational evaluation and research, she appreciated how important a strong start is in determining cumulative success. Using the mathematical GPA formula, Norrine was very fond of showing students that after the first semester, each succeeding semester has less and less ability to impact one’s overall GPA. It’s the strong start that is so important!”

The following students are recognized as Norrine Bailey Spencer Strong Start Honorees for 2022:

  • Jennifer Abraham, College of Science
  • Mohamed Abu-Ajaj, College of Science
  • Ashil Amin, Engineering
  • Henry Arze, Engineering
  • Maleha Asmi, College of Science
  • Henry Auvil, Engineering
  • Aryan Bangalore, College of Science
  • Christopher Barreiro Jr., Engineering
  • Salvador Buenadicha Calvo, Engineering
  • Isabelle Cang, Agriculture & Life Sciences
  • Paulina Charalambous, Pamplin College of Business
  • Kevin Chen, College of Science
  • Abigail Conner, Pamplin College of Business
  • Jada Czesnakowski, Engineering
  • Luke DiGiovanna, Engineering
  • Gino DiMatteo, Engineering
  • Abigail Dillard, Engineering
  • Katelyn Domke, Agriculture & Life Sciences
  • Kyle Dzuroska, Engineering
  • Elizabeth Eroshenko, Agriculture & Life Sciences
  • Kantner Eversole, Pamplin College of Business
  • Elenora Fiel, Liberal Arts and Human Sciences
  • Benjamin Fielder, Engineering
  • Grace Finch, Agriculture & Life Sciences
  • Logan Flanagan, Natural Resources and Environment
  • Kristen Folk, Agriculture & Life Sciences
  • Kendall Fortner, College of Science
  • Sachin Gandhi, College of Science
  • Soham Gandhi, Engineering
  • Krish Ganotra, Engineering
  • Zoe Gaucher, Liberal Arts and Human Sciences
  • Vera Gliga, Liberal Arts and Human Sciences
  • Addison Glozer, College of Science
  • Anna Goodman, Architecture & Urban Studies
  • Jonathan Hartman, College of Science
  • Jonah Hutchison, Natural Resources and Environment
  • Eman Ibrahim, College of Science
  • Nami Jain, Architecture & Urban Studies
  • Haley Johnson, Liberal Arts and Human Sciences
  • Caroline Joseph, Engineering
  • Daniel Kaighn, Engineering
  • Ananya Kanuparthy, Pamplin College of Business
  • Diya Khilnani, Engineering
  • Kathryn Kinskie, Pamplin College of Business
  • Atinsai Kolli, Engineering
  • Anna Koubek, Architecture & Urban Studies
  • Pelagie Ky, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine
  • Rishi Lahoti, Pamplin College of Business
  • Shannon Lehrke, Pamplin College of Business
  • Jason Liu, Architecture & Urban Studies
  • Jennifer Lopez-Perez, Architecture & Urban Studies
  • Thomas Lu, Engineering
  • Sarah Luttenberger, Liberal Arts and Human Sciences
  • Nishad Manohar, College of Science
  • Sydney Mccarthy, College of Science
  • Forrest Meng, Engineering
  • Charlotte Menke, Liberal Arts and Human Sciences
  • Benjamin Montminy, Engineering
  • Elizabeth Morris, Agriculture & Life Sciences
  • Alexandra Nelson, Engineering
  • Sean O'Dowd, Engineering
  • James O'Hora Jr., College of Science
  • Kyler Orourke, College of Science
  • Etienne Ouellet, Liberal Arts and Human Sciences
  • Pramil Patel, Engineering
  • Sarah Paz, Engineering
  • Anna Pitts, Liberal Arts and Human Sciences
  • Berkley Puzey, Liberal Arts and Human Sciences
  • Robert Ramirez Sanchez, Engineering
  • Dylan Recardo, Pamplin College of Business
  • Laci Reed, Liberal Arts and Human Sciences
  • Eliza Rothenburger, Natural Resources and Environment
  • Rupabali Samanta, College of Science
  • Jazmine Sands, College of Science
  • Zachary Santoni, Engineering
  • Shahd Sanuri,  Agriculture & Life Sciences
  • Lauren Sartori, Architecture & Urban Studies
  • Griffin Schager, Pamplin College of Business
  • Kyle Scherock, Engineering
  • Reave Sexton, Liberal Arts and Human Sciences
  • Madeline Shivas, Liberal Arts and Human Sciences
  • Adrien Sion, College of Science
  • Riley Smith, Liberal Arts and Human Sciences
  • Kendra Sollars, Liberal Arts and Human Sciences
  • Matthew Speciale, Engineering
  • Amanda Sternitzke, Liberal Arts and Human Sciences
  • Tanishq Sundaresan, Engineering
  • Joshua Taibbi, Architecture & Urban Studies
  • Brady Talbert, College of Science
  • Erin Taylor, Agriculture & Life Sciences
  • Jacob Taylor, Pamplin College of Business
  • Anika Thatavarthy, Engineering
  • Joseph Tittel, Engineering
  • Stephen Titus, Architecture & Urban Studies
  • Emily Tortora, Liberal Arts and Human Sciences
  • Victoria Valladares, Engineering
  • Neha Vashistha, College of Science
  • Robert Whitehead, Engineering
  • Emma Whitney, Engineering
  • Sean Wiger, Engineering
  • Evan Wilson, Pamplin College of Business
  • Marguerite Yates, Engineering
  • Matthew Yoon, Engineering
  • Riley Zeman, Agriculture & Life Sciences
  • Matthew Zheng, Engineering


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