The Darlington Chapter of the Cum Laude Society inducted 24 students and one faculty members during an installation ceremony on Thursday, April 25 in Morris Chapel.
According to Dean of College Guidance Sam Moss (’63), Chapter president, membership in the Cum Laude Society is one of the highest academic honors Darlington can bestow upon members of the student body. To be eligible for consideration, students must have an A (93) average for all four years, have taken at least eight Honors or AP courses over four years (or two each year), have earned a very high class rank and have demonstrated good character, honor and integrity in all aspects of their school life. Membership is limited to a maximum of 20% of each senior class.
Inductees included Thomas Francis Atha Jr., Hayden Diane Baldwin, Olivia Anne Barfield, Lawson Wyatt Blake, Andrew Stanley Brunt, Jiaxuan Han, Olivia JoAnn Harper, Huaibi Hu, Jiaqi Jiang, Marissa Joan Joseph, Kacey Alexis Kemp, Trang Thien Khuc, Nea Eveliina Leppanen, Zhaoyang Liu, Sloman Rhett McDurmon, Cheng Zhi Miao, Ram Miniyar, Harsh Tushar Patel, Satyatejas Gavva Reddy, Giulia Verzino, Siqi Wu, Yidong Xu, Xiaochen Zhang, and Ziqi Zheng.
“The Cum Laude Society recognizes excellence in academic work,” said Moss. “As these students pursue their education, it is our hope that they will accept this honor as a responsibility to make a contribution to the ongoing search for greater understanding of one's self and of society.”
The society also inducted Darlington faculty member Kathy O'Mara who has been the Visual Arts teacher at Darlington for 33 years, is the longest-serving member of the Fine Arts Department, and is one of the three most senior members of the faculty. O’Mara has taught Art 1, Art 2, Art 3, Art 4, AP Studio Art, and 2D Design. Through the years, she has served as prom advisor, head junior class advisor, Honor Council advisor, drama department set designer, and college advisor. She received a B.A. from Mary Baldwin College and at Darlington has been the recipient of the Brown Award, the Athlene Forsyth Award, and the R. M. Yankee Award for Excellence in Teaching.
