Darlington’s Young Alumni Council elected Smith Wheeler ('19) as president and welcomed eight new members at the May meeting.
Wheeler, who has been serving as vice president of the Young Alumni Council this past year, now begins his term as president. A four-year boarding student from Fayetteville, N.C., Wheeler was a leader on campus. Now, he is an investment banking analyst with Brookwood Associates in Atlanta. He graduated magna cum laude with a degree in finance from the College of Charleston.
Eli Baldwin (’21) is a senior at Duke University studying economics and political science. He came to Darlington as a day student from Rome and was involved in every facet of campus life. He played soccer, lacrosse, and ran cross country in addition to serving as a house leader, member of the “Y” Cabinet and representative on the Student Council.
Carson Barnes (’17) came to Darlington as a day student in the Upper School and immediately got involved in fine arts programs singing and performing. He was also a campus leader in the dorms and president of the Student Council. Barnes graduated from the University of Georgia and currently lives in Rome, working as a software engineer with Morton Software Insights.
Anabelle Braden (’19) spent her entire academic career at Darlington as a day student from Rome. She was a leader in numerous campus activities and received a number of awards for her leadership and service, including the Thornwood Bracelet for General Excellence her senior year. She graduated this spring from the University of Georgia and currently lives and works in Athens for the University of Georgia Athletic Association as a Georgia Football recruiting specialist.
Ella (Carpenter) Givens (’17) currently works as marketing and community relations manager for River City Bank. She and her husband, Burch (’17), live in Rome. As a day student, Givens was involved in the “Y” Cabinet and as an Advancement Ambassador. After Darlington, she attended and graduated from the University of Alabama. This year, she volunteered as a presenter for Career Day.
Noah Katz (’14, LD ’24) came to Darlington as a four-year boarding student from Florida. He was involved in all aspects of campus life from rowing to Concert Choir. Katz graduated from Stetson University and currently resides in the Washington, D.C., metro area. He works as a senior writer for the non-profit organization Stand Together.
Rand Smith (’18), a former day student from Rome, was a student leader involved in all areas of campus life. He graduated from the University of Georgia Terry College of Business and is currently an engagement financial advisor consultant with Deloitte in Atlanta.
Grace Watters (’20) currently lives and works in Utah after earning a B.A. in Journalism with a double concentration in Print and Digital Journalism and Advertising, as well as a B.A. in Spanish and a minor in Studio Art from Samford University this spring. She was a day student from Rome and a scholar-athlete, earning numerous awards as a standout tennis player.
Gracen Wilson (’16), a native Roman, came to Darlington in the Lower School. She was involved as a student in cheerleading, Concert Choir, The Darlingtones, and served as a Tiger Expert and Advancement Ambassador. Wilson began her college career at the University of Mississippi but transferred and graduated from the University of Alabama. She then went on to earn her nursing degree from Samford University and master’s in nursing from Chamberlain University. She currently works as a registered nurse for AdventHealth Redmond in Rome.
