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Marshall names National Society of ACTA Scholars

Marshall University’s John Deaver Drinko Academy has recognized 33 students from diverse academic backgrounds as the May 2025 class of National Society of ACTA Scholars for their achievements in civics-focused courses and disciplines.

Marshall University’s John Deaver Drinko Academy for American Political Institutions and Civic Culture has announced its May 2025 class of National Society of ACTA Scholars.

ACTA is an academic honorary society that was founded in 2020 by the American Council of Trustees and Alumni, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit that promotes rigorous studies in the arts and sciences, and advocates for the study of civics at the college level. Marshall University was one of the first institutions of higher education in the country to establish a National Society of ACTA Scholars Chapter.

“ACTA Scholars complete a set of course requirements providing advanced preparation for the responsibilities of informed and engaged citizenship, for effective communication and competition within the global marketplace, and for skilled and creative problem solving to address our present and future challenges,” said Drinko Academy Executive Director Dr. Montserrat Miller. “Three of the seven courses needed for National Society of ACTA Scholars eligibility are already built into Marshall’s core curriculum. But only a few majors require students to study U.S. government, U.S. history, or economics. The National Society of ACTA Scholars chapter at Marshall encourages more students to take such courses, along with literature and foreign language classes.”

Thirty-three Marshall University students qualified to graduate as ACTA Scholars in the second half of the 2024-2025 academic year. Graduating Marshall ACTA Scholars are from 11 different counties in West Virginia, from Kentucky, Ohio, Florida, and Michigan. These students completed degrees with majors and minors in the College of Liberal Arts, the College of Education and Professional Development, the College of Health Professions, the Lewis College of Business, and the College of Science.

The following Marshall graduates have been recognized as ACTA Scholars:

  • Olivia Andrew-Vaughan of Ann Arbor, Mich.: BAs in Political Science, International Affairs, and Spanish with minors in Constitutional Democracy, Latin American Studies-History, and English, summa cum laude
  • Isaiah Barrick of South Charleston, W.Va.: BA in History with a minor in Anthropology, cum laude
  • Carrie Belcher of Catlettsburg, Ky.: BAs in Secondary Education with a concentration in Social Studies and History, magna cum laude
  • Aaron Carte of Charleston, W.Va.: BA in Political Science with a minor in History, magna cum laude
  • Ben Chambers of Athens, W.Va.: BAs in Creative Writing and Political Science with minors in Constitutional Democracy, International Affairs, and History, summa cum laude
  • Sofia Childers of Nitro, W.Va.: BA in History with minors in European History and Religious Studies, magna cum laude
  • Kalilla Collins of Mallory, W.Va.: BA in English with a minor in History, summa cum laude
  • Cynthia Collins of Princeton, W.Va.: BA in Political Science with minors in Constitutional Democracy, International Affairs, and Creative Writing, summa cum laude
  • Isabella Cortellesi of Hurricane, W.Va.: BA in History, magna cum laude
  • Michael Edwards of Ashland, Ky.: BA in History with a minor in Latin
  • Dillon Ewing of Pax, W.Va.: BA in History, magna cum laude
  • Maggie Gibbs of Huntington, W.Va.: BA in English with minors in Spanish, Creative Writing, and Biological Sciences, summa cum laude
  • Evan Grady of Letart, W.Va.: BA in Sociology, cum laude
  • Ella Hiles of Wilmington, Oh.: BA in History, cum laude
  • Alyssa Hudson of Winfield, W.Va.: BBAs in Marketing and Accounting with a minor in Legal Environment, magna cum laude
  • Morgan Keefer of Evans, W.Va.: BAs in Psychology, Spanish, and Humanities with a minor in Business, summa cum laude
  • Jaden Keith of Holden, W.Va.: BAs in Political Science and English with minors in Constitutional Democracy and Creative Writing, cum laude
  • Matthew King of Culloden, W.Va.: BA in History
  • Matthew Lebo of Vienna, W.Va.: BA in History with a minor in Accounting
  • Davey Neal of Danese, W.Va.: BAs in Psychology and French, cum laude
  • Wallace Payne of Huntington, W.Va.: BA in History, cum laude
  • Hannah Peters of Poca, W.Va.: BA in Anthropology with a concentration in Archaeological Anthropology and minors in Psychology and Business, magna cum laude
  • Mason Pomeroy of Nettie, W.Va.: BA in History, cum laude
  • Brittany Price of Barboursville, W.Va.: BAs in English, French, and Secondary Education with a concentration in English, magna cum laude
  • Nicolas Raffinengo of Boynton Beach, Fla.: BA in Political Science and BBA in International Business with a minor in Constitutional Democracy, summa cum laude
  • Abigail Ramey of Harts, W.Va.: BAs in English, French, and Secondary Education with a concentration in English, magna cum laude
  • Alex Russell of Saint Albans, W.Va.: BA in Secondary Education with a concentration in Social Studies and minor in Geography, summa cum laude
  • Devyn Samples of Saint Albans, W.Va.: BAs in Classical Language-Latin, International Affairs, and Humanities with a minor in Greek
  • Emily Shay of Ashland, Ky.: BA in Japanese with minors in Political Science, Anthropology, and Asian Studies-History
  • Evan Slaughter of Culloden, W.Va.: BA in History, magna cum laude
  • Owen Smith of Barboursville, W.Va.: BA in Political Science, cum laude
  • Quinlin Sollars of Huntington, W.Va.: BS in Political Science with a concentration in American Politics and minors in Constitutional Democracy and History, cum laude
  • Miranda Valles of Weston, W.Va.: BAs in History and Humanities with minors in Journalism and Mass Communication, Women’s Studies, European History, and Greek, cum laude

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