20 Milestones. In education

| 17 Feb 2025 | 08:29

Christopher Byrnes, a 2022 graduate of Sparta High School and a current junior at Lafayette College, is one of 100 recipients nationwide of the prestigious Obama-Chesky Voyager Scholarship. The scholarship was founded by President Obama and Airbnb chief executive Brian Chesky. Recipients receive up to $50,000 in financial aid, $10,000 for a travel-work experience and $20,000 in Airbnb credit during 10 years after graduation. Byrnes will travel to South Korea and Japan to conduct research, made possible by the scholarship.

Rachel Leitner of Sparta was named to the fall dean’s list at the Seidel School of Education at Salisbury University. She also was re-elected as president of the club field hockey team for the 2025 season.

• Named to the fall dean’s list at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Conn., are Danielle Fetzner of Hamburg; Juliette Fornino of Highland Lakes; Laryssa Da Silva, Jennifer Ellsworth, Jocelyn Reynolds* and Katie Williver, all of Newton; John Franconere, Steven Keane, Jack LaBanca, Gabriella Lindner*, Francis Lloyd, Sebastian Lopes, Katherine McCall, Kyleigh Mongon*, Sydney Vandermark* and Marygrace Wille, all of Sparta; Andrew McCleary and Mia Vergano* of Stanhope; and John Cielo* of Vernon. A grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.5 with no grade lower than C was required. The asterisk denotes “with honors.”

Named to the fall dean’s list at the College of New Jersey in Ewing are Noelle Casperson, Brandon Castellaneta, Matthew Cronin, Sarah Granholm and Jack Young, all of Andover; Julia Garrera of Branchville; Emma McElroy of Byram; Andrew Birkelbach, Angela Patti and Lily Tobachnick, all of Franklin; Kaitlyn Gilmer of Glenwood; Olivia Lee, Charlotte Storch and Lauren Waschek, all of Hamburg; Isabel Feliciano of Hopatcong; Brittany Reimer and Ava Rubino, both of Lafayette; Brandon Theobald of Layton; and Gianna Carchia, Caley Cortezano, Stephanie Gianuzzi, Tyler Hennion, Megan Hurley, Alyssa Levin, Jeremy Liegner, Alexis Lillis, James Lubrecht, Michael Lubrecht, Lauren Mosner and Morgan Stenderowicz, all of Newton. A GPA of 3.5 or above was required.

Philip Fancher of Andover made the fall dean’s list at the State University of New York at Cortland. He is a graduate of Lenape Valley Regional High School who is majoring in business economics.

• Samantha Di Santi of Sparta made the fall dean’s list at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Va. A GPA of 3.6 was required.