27AS Milestones. In education
• 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.
• Named to the fall dean’s list at Centenary University in Hackettstown were Kygan Garletts and Madison Rhine, both of Andover; Megan Talmadge of Branchville; Carly Gyongyosi of Byram; Alexander Apter of Fredon; Ryan Keena and Carley Klein, both of Hamburg; Natalya Tasso and Madison Trevaskiss, both of Hampton; Glyn Davies and Madison Maniquis, both of Hopatcong; Helena Sargeant of Lafayette; Samantha Burke, Jarod Demauro, Stephanie Hutnick, Phoebe Livingston, Melaina Scuralli and Reece Smith, all of Newton; Hailey Alvarado and Abigail Blochinger, both of Sparta; Jayson Morton and Hayley Testa, both of Stanhope; Kayla Diee and Lauren Guerriero, both of Sussex; and Maria Almonte, Rylee Both and Julia Feldman, all of Wantage. A GPA of 3.8 or above was required.
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