Local Students Earn Top Academic Honors at Area Universities

Nearly 40 students from Front Royal, Linden, and Bentonville have been recognized for academic excellence during the Spring 2025 semester, earning places on prestigious Dean’s and President’s Lists or graduating with degrees from top regional universities.

James Madison University (JMU)

Seven students from the local area were named to JMU’s President’s List, a distinction reserved for those earning a GPA of 3.9 or higher while completing at least 12 credit hours. Honorees include:

• Karlie Lilly – Elementary Education, BS (Front Royal)
• Madison DeSarno – History, BA (Front Royal)
• Jessica Frey – Kinesiology, BS (Front Royal)
• Kiersten Stives – Kinesiology, BS (Front Royal)
• Jocelyn Moyer – Music, BM (Front Royal)
• Isabel Layman – Music, BM (Bentonville)
• Scout Broadbent – Nursing, BSN (Bentonville)

In addition to academic honors, several local students celebrated a milestone by graduating from JMU this May:

• Devin Modesitt – Psychology, BS (Front Royal)
• Gabriel Davis – History, BA (Front Royal)
• Jessica Frey – Kinesiology, BS (Front Royal)
• Kendall Morris – Kinesiology, BS (Front Royal)
• Mary Alexander – Individualized Study, BS (Front Royal)
• Michael Kelly – Political Science, BA (Front Royal)

Radford University

Fifteen students from Front Royal and Linden earned a spot on Radford University’s Dean’s List, which recognizes students who complete at least 12 graded semester hours with a GPA of 3.4 or higher and no grade below a C.

From Front Royal:

• Shannon Cangemi
• Sydney Loy
• Ella Snodgrass
• Kaylee Tieche
• Skyla Zimbro
• Makenna Amos
• Michael Coffron
• Jose Covarrubias
• Neil Sharma
• Brittany Arp
• Grace James
• Layla Miller

From Linden:

• Ava Schmohl
• Alivia Turner

Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU)

Four additional local students were honored on SNHU’s President’s List, which requires a GPA of 3.7 or higher for the term:

• Ron Joy (Linden)
• Anne Marie Soldo (Front Royal)
• Thomas Jerome (Front Royal)
• Sean McDonald (Front Royal)

A Community of Excellence

These students represent a wide range of academic disciplines, from music and nursing to psychology, political science, and individualized studies. Their success reflects not only personal dedication but also the strong foundation provided by local schools, teachers, and families.

As summer begins, these high achievers return to the Northern Shenandoah Valley with the distinction of having met—and exceeded—the academic standards of their universities. Their accomplishments are a source of pride for the entire community.