Our alumni have pursued multiple career paths and won numerous awards.
Achievements of Alumni
Claire Daniels Corbett (’59): Recognition for accuracy and fluency in technical translations, 3M Company. Co-translator of “Jimmy Who?” (“Qui etes-vous, Jimmy Carter?”) children’s books published by Rainbo Grafics, Brussels.
Parma Tuten Holt (’62): A semi-finalist on the Jeopardy! Senior Tournament in 1995.
Maurice Cherry (’65): Received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the South Carolina Foreign Language Teachers Association, the Founders Award from the Southern Conference on Language Teaching, and served on the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages Board.
Kathleen Burger (’69): Currently chair of Capital Campaign for National City Christian Church, DC. Has raised $900,000 in this volunteer position.
Kathryn Fowler (’69): Athena Award from Athens, GA. Louis Newmark Award, Georgia Gerontology Society. Emory University Non-Profit Management Certificate.
Marsha Hobson Johnson (’69): Had the privilege during her career to serve on the boards of South Carolina Foreign Language Teachers Association, Southern Conference on Language Teaching, and American Association of Teachers of German. She was the first teacher of German in Lexington District 1 (SC) and enjoyed watching the program grow.
Margaret Browne Young (’73): Named South Carolina Foreign Language Teacher of the Year in 1999. She is also a part of the panel for developing SC Foreign World Language Proficiency Standards (2013).
Nancy Cato (’73): Worked all of her career in the medical field, decided to retire and return to her Modern Language roots. She married a man from Germany and is currently learning German in Munich.
Donna Turner Cantrell (’81): Certified Vital-Stim therapy provider.
Teri Simmons (’83): Works in the Immigration Group at American Advisors Group. Was recently named as one of the Top 20 in the US by Legal 500. She has also been named as a top immigration lawyer by Best Lawyers and Chambers, with specialty on German owned companies.
Chris Ballard (’84): Married to Michelle McCoy Ballard (’83) for 31 years with four grown children, three who are also serving as Army officers. Recently promoted to Major General. Three combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Charles Batson (’87): Was recently named Full Professor of French at Union College. He recently published the book Cirque Global: Quebec’s Expanding Circus Boundaries (McGill-Queens, 2016).
Lynne Smith (’88): Ordained in the United Methodist Church in 2009, served as President of the North Georgia Chapter of Christian Educators Fellowship, and serves on the Women in Theology and Ministry Advisory Board at Candler School of Theology, Emory University.
Anne Woody (’89): Received a Master’s Degree at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and is finishing an MBA at Indiana University Kelley School of Business.
Leslie Gallagher (’89): MA – Furman +30 Furman and Citadel.
Linda Whitcomb (’92): Richland School District 2 Teacher of the Year, Muller Road Middle School Teacher of the Year.
Lisa Zimmerman (’92): Earned a Masters of Arts in Latin American Studies and a Masters in Social Work. She works at a community clinic providing psychotherapy to Latino immigrants and other underserved populations.
Jeffrey Westbrook (’94): Is an ordained minister. He is currently teaching high school literature and Spanish at Faith Christian Academy in Hurt, VA. He also referees soccer.
Kelly Jackson Davis (’94): Has been selected to receive one of the 2015 Distinguished Alumni Awards from the University of South Carolina School of Journalism and Mass Communications. The award will be presented in October.
Kristie Prinz (’95): Recently named to be a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation; recent speaker on “Negotiating Software as a Service Contracts” for Strafford Publications.
Sarah Webb (’96): Is a freelance science journalist, writer, and editor based in Chattanooga, TN. She has written for Discover, Science News, and many others. She contributed to The Science Writers’ Handbook published in 2013.
Ryan Chastain (’97): 2015- Completed second Master’s Degree; Masters in Bilingual and Multicultural Education from Universidad de Alcalá in Madrid, Spain. Army Accommodation Awards for Valor and Missions Completed
Ashley Lawrence (’97): Was twice selected as her school’s delegate to Notre Dame’s Excellence in Teaching conference. She was 1 of 40 teachers selected from USA to go to Japan with Toyota’s International Teaching Institute.
Arch Bell (’98): Had an article published in Spanish daily MARCA.
Michael Harrison (’98): Chaired the Mesa Languages Conference, a one-day conference for college language educators from southern California during spring 2015, and in summer 2015 led his first study abroad program in Madrid.
Andrew J. L. Waskey, III (’99): Partner in outdoor cooling company in the Middle East. Proud parent of 2 boys.
Heather Williams Deibler (’99): Program Director’s Award 2003, Arcadia University, in recognition of commitment to meeting the needs of the medically underserved.
Kate Conkey (’99): Commander, 194th MP Company. Winner of the Brigadier Jeremiah P. Holland Award as Best MP Company in the Army and a recipient of the US Army MacArthur Leadership Award. She is currently Professor of Military Science, University of Hawaii.
Tyler Thigpen (’00): Co-founder of Transforming Teaching at Harvard; Leadership Sandy Springs certificate; published in Washington Post, Education Week, Harvard Kennedy School Review.
Kelly Davidson Devall (’01): Led the development of the eMajor in French in GA and serves as Chair of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages Culture special interest group and is the journal editor for the National Network for Early Language Learning.
Christen Cullum Hairston (’01): Margaret the Lady Thatcher Medallion for Academic Excellence at the College of William and Mary 2013.
Cassidy Carow (’01): Received the Baby Boot Camp Franchise Owner of the Year in 2011.
Amber Brock (’02): Has a novel forthcoming from Crown Publishing in May 2016. The novel, A Fine Imitation, is set in New York City in the 1920s. She teaches English and Spanish at an Atlanta private school.
Robin Kanady (’02): Emmy Nomination for Continuing Coverage ’09 Radio Television Digital News Association of the Carolinas Award ’12
Emily (Phillips) Reynolds (’03): Was awarded fellowship in dermatology as a Nurse Practitioner.
Bradley Benton (’03): Co-editor and Co-translator, The Native Conquistador (Penn State Press). 2015 Outstanding Research Award, Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences College, North Dakota State University. National Endowment for the Humanities Scholarly Editions & Translations Grant, ’14-’17.
Mark Dubois (’03): This past summer Dubois traveled to Istanbul, Turkey to participate in an NEH fellowship studying the history of Istanbul, from ancient times to the present.
Elizabeth Head (’04): Served as co-leader of a two-week study abroad trip to Paris and Northern France in June and July 2015 with John Tyler Community College and taught a class on Medieval French literature and architecture.
Ransom Gladwin (’04): Awarded the rank of Full Professor in Spanish, and Coordinator of the Foreign Language Education program, at Valdosta State University in Valdosta, Georgia.
Shelley (Swendiman) Stinelli (’05): Master’s Degree from American University (’13) in International Training and Education with a focus on human trafficking of youth in Eastern Europe.
Meghan Jones (’05): Earned her MA in Spanish in 2008. She is currently in graduate school studying Education with a focus on Teacher Education and research in World Language Teaching and Teacher International Education.
Kathleen (Katie Allen) Lorey (’05): MBA – Information Technology from Georgia Tech, Project Management Professional (PMP), Six Sigma Yellow Belt, and just bought a home with her husband in Brookhaven, Georgia.
Emily Dean Bernate (’06): Received a Dissertation Completion Fellowship and completed her PhD in Spanish Sociolinguistics in March 2016.
Adam Ketner (’06): Graduated from medical school last year and has started training in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics at Ohio State University.
Elizabeth Carafiol (’07): Received a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship Grant to work at a school in Germany (2011-2012) as well as an American Association of Teachers grant to participate in a summer seminar for American German teachers in Leipzig (2014).
Donte Stewart (’07): Fellow, World Affairs Council Seattle
Laura Braun (’07): Fulbright International Education Administrators Scholarship Recipient (’12), Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship Panelist (’11-’15), Diversity Incentive Grant Recipient (’13), Sigma Delta Pi Scholarship (’07).
Ashley VonderBecke (’07): Served as the Bilingual Partnership Specialist for the 2010 Census in 9 counties of upstate South Carolina. She was promoted to Bilingual Partnership Specialist for the entire state of South Carolina in summer of 2010.
Mary Beth Hayes (’07): Is pursuing a PhD in Education at the University of Georgia, where she participates in the Emerging Leaders program. She recently co-authored a chapter on telecollaboration in language-learning.
Sarah Henning (’08): Represented the U.S. during official gift exchanges with foreign delegations domestically and abroad, including the 2014 trip of the First Lady to China and the 2013 trip of the First Family to Africa.
Daniella Rastrelli Hansen (’08): Recently achieved licensure as a professional counselor (LPC-MHSP) in Tennessee and has opened a private mental health counseling practice. daniellahansen.com
Emily Poe-Crawford (’08): Featured recently in Uppercase and Winston-Salem Monthly magazines for her lettering and design work. Her shop, Em Dash Paper Co, joined a physical storefront location in Winston-Salem in 2014.
Anthony Thompson (’08): Graduated with honors from Emory University School of Law and Emory’s Goizueta Business School in May of 2014. Since then, he has been working as a Senior Procurement Consultant at AT&T in Atlanta, GA.
Patrick Callahan (’08): Peace Corps Volunteer-Rural Agricultural Extensionist in Nicaragua, 2008-2010.
Lisa (Mulvey) Watson (‘08): Splits time as a Spanish teacher and Professional Development coordinator. Graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Masters in School Administration with a North Carolina principal licensure from University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
Elizabeth Bradley (’08): Chair, Educational and Charitable Funds Committee, CNA US Army Recruiting Command, Certificate of Appreciation, Swift Award for Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching in Economics H.B. Earhart Foundation Fellow.
Kathleen McDavid Muthig (‘08): Board of Palmetto Health Cancer Centers (2015), Junior League of Columbia Provisional of the Year award (2013).
Anne Elizabeth Goodgame (’09): Is currently attending University of Georgia School of Law, is in the top 25% of her class, placed Top 16 in1L Russell Moot Court Competition, and is on Editorial Board for Georgia Law Review.
Charles Nagle (’09): Graduated with a PhD in Spanish Linguistics from Georgetown University (2014). He is now Assistant Professor of Spanish Linguistics at Iowa State University.
Evan Bohnenblust (’09): Graduated with an MD from Temple University School of Medicine with Alpha Omega Alpha honors in 2013. Currently chief resident in anesthesiology at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, CA.
Emily Robinson (’09): Recently won the May/June 2015 Lyric contest for American Songwriter Magazine in Nashville, TN. She also received an Honorable Mention in the 2015 Rocky Mountain Folks Festival Songwriter Showcase.
Aleah Holland James (’09): Completed her MA in Art History from Indiana University in 2015. Her thesis was on “The mythologies of Velázquez and Ovid in Spanish translation.” She is the Vice President of Public Relations for Ramstad’s Toastmasters Club.
Alexander Chan (’10): One of Ten Outstanding Master’s Students, Auburn University 2011-2012; Current doctoral candidate at Auburn University in Human Development and Family Studies (PhD anticipated 2016)
Jessica Grande (’10): Earned a Master of Arts from Georgia State University in Spanish, graduated 2012.
Aly (Howard) Cokeley (‘10): Aly was recently promoted to Assistant Innkeeper at the Wentworth Mansion in Charleston, SC. In her three years with Wentworth Mansion, it has been named #1 Small Hotel in North America twice.
Sam Ervin (’10): Two Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals for service on board USS BARRY 2010-2014. Finalist in Ignite start-up business competition hosted by EngenuitySC in 2015.
Catie Patterson (’10): Currently a PhD student in applied math at the University of Iowa. Prior to attending Iowa, received a Master’s degree in mathematical research from the Universitat de Valencia (Spain).
David Wantland (’11): Recently graduated from Duke University Divinity School with a Masters in Divinity. David is a postulant for Holy Orders (priest) in The Episcopal Church.
Kelly Goldsmith (’11): Began second year of an M.A. of Spanish at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in August, 2015. Expected graduation date is May, 2016 and currently planning to carry on with the PhD.
Lara Savitz Vincoli (’11): Began Master’s Degree in Spanish at Middlebury College.
Claire Greenstein (’11): Free University of Berlin’s Program for Advanced German and European Studies Fellowship, 2015-2016.
Emily Dunn (’12): Obtained a Diplôme Approfondi de Langue Française (DALF) C1 in French.
Brandon Tensley (’12): Was a 2012-2013 Fulbright Scholar in Germany and is currently a 2015-2016 Luce Scholar in Thailand, where he works as a journalist and writes on political dynamics in Southeast Asia.
Hannah Andersen (’13): In the 2nd year of an MA/PhD program in French Studies at University of Virginia, have recently taught French 1010 (Beginner 1), 1020 (Beginner 2), and 2010 (Intermediate 1), as well as French classes at a local preschool.
Melissa Guerry (’13): Is working on her Masters of French Studies at Louisiana State University and was awarded the Hoguet Alexandre Major Scholarship for Outstanding Service Award last spring.
Marissa Storms (’14): Currently working on Masters in Nursing at Emory University with an expected graduation date of December 2017.
Weezie Hefner (’14): Attending the Medical University of South Carolina for the Doctor of Physical Therapy program.
Dylan Jarrett (’14): Currently a first year M.A. student in Hispanic Linguistics at Indiana University. Received a fellowship and teaching contract for this school year and a summer research/study fellowship.
Jenna Monk (’14): Pending application for Board of Immigration Appeals Accreditation (certification from the Department of Justice to practice immigration law).
Lee Bolton (’15): David Wells Morgan Award at Furman University, Political Science Faculty Award at Furman University, Third Place in Political Science Thesis Contest at Furman University.
Cassie Chee (‘15): Furman Fellow, Latin American Studies Award, Poverty Studies Award, Dean’s List; since graduation: Border Servant Volunteer at Catholic Charities Legal Services.
Michaela Barnett (’15): After a summer leading outdoor trips in Costa Rica and Belize, she works at a rigorous boarding school in Zermatt, Switzerland, leading hikes, acts as school nurse, and teaches Spanish.
Joseph Kennedy (’15): Acceptance to the Masters of International Affairs Program (Elliott School of International Affairs) at the George Washington University, Washington, DC.