Gollihar earns college scholar recognition; WIU names spring 2022 college, departmental and honors scholars

MACOMB — Brandi Gollihar of Augusta is one of six students who will complete degree requirements in spring 2022 and receive the highest recognition from one of the various colleges of study for overall academic excellence by being named a college scholar.

Gollihar will be recognized as a university libraries college scholar and graduate with a bachelor’s degree in general studies. She is also the general studies departmental scholar. Gollihar is a member of the Omega Nu Lambda Honor Society. She works full-time as a mentor and volunteers in her children’s schools, raising money for the school’s sports booster club. After graduation, Gollihar hopes to use her degree to advocate for genetic disorder awareness, and change processes and procedures in the medical community because her daughter was born with 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome.

Students graduating as college scholars have satisfied the criteria of excellence established by their individual academic college’s faculty members. A departmental scholar is an outstanding degree candidate in an academic major as determined by the faculty in the major department. An honors scholar is a student in the Centennial Honors College who has completed a set of honors requirements and has achieved a grade point average of at least 3.4 on a 4.0 scale.

Approximately 10 percent of graduating seniors achieve academic distinction, which is designated as summa cum laude, highest academic distinction, with a minimum grade point average of 3.90; magna cum laude, high academic distinction, with a GPA of 3.75-3.89; and cum laude, academic distinction, with a GPA between 3.60-3.74.

Other area scholars graduating in May from WIU are:

Adams County

• Abigail Clark of Fowler, art, departmental scholar, will graduate with academic distinction, cum laude.
• Kelsey Post of Golden, agriculture, will graduate with academic distinction, cum laude.
• Paul Freeman of Mendon, construction and facilities management, will graduate with academic distinction, cum laude.
• Maille Francis of Quincy, health services management, departmental scholar and honors scholar, will graduate with high academic distinction, magna cum laude.

Hancock County

• Kevin White of Carthage, finance, departmental scholar and honors scholar, will graduate with highest academic distinction, summa cum laude.
• Jacob Bryan, recreation, park and tourism administration, will graduate with academic distinction, cum laude.
• Heather Moore of LaHarpe, social work, will graduate with high academic distinction, magna cum laude.

Pike County

• Kourtney Harris of Perry, agriculture, will graduate with academic distinction, cum laude.
• Adam Borrowman of Pittsfield, elementary education, will graduate with academic distinction, cum laude.

These students were recognized at the May 2022 commencement ceremonies.