O’Fallon native selected for prestigious Orr Fellowship

O’Fallon native Tiffani McCormick has been selected for membership to the prestigious Orr Fellowship. The two-year program seeks to develop Indiana’s next generation of business leaders and entrepreneurs.

Named for the late Indiana Gov. Robert D. Orr, the fellowship pairs high-achieving college graduates with some of Indiana’s most dynamic, high-growth companies for two-year tenures of executive-level mentorship, networking, job skill development, and professional growth. Since its inception in 2001, Orr Fellowship has placed more than 280 Fellows with some of Indiana’s most flourishing companies, most in the tech industry.

This year has been the most competitive recruitment season in the program’s history. McCormick was selected as one of 39 Orr Fellows from over 1,000 applicants, with over 25 different majors, 20 schools and eight states represented by the class of 2017. Candidates are selected based on superior academic performance, extracurricular involvement, demonstrated leadership potential, and previous job experiences.

McCormick looks at Orr Fellowship as an extension of her education.

“I chose to accept a position within Orr Fellowship because I decided not to follow the traditional public accounting career path after college. I wanted to gain experience in and learn about different areas of business to round out my accounting studies,” she said.

She earned a degree from the University of Notre Dame in accounting and will work at LDI Ltd., an Indianapolis-based family office with more than a century of experience funding and operating customer-focused, middle-market companies.

O’Fallon students named to dean’s list

Kayla Braswell and Matthew Daniels, both of O’Fallon, have been named to the St. Louis College of Pharmacy dean’s list for the fall 2016 semester. To be eligible for the dean’s list, students must earn at least a 3.5 grade point average for the semester.

Braswell is the daughter of Robert and Stephanie Braswell, and is a 2012 graduate of O’Fallon Township High School.

Daniels is the son of David and Ann Daniels, and is a 2012 graduate of O’Fallon Township High School.

St. Louis College of Pharmacy is one of the oldest and largest colleges of pharmacy in the nation. Founded in 1864, the college has a rich history as an independent institution that continues to lead pharmacy and health care education.

O’Fallon students named to honor roll

Of the 5,400 undergraduate students earning honor roll distinctions, Dianna Koesterer and Laura Gentry, both O’Fallon natives, are two who have earned spots on the University of Kansas’ honor roll for the fall 2016 semester.

Koesterer is a student in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, while Gentry is a student in the School of Education.

The honor roll comprises undergraduates who meet requirements in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and in the schools of Architecture, Design & Planning; Business; Education; Engineering; Health Professions; Journalism; Music; Nursing; Pharmacy; and Social Welfare. Honor roll criteria vary among the university’s academic units. Some schools honor the top 10 percent of students enrolled, some establish a minimum grade-point average, and others raise the minimum GPA for each year students are in school. Students must complete a minimum number of credit hours to be considered for the honor roll.

O’Fallon students to present at Research Conference

The Undergraduate Research & Creative Activity Conference, held March 30, is a premier annual event at the University of Alabama, which is located in Tuscaloosa, Ala. In addition to bringing attention to the outstanding work being done by UA’s undergraduates, the conference allows students to gain experience presenting, become eligible for cash prizes, and form relationships with faculty mentors and fellow conference presenters.

Valerie Levine of O’Fallon was selected to present a research project titled “Influence of Lithium Bistriflimide on Photopolymerization Kinetics and Properties of Crosslinkable PEG Monomers.”

Michelle Weyhaupt of O’Fallon was also selected to present a research project titled “Stigma, Silence, and Self-Reliance: The Role of American Culture in Antiretroviral Non-adherence Among People Living With HIV.”

More than 500 undergraduate students at The University of Alabama highlighted their research and creative projects during the Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Conference March 29-30.

Students compete for cash prizes and gain experience in presenting and defending their research projects to a panel of judges in both oral and poster presentation forms. In preparation for the event, students are paired with faculty mentors who help guide them through the development of their projects.

O’Fallon native graduates basic training

U.S. Air Force Airman Jordan S. Johnson graduated from basic military training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland in San Antonio, Texas.

The airman completed an intensive, eight-week program that included training in military discipline and studies, Air Force core values, physical fitness, and basic warfare principles and skills. Airmen who complete basic training also earn four credits toward an associate in applied science degree through the Community College of the Air Force.

Johnson is the son of Therasa L. Johnson of O’Fallon and Louis C. Johnson of Belleville. He is a 2017 graduate of O’Fallon Township High School.

This story was originally published April 14, 2017 at 2:33 PM with the headline "O’Fallon native selected for prestigious Orr Fellowship."