Patrick Kelley, son of Michael and Mary Kelley of Sandy Hook, graduated magna cum laude from Canisius College in Buffalo, N.Y., with a dual degree in finance and Spanish. He is a member of the Beta Gamma Sigma business honor society.

Jason Valenta, son of Jerry and Kaaren Valenta of Sandy Hook, received an MBA from the Ancell School of Business at Western Connecticut State University. A Newtown High School graduate who earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from RIT, he works for DLC Solutions Corporation in Danbury.

Scott Maxwell, son of Tom and Nancy Maxwell of Newtown, received a bachelor of arts from Miami University in Ohio. He graduated with a major in philosophy and a minor in English literature. He also was named to the dean’s list for the spring semester.

Cathleen Elizabeth Byrne of Newtown is among the 342 students at Centenary College of Louisiana have been named to the spring semester 2003 dean’s list.

Ashwini Srikantiah of Sandy Hook received a bachelor of science degree in television-radio film from Syracuse University.

Immaculate High School announced the following local students named to the third quarter marking period: High Honors — freshman Kara Fitzgerald, junior Michael Leone, senior Bridget Holmes; Distinguished Honors — junior Gregory Dierks; and Honors — freshman Thomas Gaboriault, and juniors Kelley Fitzgerald and Jessica Gaboriault.

Shannon Elisabeth Elf of Sandy Hook graduated with a double major in biology and music at Bowdoin College. In her junior year, she also received a Howard Hughes Medical Institute summer fellowship.

Nathan Taylor

Nathan Taylor of Newtown attends Penn State University, where he takes business finance and economics courses. During his freshman year, he accomplished being a high academic honor scholar, initiated into the Phi Eta Sigma National Honor Society, given the President’s Freshman Award, and inducted in The National Society of Collegiate Scholars as well as achieved dean’s list.

Kevin Konkos of Newtown graduated with a bachelor of arts with a major in economics and bachelor of science in electrical engineering from Lehigh University.

Sarah Hemingway, daughter of Maribeth and Joe Hemingway of Sandy Hook, has been selected to attend the National Young Leaders Conference (NYLC) from July 7 to 17 in Washington, D.C. NYLC us a leadership development program for high school students who have demonstrated leadership potential and scholastic merit. She will be among 400 National Scholars from around the country. The theme for the conference is “The Leaders of Tomorrow Meeting the Leaders of Today.”

Cornelius Dunn of Newtown earned a graduate degree from the University of New Haven’s Executive MBA program. He works for Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals.

Cathleen Elizabeth Byrne of Newtown was named to the spring semester dean’s list at Centenary College of Louisiana.

Central Connecticut State University announced the following local students who received degrees recently: bachelor of arts — Sarah L. Dapp, Pamela Lyn Janutolo, and Alissa A. Nagy; bachelor of science — Kelly Michelle Aminti and Doreen L. Shevlin; and master of science — Everett L. Condit.

M. Lynne San Angelo was awarded an Associate of Science Degree in Nursing on May 31 in commencement ceremonies at Naugatuck Valley Community College. She is a 1986 graduate of Immaculate High School and a 1994 graduate of the Practical Nurse Program at Henry Abbott RVT School. Lynne is the wife of Naugatuck Mayor Ron San Angelo, the daughter of Mr and Mrs Thomas McHale of Newtown. Lynne San Angelo has accepted a position at the Yale-New Haven Hospital as a Clinical Nurse and is hoping to continue her studies in Nursing at Western Connecticut State University beginning this fall.

Kristen Anne Deschermeier, daughter of Christian and Peggy Deschermeier of Newtown, graduated from the American University in Washington DC on May 11.  She was awarded a Bachelor of Arts degree, Magna Cum Laude, and achieved University Honors in her major, International Studies.  Kristen minored in German, is a member of Delta Phi Alpha Honorary German Society, and studied in Berlin Germany during the fall semester of her Junior year as part of the World Capitals Program.  She interned at the US Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security during her senior year.  She will be employed by the Department of Defense.