US Navy Fire Controlman Third Class Michael P. Daily, son of Deborah and Thomas Daily of Sandy Hook, graduated from the Aegis Training & Readiness Center at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren, Va., after eight months of intensive instruction. The Aegis System was designed as an integrated naval weapon system to track and direct weapons to destroy enemy targets. It uses powerful multifunction phased-array radar, on which FC3 Daily has been trained. The word aegis dates back to Greek mythology; a protective shield worn by the gods. FC3 Daily has been assigned to the USS Hué City (CG 66), a Ticonderoga-class Aegis guided–missile cruiser and is home-ported at Naval Station Mayport, near Jacksonville, Fla. The USS Hué City’s mission is to conduct prompt, sustained combat operations at sea in support of a carrier battle group or amphibious assault group. FC3 Daily is a 2009 graduate of Newtown High School.

The following area residents were named to the Dean’s List for the spring semester at Quinnipiac University in Hamden: Erin Baier, Aimee Frier, Megan Meier, and Kyla Miles of Newtown and Lauren Imperioli, Linda Magliocco, and Erin Nemeth of Sandy Hook.

Christopher Portolese, son of Janine and Chris Portolese, was named to the New England Institute of Art’s Honor Roll for the winter semester. The criteria is a minimum grade point average of 3.5. Christopher was recently elected for membership in Alpha Beta Kappa National Honor Society at the Boston university. A formal induction ceremony was held April 22 at the Empire Ballroom in Boston.

Rider University’s in Lawrenceville, N.J., announced the names of undergraduate students who have been placed on the Dean’s List for the spring semester and Newtown residents Kaitlin Pendagast and Megan Pendagast were among those listed.

Dana K. Metzger of Newtown, received a bachelor degree from Washington and Lee University, Lexington, Va., on May 27 during the school’s graduation commencement ceremony. Dana was an economics major at the university.

Christine D’Alessandro was named to the Dean’s List at the University of Notre Dame’s College of Arts and Letters, Notre Dame, Ind., for her outstanding scholarship during the spring semester at the college. Students who achieve Dean’s List honors at the university represent the top 30 percent of students attending the individual colleges.

M. Scudder Baggett of Newtown earned a bachelor of science degree in aviation flight operations from Daniel Webster College in Nashua, N.H., on May 14. He also achieved two minor studies in business management and aviation management. While in school, Scudder earned his commercial pilot certificate with ratings in single engine land and sea, multiengine land, and instrument.

Amanda Jordan Kloth graduated from The Gunnery, with the Robert Mortell Prize for Excellence in the Performing Arts commencement prize, on June 2. The Gunnery is a co-educational preparatory school in Washington, Conn. Additionally, the following area students achieved high honors status during the 2010-2011 school year: Ariana Domincus and Amanda Kloth.

Lauren N. Kostes, daughter of Stephen and Nicoletta Kostes of Newtown, was named to the Dean’s List Bucknell University, Lewisburg, Penn., for the spring semester. A student must earn a grade point average of 3.5 or higher on a scale of 4.0 to receive Dean’s List recognition.

Edward Gaddis earned a bachelor of science degree in business administration from Merrimack College, North Andover, Mass., during the college’s 61st graduation exercises held Sunday, May 22.

Ian White, a junior at Gettysburg (Penn.) College, has been named on the deans’ commendation list for outstanding academic achievement in the spring. Gettysburg College students with a quality point average of 3.33 or higher for a semester’s work are placed on the college’s deans’ commendation list. Also at the college, Sarah Harmonay of Sandy Hook, a graduating senior, was placed on the Dean’s Honor List for outstanding academic achievement in the spring semester; this honor requires a quality point average of 3.60 or higher (on a 4.0 scale). Sarah, a music education major, also graduated Magna Cum Laude during commencement ceremonies at the Gettysburg on May 22.

Laura Boff of Newtown is among the 690 students who graduated from SUNY Oneonta, Oneonta, N.Y., following the spring semester. The college’s commencement ceremony was held on Saturday, May 21. Laura earned a bachelor of art degree in psychology.

Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, announced its graduates from the annual commencement held on May 14 and 15. Among the approximately 1,200 graduates who received degrees from Sacred Heart University this year were Newtown residents Lisa Masella and Benjamin Wicki, and Sandy Hook resident John Kostecki.

The following students graduated from the University of New Haven, West Haven, on May 15: Christian Del Rossi, Nathan Kaufman, and Elizabeth Sovern of Sandy Hook and Darrell Harrington of Newtown.

Tufts University, Medford, Mass., recently announced the Dean’s List for the spring semester. On the list were Newtown residents Julie DeAngelis and Laina Piera.

Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y., announced Abigail Carnali of Newtown graduated with a bachelor of science degree in engineering with the Class of 2011 during commencement ceremonies on May 29.

Allison Modzelewski, a resident of Newtown, was among more than 2,750 students from the University of Massachusetts ,Boston, who made the spring Dean’s List.

The following local residents were among students from Champlain College, Burlington, Vt., who received undergraduate degrees during the College’s 133rd Commencement held in May: Robert Simone and Jamie Marcucilli, a resident of Sandy Hook. Named to the school’s spring Dean’s List were Emily Snyder of Newtown and Jamie Marcucilli of Sandy Hook.

Boston University awarded academic degrees to 5,824 students in May. Among the graduates was Paul K. Rivot, who received a master of science in computer information systems. Also at Boston University, the following students were named on the spring Dean’s List: Melanie B. Isola, Rebecca L. Simonson, and Sandy Hook resident Harry R. Griffin. 

Newtown and Sandy Hook residents were among the Upper School and Middle School students who received academic honors for the spring trimester at Chase Collegiate School, Waterbury. Faculty Honors is the highest academic honor reserved for students earning a 92 or above; High Honor students have earned an 88 or above; and Honor students have earned an 85 or above. In the Upper School, grades nine through twelve, senior Kevin Dill and freshman Adam Harrison of Newtown received Faculty Honors; High Honors were awarded to sophomores Taylor Brady of Newtown, Stephan Dullinger of Sandy Hook, and Rajsheri Basu of Newtown; juniors Nicole Haghpanah of Newtown and Elizabeth Grimes of Sandy Hook were awarded Honors. In the Middle School, eighth graders Nathaniel Dowd, William Montgomery and Anna Harrison of Newtown were awarded Faculty Honors; High Honors were awarded to eighth grader Meghan Grimes of Sandy Hook and sixth grader Alicia Westberg of Newtown. Chase Collegiate School coed day school for students in grades pre-kindergarten through 12.

Victoria Mead, a Sandy Hook resident, was named to the 2011 spring semester Dean’s List at Simmons College, Boston. Her major is psychology. To qualify for Dean’s List status, undergraduate students must obtain a grade point average of 3.5 or higher, based on 12 or more credit hours of work in classes using the letter grade system.

The following local residents graduated from Boston College: Nicole Borruso and Luke Fernandes, Brian Cullinan of Newtown, and Kevin Cahalane of Sandy Hook.

Christopher Bock was named to the Dean’s List at Norwich University, Northfield, Vt., for the spring semester.

Kaitlin Pendagast received a bachelor of arts degree in communication from Rider University, Lawrenceville, N.J.

Katherine Condon of Sandy Hook was named to the Dean’s List for the spring semester at Elms College, Chicopee, Mass. To qualify for the Dean’s List, a student must have a grade point average of 3.5 or better for the semester and complete at least 12 credits.

Kelly Murphy of Sandy Hook, was named to the University at Albany’s spring Dean’s List for outstanding academic achievement in Albany, N.Y.

Kevin Regan of Newtown graduated from Union College, Schenectady, N.Y., during the commencement exercises on June 12. Kevin earned a bachelor of arts degree in sociology.

The following students were named the to Eastern Connecticut State University, Willimantic, Dean’s List for the spring semester: William Covill, Jessica Edwards, Kaila Harrington, and Conor Sherman of Newtown, and Kyle Droniak and Bonnie Lundblad of Sandy Hook.

Alexander Kelly and Marina Lleonart-Calvo of Newtown High School students were awarded the 2011 Saint Michael’s College Book Award for Academic Achievement with a Social Conscience. The award recognizes students who demonstrate a commitment to leadership in volunteer service, and academic achievement. Winners were presented the book First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers (HarperCollins 2000) by Loung Ung, a 1993 Saint Michael’s College, Burlington, Vt., graduate who has become a widely acclaimed author.

The following local residents were among 344 students from Ithaca College, Ithaca, N.Y., who received degrees during the college’s commencement ceremony held in May 2010: Moira Collier, daughter of Robert Collier and Mary Beth Collier of Newtown, and Margaret Riley, daughter of Donovan Riley and Mary Wilson of Newtown. Ithaca College also named the following Newtown residents to the Dean’s List for the spring semester: Cristin Carlin, daughter of Mark Carlin and Heidi Carlin; Katelyn Power, daughter of Michael Power and Rita Power; and Alyssa Rodriguez, daughter of Ruben Rodriguez and Denise Rodriguez.

Resident Jina M. Willie graduated Cum Laude with a bachelor of science degree in business administration from Western New England College, Springfield, Mass.

Jillian G. Spies of Newtown and Alanna M. Gilbert of Sandy Hook were named to the Dean’s List for the spring semester at the University of Vermont, Burlington.

The spring semester Dean’s List at Bryant University, Smithfield, R.I., included Matthew Wright, a senior majoring in international business in management from Sandy Hook.

Kristene Marie Salbu was among 3,967 students from Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, who received degrees during spring commencement exercises Saturday, May 7.

Newtown resident Callie Rose Ryan recently graduated from Stonehill College, Easton, Mass., with a bachelor of arts degree.

 Stephanie Jarvis was named to the spring Dean’s List at Loyola University Maryland, Baltimore,. To qualify for the Dean’s List at Loyola, a student must have a grade point average of at least 3.5 with a minimum of 15 credits.

Newtown residents Denisse Mogollon and John Nelson received undergraduate degrees from Villanova University, Villanova, Penn., at the 2011 commencement ceremony held on May 15.