Education Graduates Honored As Meritorious New Teachers

Thirteen graduates of Old Dominion University's Darden College of Education were honored Sept. 23 as Meritorious New Teacher Candidates, a symbol of excellence to acknowledge highly qualified teachers when they graduate from their teacher preparation institutions.

The distinction, granted by the Mid-Atlantic Regional Teachers Project (MARTP) of the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, is awarded to students and graduates who have excelled in the professional education program, content knowledge and verbal skills.

The recent graduates who received the honor are:

• Diane Childers, a distance learning student who received a master's degree in education last December;

• Lauren Parise, who received a master's degree in education in May;

• Nikkita Simpson, who received a master's degree in education in May;

• Jennifer Louise Baines, who received a master's degree in elementary education in May;

• Jenna Mroczek, who received a bachelor's degree in English in May;

• Andrew Linke, who will receive a bachelor's degree in English with a teacher preparation emphasis in December;

• Gabrielle Hurst, who received a master's degree in education in May;

• Kristy Nicole Sajko, who received a master's of science degree in education last December;

• Conswela Riddick, who received a master's degree in education in May;

• Margaret Lionetti, who received a master's of science degree in education in May;

• Jennifer Clemmons Hardy, who received a bachelor's degree in history in May;

• Amber Jones, who received a bachelor's degree in English with an education emphasis last December; and

• Jennifer Felan, who received a bachelor's degree in Spanish in May.