2011 Scholarship Winners

The Richmond Chapter of the Virginia Tech Alumni Association has selected their 2011 Scholarship recipients. Five outstanding high school seniors who displayed remarkable academic achievement, extra-curricular participation, and community service were each awarded a $2,000 scholarship to support their collegiate education at Virginia Tech.

Funded by a select number of events hosted/sponsored by the Virginia Tech Alumni Association – Richmond Chapter, the annual scholarships are awarded to students from the Richmond metropolitan area including the counties of Chesterfield, Hanover, Henrico, Goochland, Powhatan, New Kent, and Charles City.  It may be important for readers to know that besides the standard information requested, one of the three essay questions asked respondents to match their chosen major or area of interest to the university’s motto of “Ut Prosim” (“That I May Serve”).

On behalf of the Virginia Tech Alumni Association Richmond Chapter, we would like to recognize our five scholarship recipients for 2011:

Taylor Calder, son of Debbie and Corey Calder, graduated from Deep Run High School and will major in Mechanical Engineering at Virginia Tech. He is an AXA Achievement Scholar, Pamplin Leader Award Winner and Henrico County Superintendent’s Scholar. He was inducted into the National Honor Society and the Mu Alpha Theta National Math Honor Society.  Taylor graduated from the Specialty Center for Information Technology and was a four year member of Robotics Team 1086, the “Cheese Heads”. He was one of several lead drivers/programmers who won 1^st place at the FTC Virginia High School Championships in December 2008. Robotics Team 1086 went on to win the VCU/NASA Regional Championship in 2008, 2009, 2010 and were semi-finalist at the FIRST Robotics World Championships in Atlanta. The “Cheese Heads” are very active in the community and teach local elementary and middle school students how to build and program their own robot.

Out of the classroom, Taylor founded the Wildcat Homeless Helpers — a group of students working to improve the quality of life for the homeless and working poor. They collect food, kitchen supplies, personal items, toys and backpacks for the Freedom House Community Shelter. He also served on the Junior Board of Freedom House and worked with other student leaders across the city to raise money for the working poor. He won the Outstanding Volunteer Award at Freedom House Richmond for 2010.  Taylor enjoyed playing soccer for many years in the Striker Park Soccer Association and winter basketball in the YMCA Recreational League.

Taylor was accepted into the Galileo Learning Community at Virginia Tech and will serve as a mentor to young people interested in science, engineering and technology. His grandfather, Vaughan E. Calder Jr., is a 1944 graduate of Virginia Tech and an enthusiastic Hokie to this day.

John Hutchinson, son of Polly and Steve Hutchinson, graduated from Highland Springs High School.  He was second in his class and was a student in the Engineering Specialty Center at Highland Springs where he took college level engineering courses through J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College and Virginia Commonwealth University.

In addition to school work, John also participated in several extracurricular activities.  During his senior year, John was president of FIRST Robotics Team 617, the Highland Springs High School chapter of the National Honor Society, and Team captain of the Highland Springs High School Battle of the Brains team.  He also participated in Mu Alpha Theta, the Technology Student Association, Beta Club, Scholastic Bowl, and the Science Honor Society.  John is active in the Boy Scouts of America, and has earned his Eagle Scout rank.

John plans on majoring in Aerospace Engineering at Virginia Tech.  He hopes to participate in a co-op program related to aerospace engineering.  His eventual goal is to earn his PhD in aerospace engineering and work for NASA on sending people back to the moon.

Victoria Johann is the daughter of Sally and Peyton Johann.  She attended Mills E. Godwin High School’s Center for Science, Mathematics, and Technology and was the co-president of the Center Buddy mentoring program for rising freshmen in the Science, Mathematics, and Technology Center during her 11th and 12th grade years. Through the Center, she participated in the Metro Richmond Science Fair all four years and the Virginia Junior Academy of Science one year.  She graduated with many seals on her diploma including: VA Board of Education Excellence Civics Education Award, Academic Excellence Award presented by the Governor of Virginia, Henrico County Community Service Seal (over 200 hours of service in high school), VA Board of Education Scholastic Excellence Award, National Honor Society Seal, National Beta Club Seal, and Spanish National Honor Society Seal.

 Victoria was very involved in many extracurricular activities in high school including sports teams, clubs, and other organizations. She was a member of the track team in 9th grade and the field hockey team in 10th and 11th grades. She participated in Spanish Club, the Keyettes community service club, and sang in the Musical Illusions choir at Mills E. Godwin all four years. She was the secretary of Keyettes her senior year. Victoria was also a SODA (Student Organization for Developing Attitudes) student teacher for 6th grade students her junior year. Girl Scouts was a part of her life from 1st through 12th grade. She was also a member of Third Presbyterian’s student leadership team and went on two missions trips with the youth group during her high school years.

Victoria is currently a General Engineering major at Virginia Tech and hopes to become either a mining and minerals engineer or a biological systems engineer. She is a member of the Hypatia Living-Learning Community at Virginia Tech for female engineers and the Society of Women Engineers. She has already gotten very involved in Campus Crusades and a weekly Bible study as well as in the Cru Powder-Puff football league.

Jordan Pruett graduated as valedictorian from Manchester High School and is the daughter of  Melanie and Warren Pruett.  She has a twin brother, Josh, who is also a freshman at Virginia Tech.  She participated in many school activities that included playing for both the volleyball and softball teams for her schools since 8th grade, participated in Capital Swing and Touch of Swing show choirs, sang in the Chamber Choir, and was a leader for the KOM mentor program for incoming freshmen. She was also active in the National Honors Society, National Latin Honors Society, Tri-M Music Honors Society, Latin Club, and Beta Club. Outside of the classroom, she was very active in my church.  Jordan has been on five mission trips to Russia and Ohio, helped teach a Sunday school class for 4 year old children, and was a children’s church leader.

While attending Virginia Tech, Jordan plans on pursuing her life-long dream of a career in education.  Her current major is Math Education with a minor in Music.  Ever since she was little, she knew she wanted to become a high school math teacher, and is excited to learn new things about the field there at Virginia Tech.  Hopefully after she graduates, she will be able to find a teaching job close to home, where she can influence the lives of many other students just as she was inspired by many of her own math teachers.

Connor Spangler is the son of Mark and Maresa Spangler of Midlothian, VA.  Connor attended the Math and Science High School at Clover Hill in Chesterfield County.  While at the Math and Science High School, Connor was a member of The National Honor Society, Beta Club, Mu Alpha Theta Math Honor Society and was a member of the Student Council Association.  He was co-leader of the Clover Hill High School Scholastic Computer Programming team and co-founder of the Cyber Patriot Club.

An Eagle Scout, Connor is a member of Boy Scouts of America Troop 1829, sponsored by St. Matthias Episcopal Church in Midlothian.  He served as Quartermaster, Scribe and New Scout Program Leader prior to earning his Eagle Scout designation.

During high school, Connor was a member of NASA’s On-Line Student Community Advisors and was one of 16 applicants selected from 1500+ applicants nationwide to serve on the NASA Student Advisory Council. He was awarded a NASA internship at the South Dakota Institute of Mines and Technology.  An accomplished artist, his logo design was selected for the Chesterfield County Visual Arts Exhibit 2010. 

Connor was one of only 40 students from the Commonwealth of Virginia selected to present his research project at the 2010 Virginia Junior Science and Humanities Symposium at James Madison University.  His 2010 Science Fair project was selected for presentation in Metro Richmond Science Fair.  He also was invited to participate (and placed) in the 2010 Virginia Commonwealth University Computer Science Programming Competition. 

Connor is an avid reader, speaks French and Spanish and is currently learning Russian.  His plans are to double-major in Aerospace Engineering and Computer Engineering and he will have a minor in Leadership Studies. As he is in the Corps of Cadets and Air Force ROTC, he plans to be a commissioned officer out of college and serve his country. Ultimately his goal is to be an astronaut.

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS FOR 2011!!!