UC Blue Ash honors top students in special event

Honor graduates, academic award winners, student government leaders and other exceptional students at the University of Cincinnati Blue Ash College were recently recognized in a special event.

The college hosted the 2023 Celebrating the Best on April 27 on the UC Blue Ash campus. It included a short program in the auditorium followed by a reception where students received their awards, honor cords (for honor graduates), and gift bags. The reception also featured food, a photo station, selfie backgrounds and a 360-photo booth. There was music and food for honorees and their guests, and the UC Bearcat made an appearance to add to the fun.

Out of more than 4,100 students at UC Blue Ash, 13 were nominated for Honor Student of the Year. The nominations and final selection are based on each student’s performance in the classroom as well as their involvement on campus and in their community. This year’s winner is Briana James, a first-generation college student, political science major, honor graduate, and student ambassador who plans to go to law school. She was surprised with the good news by UC Blue Ash Dean Robin Lightner and UC Blue Ash Associate Dean for Student Success Sarah Wolfe. The moment was captured in a video that has generated over 2,500 views on the college’s social media sites.

“It feels surreal. I feel all the work I’ve done has really paid off,” James said about receiving the recognition. “I think being a first-gen college student has pushed me to advocate for myself and look for whatever my college can offer, and UC Blue Ash has offered a lot for me!”

Below is the full list of the UC Blue Ash 2023 Honor Student of the Year nominee, along with their degree program.

• Brad Allen, Advanced Medical Imaging Technology
• Breanna Diefenbacher, Radiologic Technology
• Jennavieve Harvey, Social Work
• Briana James, Political Science
• Nick Koerting, Communication
• Theo Maise, Psychology
• Thomas Owen, History
• Mitch Ran, Applied Graphic Communication
• Troy Spitzmiller, Economics
• Kennady Taylor, Dental Hygiene
• Ben Terribilini, Applied Media Communications
• Shane Warren, Chemistry
• Delaney White, Biology

Several students were also honored for their service to the college and their involvement on campus. This group included student ambassadors, student government leaders, and those who took a leadership role in student organizations and clubs.

A total of 95 UC Blue Ash students were recognized as graduating with honors, meaning they maintained a grade point average (GPA) of 3.6 or higher (out of a 4.0 scale). All of the honorees for the Celebrating the Best event are featured on a dedicated page on the college website.

Each year, more than 650 UC Blue Ash students transition to the UC Uptown campus to complete their bachelor’s degree or attend graduate school. Statistics show they are well prepared for this next step — they have a combined GPA of 3.2 in their first year after making the transition