As Bridgewater College’s approximately 370 graduating seniors and their families celebrated on Saturday, May 5, Carrie Morgridge, vice president and chief disruptor of the Morgridge Family Foundation, challenged the graduates to use their power, voice and education to make the world a better place.

Of Saturday’s graduates, 157 earned bachelor-of-arts degrees and 142 earned bachelor-of-science degrees. Ninety-nine graduates will complete studies during the summer. The college’s president, Dr. David W. Bushman, conferred the degrees at the ceremony.

Seventeen members of the class graduated summa cum laude – the top academic honor which requires at least a 3.9 grade point average on a 4.0 scale. Twenty-two graduates earned magna cum laude honors – 3.7 or better average. Cum laude honors, requiring a 3.4 grade point average, were earned by 55 graduates.

Bridgewater College is a private, four-year liberal arts college located in the Central Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. Founded in 1880, it was the state’s first private, coeducational college. Today, Bridgewater College is home to more than 1,900 undergraduate students.

Carleigh Studtmann of Salem, majoring in biochemistry, graduated summa cum laude and as a member of the college’s Flory Honors Program.

-Submitted by Mary Heatwole