6 UMW Graduates Highlighted

Provided by Marty Morrison, director of News and Public Information at the University of Mary Washington

Dr. Balvant Arora, M.D., graduated from UMW’s MBA program.  Associate Professor Lou Martinette says that he ranks among the finest students, in terms of both character and academics, that he has had in the MBA program in recent years.  As a student, Dr. Arora’s contribution to class was of the highest quality, indicating that he had not just read the material but had absorbed it. He practices plastic and reconstructive surgery with Mary Washington Healthcare in Fredericksburg.

Hannah Carloni graduated from the M.S. in Elementary Education program and will be going abroad next year to teach in Ghana.

Sam Corron, American studies major, has been active in the environmental club on campus and organizes conferences and rallies on environmental issues.  She studied environmental policy in Australia as part of her study abroad and has worked in educational outreach (focusing on children) at Walden Pond in Concord, Mass. For her senior thesis, Corron did a case study of the newly established community garden in Fredericksburg.

Zach Fichter is a student athlete, talented performing guitarist, composer, recording engineer, producer and part-time computer scientist. In 2011, he won the Virginia Guitar Festival fingerstyle guitar competition judged by Trace Bundy in Sandra Bae, and performs in both his hometown of Harrisonburg and downtown Fredericksburg.  He has a Facebook page for his guitar playing (www.facebook.com/zachfichter) and a YouYube page (www.youtube.com/user/fichtezxc) with over 150,000 views and more than 300 subscribers. A trained composer, his original compositions can be viewed on his website www.zachfichter.org. One of his songs was recorded by the Navy Brass Quartet. After graduation, he plans to intern as a recording engineer at Sound Of Music Recording Studios in Richmond.

Graham Givens is a double-major in sociology and environmental science.  He's has been active in the university on environmental issues, including the President's Council for Sustainability. After graduation, he will work with Environment America, where he will continue to pursue his passion for the environment.

Andy Shipman, an American studies major, started at UMW several years ago, struggled, and left.  He came back after working and finding his "passion" -- food; especially food history, the preservation of traditional food ways and heirloom seeds.  He has been a chef with FoodE in Fredericksburg since it opened two years ago, and after graduation will return to his hometown of Waynesboro to work with Veritas Vineyards and Winery. His senior thesis was on heirloom seeds and the Southern Exposure Seed Exchange in Mineral, Va.

A list of all the gradautes is online.  Congratulations!

Find Fredericksburg Patch via:

• Fredericksburg.Patch.com
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Your Smart Phone
• Our Email Newsletter