Members of the Holy Cross Class of 2016 Make Headlines

Members of the Class of 2016 will report to campus on Aug. 25 with a strong record of accomplishments.

The more than 750 members of the incoming class are among the top graduates in their high school classes, engaged in community service, and have distinguished themselves in creative pursuits and athletic endeavors.

Stories about members of the College’s newest class have been appearing in hometown newspapers and media outlets across the country over the spring and summer months. Here is a look at some of those stories.

As one of Boston's 2012 valedictorians, Samantha De Los Santos, of Boston, was featured in a Boston Globe photo gallery. more »

Ryan Elliott, of Westfield, N.J., received a $5,000, one-time freshman grant at the May general meeting of the Woman's Club of Westfield, according to the Suburban News. In high school, he was vice president of the National Honor Society and captain of the football team. He also worked as a youth umpire/referee and youth sports coach. more »

Emily Fischer, of Westwood, N.J., was awarded a 2012 Educational Award in the form of a $1,000 grant from the St. Thomas More Council of the Knights of Columbus, as reported by the Pascack Valley Community Life. more »

Diana Florencio, of Boston, graduated as valedictorian from Boston Community Leadership Academy. Moving to America from her native Dominican Republic was a difficult transition, she told WBUR, Boston's NPR news station. "She's going far, she’s a student that's going to go far," said Zayda Gonzalez, the assistant headmaster at the Leadership Academy. "She’s a member of the National Honor Society, she has probably more than a hundred hours of community service. [She's a] very responsible person: on time with all of her projects. She knows how to speak and stand up and advocate for herself, Holy Cross is getting a very good student." more »

As one of Boston's 2012 valedictorians, Florencio was also featured in the Boston Globe photo gallery. more »

Johanna Flores, of Lawrence, Mass., graduated as valedictorian from Greater Lawrence Technical School. "Our excuses need to end," Flores told her classmates during graduation exercises according to the Eagle-Tribune. "I dare you to end them today. Our excuses are barriers to our success and happiness. We each have a great potential for achieving great works in ourselves and our communities." more »

HP Hood, a New England dairy processor, awarded Erin Hillis, of Hamden, Conn., and Melissa Lacoste, of Nashua, N.H., with $5,000 Hood Sportsmanship Scholarships presented by Hood Milk during a ceremony at Gillette Stadium on May 20, according to a press release. They were among 18 high school seniors "honored for their integrity and sportsmanship on and off the playing field." more »

Ivan Lukic, of Meriden, Conn., graduated in the top 10 of his class at Maloney High School, according to the Meriden Patch. more »

Meghan McGowan, of Yorktown Heights, N.Y., graduated as valedictorian of her class at Lakeland High School. "Meghan has earned top grades and been an active member of the school and the community," reported the Yorktown-Somers Patch. more »

The Yorktown Daily Voice also published a story on McGowan. more »

Abraham Ross, of Holden, Maine, has been awarded a prestigious four-year organ scholarship to attend Holy Cross. The headline in the June 8 issue of Bangor Daily News read "Organ scholarship given to Holden teen is the equivalent of being quarterback at Notre Dame." more »

Bangor Daily News sister publication The Weekly also ran a story about Ross. more »

Stephanie Roulier, of Feeding Hills, Mass., graduated as the salutatorian of her class from Agawam High School, according to the Springfield Republican. more »

Brian Sullivan, of Oradell, N.J., received a Don Bosco Award for character, service and leadership from Don Bosco Prep during commencement exercises, as reported by the River Dell Patch. more »

Gregory Tsougranis, of Portsmouth, N.H., was ranked fifth in his class at Portsmouth High School. "I am interested in helping others in the future. I have volunteered at Portsmouth Regional Hospital, shadowed doctors and attended a medical summer program at Johns Hopkins University. This has helped me realize that medicine is the field for me," he told Foster's Daily Democrat. more »

Joe Wihbey, of Litchfield, Conn., ranked third in his Litchfield High School class and president of the student council, is a recipient of Holy Cross' Sheehan Scholarship, which will cover full tuition for three years at Holy Cross and two years at Columbia University, as reported in the Republican-American. more »

Michelle Zimmerman, of Tolland, Conn., graduated as the valedictorian of her class at Tolland High School, according to the Hartford Courant. more »

Morgan Zurlo, of Glens Falls, N.Y., will run track and field at Holy Cross. She fielded interest from a number of other schools, but in the end "the location, academics and atmosphere at Holy Cross won out," according to The Post-Star. more »