LEWISBURG, W.Va. (WVDN) – West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM) students in the Class of 2025 were recognized for their achievements in medical school during a Graduation Awards Ceremony on May 1. Graduation awards totaled $87,400 with students being recognized in 33 categories, including awards, scholarships and membership in national organizations.
This year’s class consisted of 185 graduates, with 98 graduates entering primary care residency programs and a 100% residency placement rate for the class.
The event recognized 19 students who graduated with honors. In addition, 28 students were recognized as members of Psi Sigma Alpha, a national osteopathic scholastic honor society. Twelve students were recognized with American Medical Women’s Association Glasgow-Rubin Certificates of Commendation for Academic Achievement. Thirty-one students received cords reflecting their membership in Sigma Sigma Phi – Nu Chapter, a national osteopathic medicine fraternity that supports medical scholastic excellence. Thirty-one students from the Class of 2025 were inducted into the Gold Humanism Honor Society, a national honor society comprising medical students, physicians and leaders who have been recognized for compassionate care. Thirteen graduates were recognized for their military service.
WVSOM President James W. Nemitz, Ph.D., said the ceremony is an exciting opportunity to celebrate and reward students for their achievements.
“I am proud of all of our students and their many accomplishments. It is truly remarkable to see such gifted individuals dedicate their lives to serving others,” he said.
This was the inaugural year for the Triplett Scholarship, which was distributed through funds by the WVSOM Foundation, a supporting organization of WVSOM whose goal is to serve the school and its students by securing, managing and allocating the financial contributions of businesses and individuals.
The scholarship was created to recognize a graduate of George Washington or Man high schools who is also in the top 10% of his or her class. Alternatively, students from Kanawha or Logan counties are considered. This year’s recipient was Madison Marshall.
Marshall, a native of St. Albans, W.Va., said she is grateful to be the first WVSOM graduate selected for the school’s newest scholarship.
“This award — especially with the West Virginia criteria — makes me proud. Being from a smaller town and being honored for this scholarship means the world to me,” she said. “I feel blessed that someone was willing to pay it forward and give back to future physicians. I’m glad there are people who feel it in their hearts to give back and ease the debt for us, and hopefully I can do the same in the future.”
Marshall will enter an orthopedic surgery residency at Community Memorial Health System in Ventura, Calif.
Donette Mizia, WVSOM’s executive director of foundation relations, said witnessing the growth of scholarships is promising for the continued support of future WVSOM graduates.
“It’s always inspiring to see our students recognized for their hard work, and the Graduation Awards Ceremony highlights what a difference donor support can make,” she said. “Watching our scholarship funds’ growth, including the Triplett Scholarship’s introduction, is exciting and shows how our community is stepping up to invest in the next generation of physicians. We are deeply grateful to our donors, whose generosity directly supports the success of our graduates.”
The Graduation Awards Ceremony celebrates fourth-year students’ memberships in various national scholastic honor societies, but it also includes scholarships and awards specifically created for WVSOM through the school’s WVSOM Foundation and WVSOM Alumni Association. Those who wish to become financial supporters have a variety of options to contribute and can do so online at www.wvsomfoundation.org/give-online or by calling 304-793-6852.
2025 Graduation Awards Ceremony recipients were:
- Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award — Claire Drotman and Michael Peterson, D.O.
- Student D.O. of the Year — Courtney Merwin
- WVSOM Alumni Association Roland P. Sharp Graduate Award — Caleb Duncan, Wyatt Bell and Zoe Harold
- Olen E. Jones Jr. and WVSOM Foundation Academic Achievement Award — Natalie Fabrizio
- Opal Price Sharp Memorial Fund Award — Olivia George
- Olivia Claire Obrokta Pediatric Award — Chris Roditis
- WVSOM’s Rural Health Initiative — Donald Adkins, Nicholas Adkins, Cody Cawthon, Alyssa Chafin, Caleb Duncan, Natalie Fabrizio, Cody Fuller, Charles Lafferty, Maria Mace, Laurel Markert, Dominic Muttillo, Kymbre Robinson, Madison Robinson, Sarah Socrates, Brenna Taylor and Hannah White
- MSOPTI West Virginia Primary Care Scholars Award — Nicholas Adkins, Emma Ellis and Brian Tyler Moore
- West Virginia Emulation Endowment Trust/Dr. Olen E. Jones Jr. Scholarship — Hannah Brehm, Caleb Duncan and Cody Fuller
- Legacy Scholarship Endowment — Claire Drotman
- WVSOM Foundation Scholars — Hannah Brehm and Abigail Effingham Ntumba
- Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield West Virginia Farson-Smith-Earley Award — Dominic Muttillo
- Donald Newell Sr. Memorial Award for Outstanding Graduating Senior — Cody Fuller
- Gwen Clingman Memorial Scholarship — Kayla Underwood
- Drs. John and Nancy Chambers Memorial Scholarship Fund Award — Olivia George
- Stephanie Dawn Barragy Memorial Scholarship — Korie Robinson
- Dr. Catherine A. Bishop Scholarship Fund Award — Hannah Brehm
- David Hinchman, D.O., Emergency Medicine Award — Kayla Underwood
- Dr. William R. Holmes Jr. Scholarship Award — Claire Schoyer
- Eugene McClung, M.D., Family Scholarship — Courtney Merwin
- Triplett Scholarship — Madison Marshall
- West Virginia Chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians Award — Sarah McQueen
- Order of Vesalius Award — Joshua Lawson
- RAMS Head Award — Jessica Coxon and Daniel Hussion
- Clinical Sciences Award — Olivia Bell and Zoe Harold
- Statewide Campus Outstanding Student Awards — Natalie Fabrizio and Riley Palmquist received recognition for the Central East region; Gillian Gaunt and Louis Mauro received recognition for the Central West region; Anthony Grillo and Caroline Kayes received recognition for the Eastern region; Jillian Keyte and Casey O’Doherty received recognition for the Northern region; Steven Celmins, John Tyler Craig, Madison Marshall and Sarah McQueen received recognition for the South Central region; Jason Mitton and Alyssa Turner received recognition for the South East region; and Jennifer Ali and Shashank Singh received recognition for the South West region
- Donna Jones Moritsugu Memorial Award — Kenesha Bell, spouse of Wyatt Bell
