Henrico Milestones: Sept. 22, 2026
Henrico Milestones highlights achievements, honors and other notable accomplishments involving Henrico County residents.
Meg Medina receives Virginia Literary Award
Henrico author Meg Medina received the 2026 Virginia Literary Award for children’s literature for Graciela in the Abyss. The Library of Virginia presented the award Sept. 19 during its annual literary awards celebration.
State board appointments
Gov. Abigail Spanberger appointed five Henrico County residents to state boards: Thomas Ransom of Glen Allen to the Treasury Board; Michael Polsky of Henrico to the Advisory Board on Polysomnographic Technology; Carol Cartte and Theresa White-Taylor, both of Glen Allen, to the Board of Nursing; Nicara Neely of Henrico to the Board of Pharmacy; and Sarah Dowdy of Henrico to the Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth Board of Trustees.
College honors and achievements
Kaitlin Leese of Glen Allen, a Deep Run High School graduate majoring in business administration, was accepted into the College of Charleston Honors College. Ashly Moya Perez of Henrico enrolled in the University at Buffalo Honors College for the 2026-27 academic year. Mackenzie Fitzgerald of Glen Allen was named to Georgia State University’s Summer 2026 President’s List.
Summer graduates
Arslan Ahmad and Erin Hopewell, both of Glen Allen, earned degrees from Iowa State University during the summer. James Madison University summer graduates from Henrico County included Edward Butterworth and Anna Stepanek of Glen Allen and Brian Douglas, Jack Harper, Rachel Kane and Salome Kvitashvili of Henrico. Eleni Houvarda of Glen Allen graduated magna cum laude from JMU with a bachelor’s degree in computer science.
James Madison University academic honors
JMU named Sheira Emmerling and Sidney Walters of Glen Allen and Holly Jahn and Henry Zincone of Henrico to its Summer 2026 President’s List. Snowdon Berry and Abigayle Zaudtke of Glen Allen and Alexander Burreson of Henrico earned Summer 2026 Dean’s List honors.
Southern New Hampshire University academic honors
SNHU named Ayanna Salvatto, Jordan Travis, Rebecca Schauer, Jackson Phelps, Phyllis Gaines, Alia Bryant, Amber Dunagan, Antoinette Wade, Adriel Alganaraz, Lauren Aughenbaugh, Tamia Gallagher and Samantha Alvarez-Gonzalez of Henrico; Gabrielle Holley and Haley Handy of Sandston; and Hannah Spence, Lorenzo Woodard, Dalia Hauter, Lacy Towles, Brandon Maday, Tessa Goff and Vijaya Bhetwal of Glen Allen to its Summer 2026 President’s List. Simone Anderson of Glen Allen; London Towles, Joshua Flynn and Ananias Millner of Henrico; and Tonya Crosby of Sandston were named to the Summer 2026 Dean’s List.
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