b'P resiDentsA wArD forA cADemice xcellence Her commitment to academic and service excellence resultedPipeline, scenic designer for Marisol, and scenic charge in her earning the 2022 Colquitt EMC Scholarship, 2022for A Christmas Carol, Tiny Beautiful Things, and The Accepting the Challenge of Excellence (A.C.E.) Award, 2022Duchess of Malfi. R. Wayne Bubba Alexander Memorial Scholarship, and 2022 James Eunice Legacy Scholarship. Schaefers commitment to academic, creative, and leadership excellence resulted in her being selected for the 2023-2024 After graduation Ortmeyer plans to pursue a Master of HealthMary Virginia Terry Scholarship, the 2024-2025 Golden Circle Science in Occupational Therapy at Augusta UniversitysTheatre Scholarship, the 2025 College of the Arts Service College of Allied Health Sciences. She said her entire VSUExcellence in Theatre Award, and the 2025 Georgia College experience, from the classroom to her work in her hometownCompletion Grant. She was a Zell Miller Scholar and a four-church, has given her a strong foundation for serving her futuretime Deans List honoree, with a fifth recognition expected after patients with dignity, empathy, and purpose. graduation. Ultimately, my goal is to become an occupational therapist, sheShe hopes to continue her education at VSU and study library said. I truly look forward to seeing where this career takes me. and information science while also pursuing a professional career in theatre, specifically scenic art. Her supportive family includes mom Kim Ortmeyer, dad Tim Ortmeyer, and brother Jack Ortmeyer.Her supportive family includes mom Sharon Schaefer, dad Frederick Schaefer, and sibling Faith Pip Schaefer.c ollege of theA rts They have always been supportive through all my highs and lows, she said. I dont think I could have survived without g rAces chAeferof Kingsland,the long phone calls telling me everything will eventually work Georgia, has earned the Fall 2025out. I am so thankful for having them in my life. Their belief in Presidents Award for Academicmy hard work paid off. Excellence for the College of the Arts at Valdosta State University. She graduates summa cum laudeJ Amesl. & D orothyh. D ewArwith a Bachelor of Fine Arts inc ollege ofe DucAtion& h umAns ervicesTheatre Arts, emphasis in Theatre Production. A shleyr eneem ulKey of Braselton, Georgia, is the recipient My time at VSU has been anof the Fall 2025 Presidents absolute whirlwind that I wouldntAward for Academic Excellence trade for anything, she said. I have learned so many new skills,for the James L. and Dorothy H. met amazing people, and have grown into myself as a person.Dewar College of Education & This moment is representative of all the hard work, sleeplessHuman Services at Valdosta State nights, and everything that I have put into these last few years,University. She graduates summa and I am so grateful to be receiving this honor. cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Office Administration As a student at VSU, Schaefer served as a VSU Theatre andand Technology.Dance Scene Shop assistant from 2024 through her final semester on campus. She was also an active member of theI am truly humbled by this recognition, she said. My United States Institute for Theatre Technology, where she wasjourney at VSU was both challenging and deeply rewarding. elected secretary in 2024 and co-president in 2025.Balancing the many roles of being a mother, a significant other, an employee, and a student was no easy task. There were I have had some amazing opportunities to practice my craftcountless long nights of studying, sometimes with no sleep at while at VSU, thanks to our amazing professors, she said.all before getting my son ready for school and heading to work. They always create a constructive atmosphere where I knowTo most, doing all of this might seem impossible, and honestly, they trust in our abilities to rise to any occasion, but they alsothere were moments when I wondered how I would make it understand that we are ultimately here to learn. Starting outthrough.as a carpenter and scenic artist and then growing into head carpenter and scenic charge has been a wonderful journey. IveThis award isnt just mine. It belongs to the village of people loved the opportunity to tackle larger structures and paint morewho supported me along the way. Their encouragement and complicated textures to create the illusion of the world of a play.understanding gave me the strength to keep pushing forward. There isnt anything like the feeling of seeing a finished set andAfter graduating high school 20 years ago, I qualified for the realizing I was a part of that.Georgia HOPE Scholarship. Unfortunately, life took a different path, and because I couldnt attend college right away, I lost Some of Schaefers notable roles with VSU Theatre and Danceeligibility for that opportunity. Returning to school after two include serving as head carpenter for Iphigenia 2.5, stagedecades meant starting from scratch, but I was determined to manager for Spring Dances: Evolve, props manager formake it count. I want this award to show my 14-year-old son 240TH COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY |23'