Rounding up the college graduates

Ileana Glyptis of Riverdale was one of 480 seniors who graduated from Colby College in Waterville, Maine, last month.

Glyptis picked up a bachelor’s degree in economics and mathematics. Of course, like nearly every school — if not every school — this particular graduation was without the usual pomp and circumstance because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“This was to be the day tha we would gather on Miller lawn for your formal commencement exercises, and all that they represented in terms of your learning, accomplishments and growth,” Colby president David Greene said, in a release. “The knowledge that we are better together, that human connection and the bonds of community are essential to humanity, will drive us to eradicate the damaging impact of this virus.”

Glyptis, who attended Deerfield Academy in Massachusetts, is the daughter of Patricia and Andrew Glyptis.

With this week’s edition of The Riverdale Press featuring graduates locally, there are others who have gone to school elsewhere and earned honors as well.

• Miyako Kobayashi became a doctor of physical therapy from Arcadia University in Glenside, Pennsylvania.

• Stephen Grimsley made the Dean’s List for the spring semester at SUNY Canton for keeping his GPA above 3.25.

• Eleanor Paasche and Jacob Kazmi both graduated from Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine. Paasche graduated with a degree in government environmental studies and legal studies, and also minored in German. Kazmi graduated with a degree in neuroscience.

• Kenny Lam has made the Dean’s List at Northeastern University in Boston. He’s majoring in computer engineering and computer science.

Bronx Science grad earns UC scholarship

Syed Wahid, a 2020 graduate of the Bronx High School of Science, will attend the University of Chicago this fall with a little help from the Jimmy Rane Foundation.

Wahid, who plans to study biology, was one of 40 students to receive a scholarship under the program.

He learned he received the scholarship while recovering from the coronavirus.

“There was a great sense of relief as this pandemic has not only been physically taxing, but also economically,” Wahid said, in a release. “I am from a low-income background, and when I see how hard my parents work, I want to limit my financial burden on them as much as I can.”

Rane is the founder of Great Southern Wood Preserving Inc., in Abbeville, Alabama, which generally raises money for the scholarship through a golf tournament. Because of the coronavirus, however, the event was canceled, but sponsors still stepped up to fund the scholarship.

Wahid hopes to attend medical school after earning his undergraduate degree.