• Joseph Williams of Newark graduated from the University of Findlay Dec. 12.

He received a master's degree in business administration.

• Ashland University student Melissa Powless of Newark was one of 17 AU students who passed the Microsoft Office Excel Certified Application Specialist Exam given after an MIS course.

Powless, a 2007 Newark High School graduate, is a junior majoring in management at AU.

• Spencer Barker, a freshman at Ohio State University at Newark, recently was elected president of the newly formed OSUN/Central Ohio Technical College Rotaract club.

Rotaract is a Rotary-sponsored service club for men and women ages 18 to 30. Rotaract clubs are community or university based and are sponsored by a local Rotary club.

The OSUN/COTC club was organized in 2009 as a joint project of the Newark-Heath, Pataskala, Heath and Granville Rotary clubs.

Barker, a Granville High School graduate, is the son of Jay and Beth Barker of Granville.

• Central Ohio Technical College has released the names of students who completed the Associate of Applied Science in Nursing Technology and graduated Dec. 11 on the school's Newark campus. Graduates included:

From Granville, Holly Nicodem and Sarah E. Westbrook.

From Heath, Jennifer J. Collins, Megan R. Johnson and Victoria N. Russell.

From Johnstown, Lindsay A. Lachowsky, Nicole R. Rector and Jessi N. Rhoades.

From Newark, Michael J. Arruda, Rene N. Colbert, Crystal B. Nance, Jennifer L. Newsome, Traci L. Smith and Elizabeth E. Tucker.

• John Gardner of Granville was named to the dean's list for the fall semester 2009 at Hope College in Holland, Mich. To be eligible for the list, students must maintain a 3.5 grade-point average.

• Luke P. Webster, the son of Steven and Cheryl Webster of Pataskala, was named to the dean's list for the 2009 fall semester at Bucknell University in Lewisberg, Pa.

To be eligible for the list, students must earn a 3.5 GPA.

He is a 2009 graduate of Newark Catholic High School.

• Heidelberg University has announced its fall semester dean's list. The following area students earned grade-point averages of at least 3.5 and were named to the list:

Newark: Adam Armstrong, a freshman majoring in psychology.

Pataskala: Alyssa Howard, a freshman majoring in athletic training.

• Muskingum University has announced its fall 2009 dean's list.

Area residents were named to the list as follows:

Newark -- Kelsey Bartlett, Leah M. Dobbelaer, Caitlin R. Ecker and Kelly E. Hartfield

Heath -- Melanie J. Priest

Pataskala -- Emily L. Cole and Angela M. Knight

Utica -- Kaitlin E. Bandy, Megan K. Daubenmire, Hannah M. Kerr and Andrew T. Moone.

• Steven D. Bernini, a junior at Beloit College, earned a grade-point average of at least 3.4 and was named to the fall semester dean's list.

Bernini lives in Granville.

• Bethany College has announced its honors list for the fall 2009 semester.

Heath resident Sarah Atkins was named to the president's list for achieving a 4.0 grade-point average.

Newark resident Bethany Stickradt was named to the dean's list for achieving a GPA of at least 3.65.

• Courtney N. Campbell and Benjamin D. Klauder, both of Granville, were named to the fall 2009 dean's list at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va. To be eligible for the list, students must achieve a GPA of at least 3.4.

Campbell is a senior majoring in industrial design, and Klauder is a senior majoring in finance.

• The University of Dayton has announced its December 2009 graduates.

Area residents completed degree requirements were Brian Badertscher and Sarah Deak of Granville; Nicholas Adams and Lindsey Noth of Newark; and Gilford Vincent of Pataskala.