Alixandra Hunter '19 Receives Top Washington Semester Award

Alixandra Hunter '19, one of 41 students who participated in the Lutheran College Washington Semester program last fall, has received the Christopher C. Joyner Memorial Award for Academic Excellence.

The award is presented to LCWS students who excel academically, demonstrate an inquisitive nature in their studies, and are committed to learning in all aspects of their life. The award is named for the late Dr. Christopher C. Joyner, a beloved professor and long-time supporter of the program. 

A news release announcing Hunter's award noted that she was nominated not only by LCWS faculty and staff but by fellow students as well. She was praised for thoughtful contributions to class discussion and engaging written work. "Alixandra demonstrates a strong sense of curiosity and academic prowess, both in and outside of class," said Dr. Douglas E. Clark '72, dean and executive director of LCWS.

During her Washington Semester, Hunter gained experience through an internship in the Foreign and Defense Policy Department of the American Enterprise Institute, where she balanced department-level tasks, research for AEI scholars and event tracking/staffing. Hunter's work focused on Middle East Program and Communications.

"I am proud to represent Roanoke College on Think Tank Row in the District," Hunter wrote last fall of her AEI internship. "Every day, I am both grateful and bewildered to spend my semester in such a delightful way."

Hunter, of Thurmont, Maryland, is an International Relations major with an interest in pursuing a career in national security or counterterrorism.