On May 13, at commencement ceremonies marking the end of the 237th academic year at Hampden-Sydney College, Osric Anthony Forrest, Class of 2012, received the Samuel S. Jones Phi Beta Kappa Award for his honors thesis in biology entitled, "The Effect of B16-F1 and D5.1G4 Tumor-altered Dendritic Cells on Killer T Cell Activation."
This award was presented by Dr. Robert T. Herdegen III, Dean of the Faculty at Hampden-Sydney College. The Phi Beta Kappa Award for Intellectual Excellence was established by Samuel S. Jones, Class of 1943, to recognize excellence as manifested in outstanding student research. Papers are entered in a competition judged by the faculty members of the Eta of Virginia, Hampden-Sydney's chapter of Phi Beta Kappa.
Forrest, a Patrick Henry Scholar, graduated summa cum laude with honors in biology and a minor in chemistry. He has served as a Resident Advisor and as a member of the Ethics Bowl team, the President's Men, and the Society of '91 (leadership program). Last year he was President of the H-SC Chapter of Circle K International and an investigator for the Student Court. He is a member of the honor societies Phi Beta Kappa (academics), Omicron Delta Kappa (leadership), and Chi Beta Phi (science), as well as the professional scientific fraternity Alpha Chi Sigma. He was recognized for leadership in the 2012 edition of Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges and, at Final Convocation in April, he received the Hewett Biology Award for service to the Biology Department and outstanding scholarship. Forrest is the son of Mr. & Mrs. Osric W. Forrest of Portmore, Jamaica. He plans to attend Emory University in Atlanta in the fall.