Savannah Grunhard of Covington recently was accepted to the Mercer University School of Medicine (MUSM) Primary Care Accelerated Track (ACT) Program where she will specialize in internal medicine.

The Primary Care ACT Program allows students interested in a career in family medicine, general internal medicine or pediatrics to have the opportunity to complete their medical school coursework in an accelerated three-year program of study.

Scholarships are awarded to students upon the completion of their first year of medical school and cover tuition for the second and third years. These students must be in good academic standing and have a strong desire to practice primary care in a rural area.

Upon completion of residency, scholars are required to participate in three years of continuous, full-time, primary care medical practice in a medically underserved or rural area of Georgia. The practice must also accept Medicaid patients.

Other area students recently earned degrees and academic honors. The following information was provided by the listed colleges and universities:

GEORGIA COLLEGE: Georgia College in Milledgeville has awarded degrees to the graduating class of August 2020 and announced the students who made its Dean's List for Summer Semester

Local graduates include:

• Lyndsey Bishop of Newborn;

• Victoria Morgan of Covington;

• Noah MacDonald of Covingon;

• Drew Baker of Covington;

• Scott Reich of Covington;

• Andrea Tuggle of Mansfield;

• Chrishandra Perkins of Covington;

• Shiane Stegall of Covington.

Local students on the Dean's List for the Summer 2020 semester:

• Michaela Cole of Covington;

• Kylie Sorrow of Covington.

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH GEORGIA: For the summer 2020 semester, the University of North Georgia in Dahlonega awarded some 500 degrees and certificates.

Local students included:

• Julia Doyle of Covington. Associate of Arts degree - Political Science Pathway;

• Kacie Fincher of Social Circle. Bachelor of Science degree - Criminal Justice with Forensics Concentration, and Associate of Science degree in Criminal Justice Pathway. Summa Cum Laude.

Fincher also was named to the President's Honor Roll at the University of North Georgia (UNG) for achieving a 4.0 grade point average during summer 2020.

Students enrolled in 12 or more credit hours in bachelor's degree programs who achieved a 4.0 grade point average were named to the President's Honor Roll.

University of North Georgia in Dahlonega announced the names of students who earned Dean's List recognition by having at least a 3.5 grade point average, carrying 12 or more credit hours in one semester and having no grade lower than B:

• Samantha Cooper of Covington;

• Jocelyn Elder of Covington;

• Cassandra Kerrick of Covington;

• Shawna Miller of Covington;

• Sara Mobley of Covington;

• Julia Towns of Covington;

• William Wolf of Covington;

• Joseph Anderson of Covington;

• Luke Martin of Covington;

• Alyssa Miller of Covington;

• Montanna Tait of Covington;

• Cory Wilson of Covington;

• Serena Deonarain of Social Circle;

• Alexander Hamby of Social Circle;

• Shannon Wood of Social Circle;

• William Cash of Oxford;

• Taylor Stoddard of Oxford;

• Ashleigh Vonkutzleben of Oxford.

GEORGIA SOUTHWESTERN: The following local residents made the Summer 2020 Academic Achievement List at Georgia Southwestern State University in Americus:

• Gentri Ashford of Covington;

• Kristin Ward of Covington;

• Josiah Webb of Covington.

To be eligible for the Academic Achievement List, a student must previously earn at least 12 credit hours at GSW, be enrolled in 3 to 11 hours of courses, and earn a 3.5 or higher GPA.

COLLEGE OF ST. SCHOLASTICA: Edsel Bittencourt of Covington earned a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from The College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, Minnesota.

St. Scholastica is a 108-year-old private, independent college founded in the Catholic Benedictine tradition.

TROY UNIVERSITY: Troy University in Troy, Alabama, announced its graduates after the Summer Semester and Term 5 of the 2019/2020 academic year:

• Jovan Brown of Covington;

• Rory Barber of Oxford;

• Dannie McElroy of Oxford.

The summer semester includes graduates from the Troy campus. Term 5 graduates include students at Troy's campuses in Dothan, Phenix City and Montgomery, along with teaching sites outside of Alabama and online.

HARDING UNIVERSITY: Katharine Carney of Oxford was among more than 800 students who received their diploma from Harding University in August.

Carney earned a Bachelor of Science degree in biology. Harding University is a private Christian university in Searcy, Arkansas.

HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY: Alori Council of Covington achieved a GPA of at least 3.5 to earn a spot on the Dean's List during the spring semester at Hofstra University.

Hofstra is a private university in Hempstead, New York.

PIEDMONT COLLEGE: Local students who earned degrees from Piedmont College in Demorest following the summer 2020 semester include:

• Jared Brown of Covington;

•  Samuel Ihde of Social Circle.