Submitted by Saint Martin’s University
Lacey, Wash. – Saint Martin’s University has announced the valedictorian and salutatorian for the Class of 2013.
Valedictorian Rebeka Dach Santos grew up in Lacey, Wash., and graduated with highest honors from River Ridge High School. Santos earned an Associate of Arts degree from South Puget Sound Community College before transferring to Saint Martin’s University, where she majored in biology. Santos is graduating summa cum laude with a 4.00 cumulative grade point average. While at Saint Martin’s, she completed an internship with Unigen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Santos held a senate seat with the Associated Students of Saint Martin’s University and is a member of Phi Theta Kappa International Honors Society, Tri-Beta Biological Honors Society and Saint Martin’s University Society of Fellows. During her time at Saint Martin’s University, Santos served as a peer tutor in biology, chemistry and mathematics, was a 2012 and 2013 Scholars Day presenter, and was selected to attend Konkuk University in Seoul, South Korea for the Korean Cultural Exchange Program this summer. She received the Saint Martin’s University Chancellor’s Scholarship, Alumni Scholarship, Alumni Legacy Award, Phi Theta Kappa Scholarship, Benedictine Heritage Scholarship, Scottish Rite Foundation of Washington Scholarship, Filipino-American Community of South Puget Sound Scholarship, North Thurston Education Foundation Scholarship and Oil Can Henry’s Scholarship.
Salutatorian Joseph Peter Berger grew up in Enumclaw, Wash., and graduated from Mother of Divine Grace High School. Berger came to Saint Martin’s University with an Associate of Science degree in pre-engineering from Green River Community College in Auburn, Wash.. At Saint Martin’s, Berger majored in mechanical engineering and is graduating summa cum laude with a 3.99 cumulative grade point average. A member of the men’s cross country and track and field teams while attending Saint Martin’s University, Berger was inducted into the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Cross Country Academic Team in 2012. Berger held the Brian F. Doolin Aerospace Engineering Scholarship, Benedictine Heritage Scholarship, Chancellor’s Scholarship, Mechanical Engineering Scholarship, Phi Theta Kappa Scholarship, Men’s Cross Country and Track Athletic Scholarship and Alumni Association Scholarship. Berger is a member of the Saint Martin’s Society of Fellows and Pi Tau Sigma, the national mechanical engineering honors society.
The Saint Martin’s University 2013 Commencement Exercises will begin at 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 11, at Marcus Pavilion on the University’s Lacey campus, 5000 Abbey Way S.E. Tickets are required for attendance.
For more information, visit www.stmartin.edu/Commencement.
Saint Martin’s University is an independent four-year, coeducational university located on a wooded campus of more than 300 acres in Lacey, Washington. Established in 1895 by the Catholic Order of Saint Benedict, the University is one of 14 Benedictine colleges and universities in the United States and Canada, and the only one west of the Rocky Mountains. Saint Martin’s University prepares students for successful lives through its 23 majors and seven graduate programs spanning the liberal arts, business, education, nursing and engineering. Saint Martin’s welcomes more than 1,100 undergraduate students and 400 graduate students from many ethnic and religious backgrounds to its Lacey campus, and 300 more undergraduate students to its extension campuses located at Joint Base Lewis-McChord and Centralia College. Visit the Saint Martin’s University website at www.stmartin.edu.
