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Friday, June 20, 2014

12 Incredibly Impressive Students Who Graduated College This Year

Every year, thousands of students graduate from college, eager to go out and make their marks in the world.

Whether on campus or on the big screen, some of this year's college graduates are already making a name for themselves.

We've profiled a dozen of this year's best and brightest, ranging from student journalists to military leaders to an international moviestar.

Andrew Arsht and Andrew Markoff are some of the best debaters in the country.

Andrew Markoff and Andrew Arsht were debate partners at Georgetown University, accomplishing the rare feat of winning the National Debate Tournament twice — their sophomore and seniors years.

After winning the tournament as sophomores — only the second team ever to do so — the partners took home the Rex Copeland award for the best yearlong record their junior year, winning the tournament again this year. "This year's win was the best possible finish to my debate career," Arsht told Business Insider.

While both agreed it was bringing home the first place title to Georgetown's after the program's 20 year drought was a highlight, the second win as seniors, Markoff said, "doesn’t get any less cool."

Markoff is currently working at Dropbox and Arsht is working as a research assistant at a law firm.

Abbey Crain and Matt Ford wrote a newspaper feature that changed their school.

No college newspaper story had a bigger impact this year than University of Alabama graduates Abbey Crain and Matt Ford's report on segregation in the school's sororities.

Their article in student newspaper The Crimson White — titled "The Final Barrier: 50 Years Later, Segregation Still Exists" — was a in-depth look at racial segregation in the school's sororities. Within days of publication, Crain and Ford's story made national headlines and pushed the UA administration to instate "continuous open bidding," which allowed all students — including traditionally excluded minority students — to join the school's almost exclusively white Greek system.

Originally, the piece had been planned to cover what should have been a historic moment of inclusion, as an objectively impressive black female student seemed poised to break the racial barrier of Greek life. However, she was not accepted to any sorority.

"Matt and I prepared to write a celebratory piece on bid day," Crain told Business Insider. "When that didn't happen, we knew we had to do something on this."

Crain and Ford are both currently planning on moving to New York City to pursue careers in journalism.

Lindsey Danilack was responsible for 4,400 cadets at West Point.

United States Mililary Academy cadet Lindsey Danilack served as first captain of the Corp of Cadets this year, the highest position in the military students' chain of command.

As first captain — also called "brigade commander" — Danilack was responsible for implementing a class agenda for all 4,400 cadets and acting as a liaison between students and the West Point administration. Danilack was also only the fourth woman to serve in the position.

Danilack is also involved with sexual assault and sexual harassment prevention efforts, founding a program called Cadets Against Sexual Harassment and Assault raise awareness among cadets.

Danilack now plans to attend flight school and one day go to Harvard Business School.

Danilack was previously featured on Business Insider's list of impressive West Point students, with reporting from Melia Robinson and Melissa Stanger.

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.businessinsider.com