Sharon Vergez Vercellotti, 2014 SMWC commencement speaker
Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College (SMWC) celebrates its 175th commencement on May 3, 2014. The traditional baccalaureate mass begins at 10:30 a.m. at the Church of Immaculate Conception. Approximately 75 students are expected to graduate in the commencement ceremony, which will begin at 2 p.m. in the Cecilian Auditorium of the Conservatory of Music.
Sharon Vergez Vercellotti, president of V-LABS, Inc., will deliver the commencement address. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Louisiana State University and a Master of Science degree from The Ohio State University, both in chemistry, and has studied business at Virginia Tech.
While president of V-LABS, a consulting, manufacturing and analytical organization specializing in carbohydrates for glycobiology research, Vercellotti has been awarded three Small Business Innovation Research Grants from the National Institutes of Health and National Science Foundation.
Vercellotti is featured in the book “Successful Women in Chemistry – Corporate America’s Contribution to Science,” sponsored by the ACS Women Chemists Committee. She has contributed eleven refereed scientific journal articles, three book chapters, two patents, and has given more than fifty national, regional and local invited technical presentations. Additionally, she is listed in the Marquis “Who’s Who in Science and Engineering” and “American Men and Women of Science.”
Cynthia Hux Martin ’78, 2014 recipient of the SMWC Distinguished Alumnae Award
The College will also present Cynthia Hux Martin, a 1978 graduate of SMWC, with the Distinguished Alumni Award. The Award is the highest honor the College bestows upon a graduate in recognition of her noteworthy achievements and valuable professional and personal contributions.
Martin graduated from SMWC magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration in accounting/secondary education. Additionally, she served on the College’s Board of Trustees in various roles for several years.
Joining her family business straight out of college, Martin quickly became the chief administrative officer. She went on to become the chief financial officer and chief executive officer of many other family owned businesses and served as the director of the Hux Family Charitable Trust in 1994. In addition, she has served on the Union Hospital Foundation Board of Directors, Union Hospital Inc. Board of Directors, Service League of Union Hospital, Philanthropic Education Organization (PEO) BN Chapter and 100+ Women Who Care formation committee and advisory board.