Jay natives were celebrated

Thursday must have been Jay County Day at Harvard University’s annual commencement exercises.

Jay native Twyla Tharp, today’s most distinguished and honored choreographer, was awarded an honorary doctor of arts degree by Harvard.

Born at Jay County Hospital in Portland, she spent part of her childhood in Dunkirk, where her father had an automobile dealership,  until the family moved to California.

A past MacArthur Fellow, Tharp has been a leading figure in American choreography since the 1970s.

The same commencement exercises saw Jay County’s Margaret Ronald receive her master’s degree in higher education administration from Harvard Graduate School of Education.

The daughter of Jack and Connie Ronald of Portland, Margaret Ronald is the author of three urban fantasy novels, the Evie Scelan trilogy, and numerous science fiction and fantasy short stories. She is currently the special assistant to the chief information officer of Harvard University.

A graduate of the Indiana Academy for Mathematics, Science, and the Humanities, she received her bachelor’s degree in English from Williams College. She and her husband, Josh, and their daughter, Johanna, reside in Watertown, Massachusetts.

College news

Kyra Braun, Portland, was named to the President’s List for the spring semester at Trine University in Angola. She is majoring in business administration.

To be eligible for the president’s list, students must complete a minimum of 15 hours and have a grade point average of 3.750-4.000.