DRF 2011 Summer Intern Biographies
Rachel Covington
Rachel Covington was raised in Danville, VA and graduated from George Washington High School in 2007. She then 
attended the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, VA to study Spanish, Arabic, and Political Science. Rachel graduated Magna Cum Laude from UMW this past May with a B.A. in Spanish and Political Science. While at the university, she was a member of nationally-recognized honor societies, including Mortar Board and Pi Sigma Iota. Rachel earned recognition on the Dean's List each semester, and she was a committed member of the UMW Women's Tennis Team.
In addition to playing tennis in her free time, Rachel has participated in many community service projects serving both the Danville area and neighborhoods throughout the country. Some of the programs in which she has been an active participant include World Changers and Habitat for Humanity. Organizations in which Rachel volunteers help those less fortunate through home creation and construction. Rachel has been involved in this kind of service for that past nine years, so it has had a great influence on her personal values and has become an important part of her life.
Christopher Dodson
Christopher Ryan Dodson of Danville is a current junior at the College of William and Mary. He is pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Government with a minor in Public Policy, after which he hopes to transfer to law school. Outside of work, Dodson is active in Boy Scout Troop 354 as an adult leader and merit badge counselor. While in Williamsburg, Dodson is on the staff of the independent newspaper, The Virginia Informer, as online editor, a layout editor, writer, and cartoonist. He also serves as an officer in Global Zero, a non-profit seeking the elimination of nuclear weapons, and on the quiz bowl team.
Shane Hammond
Shane Hammond is a junior at the University of Michigan and is originally from Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. He majors in International Studies, an interdisciplinary program where he concentrates in Spanish and International Affairs. He spent many years during his youth volunteering for a nonprofit organization called Cultural Homestay International, an organization that facilitates the exchange of students to and from the United States in various programs.
Shane tends to shy away from attention, but he has been recognized for his academic achievements in Spanish and is also a James B. Angell Scholar at the University of Michigan. Those who know Shane consider him a friendly and calm individual. His personal interests include a love for the Arts, athletics, global events, travel, foreign cultures, and a desire to work towards healing social wounds.
Adair Hodge
Adair Hodge is a rising fourth year student at the University of Virginia. She is a lifelong resident of Martinsville, 
Virginia. At the University of Virginia, she is double majoring in Government and African American Studies. In the fall she will began an accelerated program in order to obtain her Master's Degree in Leadership and Public Policy with a concentration in education and healthcare policy. She hopes to one day eradicate many of the disparities within American society. She is very interested in reforming the education system and working to eliminate poverty.
During her time spent at the University of Virginia Adair has become very involved, not only around grounds at the University of Virginia, but also around the Charlottesville area. At the end of her first year at the University of Virginia, she became involved in the Office of African American Affairs Peer Advisor Program. The Peer Advisor Programs is a program that exists to assist entering African American first year and transfer students in the transition into the University of Virginia. As a peer advisor, Adair has focused on increasing the retention rate among African American students and building a stronger community within the Charlottesville community. She also serves on the executive board of the Black Student Alliance and has worked closely with the Living Wage Campaign.
Mykhailo (Misha) Kryvoruchko
Mykhailo Kryvoruchko is a recipient of the Edmund Muskie Graduate Fellowship Program administrated by the US Department of State with IREX assistance. Meeting the requirements of the Muskie Program, Mykhailo completed a Master's program in Economics (2009 - 2011) at Virginia State University (Petersburg, VA), participated in community service, secured and successfully completed a summer internship at the Business Reference Section of the Library of Congress, Washington DC (2010).
Prior to coming to the United States, Mykhailo graduated from the Banking Institute (Cherkasy, Ukraine, 2009) with a Graduate degree in Accounting and Auditing. He participated in a number of student workshops and seminars as well as gained experience while interning at the central bank agency and insurance company in Ukraine.
Mykhailo's major academic and professional interests lie within economic development and institutional economics.
Kelly Montgomery
Kelly Montgomery, a Danville native, graduated from Chatham High School in 2008 as the Co-Valedictorian. She is currently a senior at Gardner-Webb University where she has been on the Dean's list every semester. She is majoring in Elementary Education, and has a minor in both Professional Education and Psychology. She is the secretary/historian of her school's chapter of the Kappa Delta Pi International Honor Society in Education. She plans to teach in the upper elementary grades and is considering continuing her studies to become a guidance counselor.
In 2008, Kelly was named the Virginia High School League (A) Student Athlete of the Year and the Danville Register and Bee Student Athlete of the Year. At her university, she went on to play softball at the Division I level. She is a Student Ambassador at Gardner-Webb and serves as a representative of her school. She has participated in various mission trips and opportunities to serve with her church and through her university's Campus Ministries department. Kelly has a passion for helping people and hopes her time with the Danville Regional Foundation will serve to develop her skills and awareness of need in the region, state, and country.
Ronwyn Pritchett
Ronwyn Pritchett is a native of Martinsville, VA where he graduated in 2009 from Martinsville High School with an advanced diploma. In high school Ronwyn was a standout athlete where he played four varsity sports. After high school, Ronwyn received a full scholarship to play football and attend the University of Richmond. He is currently a junior at the University of Richmond, majoring in Sociology, where he has been extensively involved on campus. After suffering an injury that halted his football career he began to get involved with youth programs in the Richmond community. He has volunteered at Henderson Middle School with the Voice to World, a computer literacy program, which gave him an idea on starting his own organization. Along with a close friend, who is also a student at Richmond, Ronwyn founded a male organization called FAME, which stands for Future American Men of Excellence. Ronwyn was also elected as a 2013 class senator for Richmond College where he was chosen to be a Resident Assistant for 2011-2012 academic year. Other than his volunteer work, Ronwyn has worked at many different departments on campus such as, the Student Help Desk, Richmond College Dean's Office, and campus restaurant, "The Cellar".
Christina Sinnott
Christina Sinnott is a senior History major at Averett University. She is originally from 
Phenix, Virginia, but moved to Danville to attend Averett. Once at Averett, Christina wasted no time becoming part of the fabric of the school's life. In her first year, she became Vice President of the Student Government Association, and helped to reorganize the group so that it could be a part of Averett for years to come. Also, within her first year she became a member of the Arts committee, and brought Dr. Rossetti, a Political Science professor at the University of South Carolina, to talk about America's national security policy. She is now a resident assistant, a tutor, the president of two clubs on campus, and a member of Averett's Honors Program.
As a history major Christina one day hopes to become a curator of a major museum, and plans to pursue a PhD of Museum Studies with a specialization in World History. Being a part of a community is very important to Christina, because she can see the historical significance of a strong sense of city wide unity. Strong cities build strong peopleand she feels that Danville defiantly has the potential to be great.
Tonyette White
Tonyette White is a native of Danville, Virginia. She completed high school at George Washington High School and received her Associate's Degree in Science from Danville Community College in Danville, Virginia. Tonyette is currently completing her requirements for Bachelor's Degrees in Sociology and Psychology at the University of Virginia. Within the College of Arts and Sciences, Tonyette is a member of the Echols Scholars Program.
Tonyette is involved in various organizations at UVA. She is an Office of African American Affairs Peer Advisor and she dances for University Dance Club. Her involvement in the Young Women's Leaders Program truly defines her future career pursuits. In YWLP, Tonyette mentored a young middle school girl in the city of Charlottesville. As a Big Sister, she was able to help a young lady improve academically, socially, and mentally. Next semester, Tonyette will take part in researching within YWLP. Through the Jefferson Citizen's Project, Tonyette will be working with other Big Sisters to research important issues that adolescent girls face.
Tonyette White has various career endeavors she wants to pursue after college. Tonyette wants to receive her Master's degree in Psychology. Tonyette plans to research family formations and how the family can be strengthened to benefit children and on traveling to study different culture's family formations. Afterward, Tonyette would like to pursue her career either as a child psychologist or a family therapist. Tonyette hopes that wherever her life takes her, she will benefit all man-kind.