YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. — Young Harris College graduate Will Yeiser, Class of 2022, of Columbus, Georgia, was named this year’s Joseph Wilson Boone History Award recipient.
The Joseph Wilson Boone History Award was established in honor of YHC alumnus Joseph Wilson Boone, Class of 1931, by his grandson, Clifton Hamner. Boone was a longtime editor and publisher of The Wilkinson County Post in Irwinton, Georgia. He was an honor roll student, vice president of his class, a member of the intercollegiate debate team, a member of the intramural basketball team, and a member of the Phi Chi fraternity. Each year, faculty members from YHC’s Department of History and Religious Studies select an outstanding history student who demonstrates innovation, scholastic achievement, and dedication to excellence to receive this $250 award. Yeiser’s hard work and heart for the field made this an easy decision for the faculty.
“An eager participant in class and a diligent writer, Will demonstrated a passion for history that far surpasses our expectations for undergraduate students,” said Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of History and Religious Studies Dr. Matthew Byron.
“Words cannot express the joy that I felt when I found out I had been named the Joseph Wilson Boone Award recipient,” said Yeiser. “Though my chapter at YHC has concluded, the lessons and confidence that YHC’s history department provided me make me excited for the future.”
Will Yeiser, an Honors Program student, graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in history and a minor in legal studies in the 2022 Young Harris College Commencement ceremony. Throughout his four years at YHC, he served as president and vice president of the Alpha Chi Honors Society, president of the Golden Key Honors Society, and was a member of the Phi Alpha Theta History Honors Society. He served his fellow YHC students as a history tutor, a First Year Foundations peer mentor, a resident assistant, and as senator and historian for the Student Government Association. He was a gentleman in the Phi Alpha Phi sorority and was on the leadership team for the Simple Charity club. He made time to serve his surrounding Columbus and Young Harris communities in various ways. In addition to receiving the Joseph Wilson Boone Award, Yeiser received YHC’s Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award at graduation, and this award goes to the graduate whose nobility of character and dedication to service sets them apart as an example for others.
YHC congratulates Joseph Wilson Boone Award recipient Will Yeiser.
About Young Harris College
Young Harris College is a private baccalaureate and master’s degree-granting institution located in the beautiful mountains of North Georgia. Founded in 1886 and historically affiliated with The United Methodist Church, Young Harris College educates, inspires, and empowers students through an education that purposefully integrates the liberal arts and professional studies. The College has four academic divisions: Fine Arts; Humanities; Mathematics, Science, and Technology; and Professional Studies. Approximately 1,400 students are enrolled in its residential and Early College programs. The College is an active member of the NCAA Division II and remains a fierce competitor in the prestigious Peach Belt Conference. For more information, visit yhc.edu.
###
