Natalie Knoke ’25, a nursing major with a biology minor from King George, Va., and Yaniv Regev ’25, a political science and philosophy double-major from Reut, Israel, have each been awarded the H.W. Murray Medal for Scholarship as Co-Valedictorians. Both graduates earned a cumulative grade point average of 4.24.

RMC’s highest academic honor, the H.W. Murray Medal for Scholarship was established in 1889 by legacy of Mrs. W. T. Goodwin of Louisa County, Va., in memory of her father. It is awarded to the member of the graduating class who holds the highest cumulative grade point average.

At May’s nursing pinning ceremony, Knoke was honored with the Virginia Nurses Association Future Nurse Leader Award. She is also a member of both Sigma Theta Tau, a nursing honors society, and the Order of Omega, an honor society for fraternity and sorority members. Knoke is a member of the Delta Zeta sorority, for which she served as president in 2024.

“It is an incredible honor to receive the H.W. Murray Medal for Scholarship! This recognition means so much to me, and I’m so grateful to my professors, mentors, family, and friends for their unwavering support and encouragement—I truly couldn’t have achieved this without them,” Knoke said. “Being a part of the Randolph-Macon community these past four years has truly shaped my academic journey and personal growth, and I’m thankful for all of the experiences that have led to this honor.”

In addition to a wide variety of clinical experiences through the nursing program, Knoke was a member of the Student Government Association, the College Panhellenic Council, and Habitat for Humanity. Knoke will begin her career as a nurse at VCU Health in the Acute Care Oncology Unit.

Regev, an international student, was inducted into several honor societies, including Phi Beta Kappa (the most prestigious honor society in the U.S.), Pi Sigma Alpha (the national political science honor society), and Delta Alpha Pi (an international honor society recognizing high-achieving students with disabilities). At the PBK induction ceremony, he was also honored with the John B. and Anita S. Werner Award.

“Believe it or not, I graduated close to the bottom of my class in high school, so this honor is all the more meaningful. It’s a reminder that with the right amount of determination, you can always turn things around,” Regev said. “To all the friends, faculty, and staff who’ve helped me get here—thank you. I may not have family in America, but your love and support more than made up for it.”

Regev made his mark on campus as an orator, serving as the president of the Franklin Debating Society and giving presentations at a variety of conferences, including the Midwest Political Science Association and the Philosophy, Politics and Economics Society. Professionally, he took part in fellowships and internships at multiple D.C. think tanks, including selective programs at the Hudson and American Enterprise Institutes. Regev will continue his education at Georgetown University, pursuing a Master of Arts studying political theory.