Cumberland resident Veronica Nelson, a graduate of Cumberland High School and the Governor’s School of Southside Virginia, and Leighann Sims, a resident of Farmville and a graduate of Cumberland High School, have been named Presidential Scholars at Sweet Briar College. McCloskey also completed independent study at Brigham Young University.

Each recruitment year, Sweet Briar’s top accepted students are invited to campus to compete for Presidential Scholars, the college’s most prestigious scholarship program. These students meet with college faculty for interviews, talk to alumnae and students and attend classes. Presidential Scholars also receive additional access to experiences such as discussions hosted by President Woo and extra research funding.