Circleville Alumni Association

Today the Circleville Alumni Association welcomes another class into our ranks. Congrats to the Class of 2026! We know you'll do great things!

The Circleville Alumni Association is dedicated to supporting the academic, athletic, arts and social service activities of students attending Circleville City Schools. It has been awarding scholarships since 2006. Recipients excel in academics and community service. Criteria includes a parent, grandparent, or guardian who is a CHS graduate.

All scholarship recipients are invited to this annual awards banquet to recognize their achievements as they continue with their chosen studies and careers. In March we were honored to award these three CHS Class of 2026 seniors:
(From left to right)
Hudson Phalin will attend Ohio University and study sports management. Hudson is the son of Phil and Beth (Deweese) Phalin. Beth is a 1999 graduate of CHS.

Liam McConnell will attend Shawnee State University and study plastic engineering. Liam is the son of Luke and Stephanie (Garrett) McConnell. Both parents graduated from CHS, Luke 1984 and Stephanie 1992.

Isabelle Perini will attend Cedarville University and study special education. Isabelle is the daughter of Nick and Rachel (Allen) Perini.
Rachel is a 1999 graduate of CHS.

2026 Circleville Alumni Association Achievement Hall of Fame Inductee Seth Hamman, Class of 1998.
Born in Berger Hospital and educated in Circleville schools, Seth Hamman is a true son of Circleville.
He graduated valedictorian from CHS in 1998 and went on to study at Duke University before beginning his career in the tech industry. He obtained his MS in Computer Science from Yale University in 2011 and his PhD in Computer Science from the Air Force Institute of Technology in 2016.
Transitioning to academia, Dr. Hamman led the creation of Cedarville University's cybersecurity program and became the founding director of Cedarville's Center for the Advancement of Cybersecurity in 2018.
He helped Cedarville become one of the first programs in the nation to achieve the NSA's prestigious Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Operations designation and then established the first Cyber Operations BS degree program in the state of Ohio. Under Dr. Hamman's tenure, Cedarville's cybersecurity program has twice been named the top cyber program in the nation.
Dr. Hamman is a national leader in the field of cybersecurity education, traveling and speaking across the country. He has received several grants for research, curriculum development, and student scholarships. In 2025 he published invitation to cyber security, a college textbook for introduction cyber courses.
Dr Hamman’s achievements were encouraged and motivated by many individuals who have blessed him throughout the years. Foremost are his parents, Tom and Genny Hamman, who have taught and supported him through all his endeavors. He is grateful for his many Circleville teachers and coaches for guiding him. His memories of growing up in Circleville are full of amazing people who helped shape his faith and character. He thanks God for his idyllic childhood and for being surrounded by so many loving adults.
Dr Hamman lives with his wife, Emily, and four children in the village of Cedarville, Ohio. He’s blessed to be a member of a strong church and community where he enjoys volunteering with ministry programs and youth sports having benefited himself from the positive impact of caring role models. 

2026 Circleville Alumni Association Achievement Hall of Fame Inductee Deborah Lowe Wright, Class of 1970.
Deborah Lowe Wright is a distinguished historian and advocate for African American heritage in Pickaway County. She attended the College of Wooster, focusing on history education and graduated Summa Cum Laude from Ohio Christian University in 2022.
At Wooster, Deborah organized Afro-centric events, served as a liaison for Black students, and established a campus residency to foster improved relations between African American students and the broader college community.
A notable moment in her college career was meeting Maya Angelou.
In 1997 she identified a lack of records on Black life in Circleville. Her research led to the publication They Left Their Mark, which explores Circleville's role in the enforcement of the Fifteenth Amendment and the history of Black voting rights. Her work was recognized with an Ohio Bicentennial Historic Marker at Second Baptist Church.
Her other publications give additional insight into the county's Black history. Her works have appeared in the Pickaway Quarterly, Circleville Herald, and Roundtown Living.
Deborah co-founded the PCAAHA (Pickaway County African American Heritage Association) in 2003 to promote awareness of African American achievements in Pickaway County. As director and primary researcher, she has utilized various media platforms to share stories and assist in tracing family histories.
Deborah's lifelong passion for history has been recognized through numerous awards including resolutions from state and local government and honors from the Ohio Local History Alliance.