Vernon Chaplin '07, who graduated earlier this month with honors in astrophysics, is the Philadelphia Inquirer's 2006-07 academic all-star male performer of the year. A member of Swarthmore's track and cross-country teams, he holds Swarthmore records in the indoor mile, indoor 800 meters, and distance medley relay.

"It's always a tug of war," says Chaplin, a 2005 Goldwater Scholar, of college life. "It takes a lot of planning and time commitment to get everything lined up. But sports really helps me. It lets your mind be free. It was really crucial."