Around Campus

Nolan Goeken, a graduating senior at Spencer High School, has been named one of approximately 560 semifinalists in the 2009 Presidential Scholars Program. The semifinalists were selected from more than 3,000 candidates on the basis of superior achievements, leadership qualities, personal character, and involvement in community and school activities.

Final selection of the scholars will be made by the Commission on Presidential Scholars, a group of eminent citizens appointed by the President, and will be announced in May. The Commission will select one young man and one young woman from each state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and U.S. students living abroad; up to 20 students representing the visual, literary and performing arts; and 15 students at-large.

Scholars will be invited to Washington, D.C., for several days in the second half of June to receive the Presidential Scholars medallion at a recognition ceremony and to participate in various activities and events held in their honor.

More than 200 students at the University of Northern Iowa were formally inducted into the teacher education program on March 27 at the Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center on the UNI campus. Alyssa Schaben of Okoboji and Katie Mills of Webb were among those accepted into the teacher education program.

Kayla Dvorak from Spencer received the Alpha Psi Omega Junior award from the Division of Visual and Performing Arts at Simpson College's Honors Convocation held April 17.

Susan DeGroot, a senior student at Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa, and formerly of Spencer, is serving in an internship this semester with Great Books Foundation in Chicago, Ill. Her major is business administration, finance & management. An internship is an academic experience for credit in a work setting supervised jointly by Northwestern and an associated employer. Internships integrate a student's classroom learning with productive work experience in businesses and organizations.

Chad Clancy, son of Jeff and Kay Clancy of Spencer; and Megan Parrish, daughter of Eric and Cindy Parrish of Spencer; were award winners during the annual Omicron Delta Kappa (ODK) Honors Assembly held Wednesday, April 16, at Morningside College.

Both students were inducted into ODK based on scholarship and campus leadership. Clancy, a junior who is majoring in biology, is a 2006 graduate of Spencer High School. Parrish, a senior who is majoring in music, is a 2005 graduate of Spencer High School.

Central College presidential scholars distinguished themselves academically and in their communities as among the best high school students from across the nation. They have a high school grade point average of 3.75 or higher (on a 4.0 scale) and an ACT score of 28 or rank first in their graduating class. They also dedicate themselves to leadership in extra-curricular involvement and community service. Among those recognized, Joey Toale, Spencer High School

Central College dean's scholars are recognized for strong academic achievement and exemplary leadership potential. They have a high school grade point average of 3.5 or higher (on a 4.0 scale), or an ACT of 25 or higher, or rank in the top 20 percent of their graduating class. They also dedicate themselves to involvement in extra-curricular activities and community service. Among those recognized: Beth Druvenga and Chris Lensing, both of Spencer High School.

This year, 12 Central College students were hired as Upward Bound tutor counselors, with an additional six hired as Upward Bound Math and Science (UBMS) tutor counselors, specifically designated to work with students interested in math and science. With the implementation of the new Upward Bound Math and Science grant, 50 additional high school students will attend the summer program totaling approximately 165 students. The program is the first of its kind in Iowa and is specifically geared for high school students interested in pursuing careers in math or science fields. The selected tutor counselors will work with these Upward Bound students in and out of the classroom to help develop specific math and science skills.

Upward Bound is a year-round program for high school students, with main activities held during the summers after their freshman, sophomore, junior and senior years. Upward Bound students must meet GPA requirements as well as federal income guidelines and/or be among the first generation in their families to attend college in the future. Central's Upward Bound serves 15 high schools around central Iowa including Des Moines East, North, Lincoln, Hoover and Roosevelt, Southeast Polk, Albia, Cardinal, Davis County, Eddyville-Blakesburg, Knoxville, Oskaloosa, Ottumwa, Pella and Sigourney.

Tutor counselors play an active role with the high school students during the summer program living in the residence halls, providing academic assistance, participating in all nightly events, and helping supervise the end-of-summer field trip to Kansas City in July.

Spencer- Joel Druvenga, junior, psychology major, graduate of Spencer High School, tutor counselor.

An area student received the High Scholarship Award in the College of Design during a March 30 ceremony at Iowa State University. The award is given to undergraduate students and veterinary medicine professional students who rank in the top 2 percent of their college class. Among those recognized, Jonathan Vaage, Design, Milford.