Back row, from left: Summer Prokop, Adan Jacuide, Gavin Honkomp, Cole Thomas, and Joseph Groetken. Second row: Sophia McCullough, Claire Schroeder, Gabriel McCrea, Will Sanders, and Owen Stansberry. Third row: Lydia Wehrspann, Angel Lopez, and Nicco LaBryer. Front row: Hailey Hearting, Money Thammavongsa, Xaria Rojas, and Juliette Perez. Not pictured: Nexis Dalley.

Academic achievement at Buena Vista University can open the door to more than recognition. For 18 BVU students this year, it also resulted in awards ranging from $5,575 to $9,962 each to support their continued education and experiences beyond the classroom.

The 2026 Clifford A. Rae Academic Achievement Awards recognize nine students from the Harold Walter Siebens School of Business and nine from the School of Science. The competitive awards provide significant financial support while helping students take advantage of opportunities such as internships, research, and other hands-on experiences that prepare them for their careers.

For students, the awards are an example of how achievement at BVU can lead to new opportunities throughout their college experience.

Harold Walter Siebens School of Business Recipients

• Third-year students: Summer Prokop, an accounting and business major from Ponca, Nebraska; Gavin Honkomp, a sport business major from Spencer, Iowa; and Money Thammavongsa, an accounting, finance, and management major from West Liberty, Iowa.
• Second-year students: Cole Thomas, a finance major from Correctionville, Iowa; Angel Lopez, an accounting and business double major from Storm Lake, Iowa; and Juliette Perez, a finance major from Rembrandt, Iowa.
• First-year students: Nexis Dalley, a business management and marketing major from Gowrie, Iowa; Xaria Rojas, a business marketing major from Holstein, Iowa; and Adan Jacuinde, an accounting and business double major from Holstein, Iowa.

School of Science Recipients

• Third-year students: Gabriel McCrea, a computer science/AI-robotics major from Spencer, Iowa; Joseph Groetken, a computer science major from Moville, Iowa; and Nicco LaBryer, a computer science major from St. Joseph, Missouri.
• Second-year students: Lydia Wehrspann, a kinesiology and exercise science major from Jesup, Iowa; Owen Stansberry, a biomedical science major from Storm Lake, Iowa; and Claire Schroeder, an agricultural science major from Remsen, Iowa.
• First-year students: Sophia McCullough, a biomedical science major from Barnum, Iowa; Will Sanders, a biomedical science major from Carroll, Iowa; and Hailey Hearting, a biology and pre-veterinary agricultural/animal science major from Nevada, Missouri.

The Clifford A. Rae Academic Achievement Awards were established through two $750,000 endowments from the Siebens Foundation, established by Dr. Harold Walter Siebens. The awards are named for Clifford A. Rae, longtime advisor and counsel to the Siebens Foundation.

Through these awards, BVU students are recognized for strong academic performance while gaining additional support to make the most of their college experience through internships, research, and other opportunities beyond the classroom.