12th Annual Clifford A. Rae Winners Announced
Congratulations to the 18 Buena Vista University students named as the 2022 Clifford A. Rae Academic Achievement Award winners. The award is presented to three academically high-performing BVU business and science students in each of their second, third, and fourth years of school.
Nine Buena Vista University business students and nine science students have been selected for the Clifford A. Rae Academic Achievement Award for the 2022 academic year.
The annual awards, which range up to $9,500, were created 11 years ago by two separate $750,000 endowments from the foundation established by Dr. Harold Walter Siebens and named after the longtime advisor and counsel to the Siebens Foundation, Clifford A. Rae.
The endowments support annual awards for up to three pre-qualified, academically high-performing BVU business and science students in each of their second, third, and fourth years of school.
The nine students who earned the most recent award from the Harold Walter Siebens School of Business are:
First-year winners: Abigail Clark, a junior accounting and business double-major from Urbandale, Iowa; Libby Birdsell, a sophomore accounting and business double-major from Sioux City, Iowa; Skyler Keller, a junior accounting and business double-major from Neola, Iowa.
Second-year winners: Anthony Sanchez, a senior business major from Storm Lake, Iowa; Ana Sanchez, a junior business major from Storm Lake, Iowa; Debbie Bonilla, a junior business major from North Liberty, Iowa.
Third-year winners: Emily Rice, a senior business major from Lake Mills, Iowa; Caden Mathewson, a senior accounting and business double-major from La Vista, Neb.; Elizabeth Marzinske a senior accounting and business double-major from Courtland, Minn.
The nine students who earned the most recent award from the School of Science are:
First-year winners: Morgan Malli, a sophomore biomedical sciences major from Amana, Iowa; Alexander Davidge, a sophomore computer science major from Storm Lake, Iowa; Yothaka Suksai, a sophomore mathematics and corporate mathematics double-major from Storm Lake, Iowa.
Second-year winners: Zackary Huffman, a junior rehabilitation health sciences and kinesiology & exercise science double-major from Ackley, Iowa; Addison Weber, a junior rehabilitation health sciences major from Le Mars, Iowa; Peter Roland, a senior biomedical sciences major from Storm Lake, Iowa.
Third-year winners: Brenden Schlader, a senior mathematics major from Huron, S. Dak.; Maggie Luong, a senior biomedical sciences and psychology double-major from Des Moines, Iowa; Vanessa Hamlett, a senior computer science and mathematics double-major from Aurora, Iowa.
In many instances, the awards allow a student to help defray costs associated with living arrangements through the course of an internship. The awards may also assist with expenses related to travel and lodging in an experiential learning initiative. Both types of experiences advance the education of BVU students, often shaping students to be leaders in the organizations and communities they serve upon their graduation.
“This scholarship for business and science majors was made possible by a generous donor to reward students’ excellent academic performance,” says Lisa Kesting Best, J.D., Dean of the School of Business and Professor of Business Law and Political Science. “The award helps students cover the cost of impactful academic experiences such as study abroad, travel, internships, research, and specialized professional academic training. Any remaining balance can be applied to outstanding student loan debt upon graduation.”
The competitive program, which rewards business and science students who excel in their academic pursuits, is open to students who live in Iowa or adjacent states and who meet certain financial need guidelines. Students may receive the award more than once during their years at BVU.
“The insight of the Siebens’ Foundation to promote healthy academic competition among students in an effort to maximize their college investment is second only to the incredible generosity they show in the gift of the Clifford A. Rae award,” says Dr. Thom Bonagura, Dean of BVU’s School of Science and Associate Professor of Biology. “Their gift is unique, setting BVU apart once again as a place where students are benefactors of the superlative Siebens Foundation.”