Science and Business Students Earn Scholarships

The Clifford A. Rae Academic Achievement Award was presented to nine business students and seven science students who excelled in their academic pursuits in 2019. The award encourages quality learning experiences outside the classroom.

Nine Buena Vista University business students and seven science students have been selected for the Clifford A. Rae Academic Achievement Award for the 2019 calendar year.

The awards, which range up to $5,000, were created by two separate $750,000 endowments from the foundations established by Dr. Harold Walter Siebens and named after the long-time advisor and counsel to Siebens and the foundations. The endowments support annual awards for up to three pre-qualified, academically high-performing BVU business and science students in each of the second, third and fourth years of school.

“The Clifford A. Rae Academic Achievement Award provides a generous reward to students for their outstanding academic achievement in the previous year,” says Dr. Thom Bonagura, dean of BVU’s School of Science and associate professor of biology. “The pursuit of long-term academic excellence is specifically encouraged by the award through the selection of the highest achieving students based on their first, second and third-year GPA, encouraging students to strive for excellence across their academic career. The Rae Award’s message that academic achievement should be rewarded is a tremendous affirmation for these fantastic students.”

“The Clifford A. Rae Academic Achievement Award was created by a generous donor to encourage academic excellence and promote healthy competition among our students."

Lisa Kesting-Best, J.D., dean of the Harold Walter Siebens School of Business

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.

In addition to academic excellence, the program encourages quality learning experiences for students outside the classroom, such as internships, study abroad, international and domestic travel, and individual academic research. Fourth-year students can also use the funds for graduate school applications, entrance/exam costs, or professional certification. Upon graduation, students can also use remaining Award funds to help pay down student loans.

“The Clifford A. Rae Academic Achievement Award was created by a generous donor to encourage academic excellence and promote healthy competition among our students,” says Lisa Kesting-Best, J.D., dean of the Harold Walter Siebens School of Business. “The merit-based scholarship encourages students to excel by rewarding those who earn the top GPA among the applicants. The scholarship can be used flexibly by the winners to cover academic expenses such as educational travel, undergraduate research, internship and job search costs, certification or examination fees, and even student loan debt reduction. We commend each of our winners for their hard work and congratulate them on this well-deserved award.”

Business Recipients

  • Fourth-year recipients: Shayla Brown, a business entrepreneurship and human resources double major from Mapleton; Alexis Keller, an accounting and financial decision-making double major from Neola; and Tyler Tennyson, an accounting major from Truman, Minn.
  • Third-year recipients: Jared Remar, a sport business major from Ralston, Neb.; Jake Danner, a sport business and marketing double major from Westside; and Tania Toj Lopez, an accounting, business and Spanish triple major from Postville. 
  • Second-year recipients: Justin Sparks, a sport business, business management, and marketing triple major from Glidden; Kristopher Mintle, a business management and financial decision-making double major from Glenwood; and Kennedy Brokaw, an accounting and business double major from Mount Ayr. 

Science Recipients

  • Fourth-year recipients: Brayden Collins, a chemistry major from Thor; Megan Wassom, a biomedical sciences major from Spencer; and Yulisa Vazquez, a mathematics secondary education major from Storm Lake.
  • Third-year recipients: Jacob Hull, a computer science major from Alta, Anthony Baird, a biomedical sciences major from Moville; and Nicole Schuppan, a mathematics secondary education major from Glenwood.
  • Second-year recipient: Christina Jackson, a biomedical sciences major from Johnston.

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