Science Students Honored for Academic Achievement
Nine Buena Vista University science majors have been selected for the Clifford A. Rae Academic Achievement Award for the 2015 calendar year. The award is given to three pre-qualified, academically high-performing BVU business majors in each of the second, third and fourth years of school.
Nine Buena Vista University science majors have been selected for the Clifford A. Rae Academic Achievement Award for the 2015 calendar year.
The awards, which range up to $5,000, were created by a $750,000 endowment from the foundations established by Dr. Harold Walter Siebens and named after the long-time advisor and counsel to Siebens and the foundations.
The endowment supports annual awards for three pre-qualified, academically high-performing BVU science majors in each of the second, third and fourth years of school, a total of up to nine students per year. The program is distributing $30,000 in awards this year.
Fourth year student recipients are: Joseph Hindman, a biology major from Sioux City; Blake Laursen, a biology major from Storm Lake; and Carolyn McDermott, a biology major from Lincoln, Neb.
Third year student recipients are: Michelle Clinesmith, a biology major from Lake View; Sarah Schlichte, a biology major from Templeton; and Jaelyn Olson, a chemistry major from Eldora.
Second year student recipients are: Christian Kladstrup, a biology major from Spencer; Dong Wang, a chemistry major from Nemaha; and Emma Konkler, a chemistry education major from Audubon.
The competitive program, which rewards science majors who excel in their academic pursuits, is open to students who live in Iowa or adjacent states and who qualify for financial aid. 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 during BVU’s January interim, 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.