McCracken listened to New-Spangler, the first recipient of the Jeeninga Fellowship of Archeology, relate her experience to her Christian walk and biblical understanding. “That was when I started thinking about applying for the fellowship,” McCracken said. Once her archeology class visited the Oriental Museum in Chicago, she knew for sure. [Photo to left: McCracken explores a Syrian bunker discovered by the team she worked with. It was used between 1967 and 1973 and is on the edge of the Bethsaida property.]

McCracken studied Christian ministries at Anderson University. “I knew I wanted to do overseas ministry,” she explained. She thought the trip would help her discover more about her faith and be more relevant overseas. McCracken also explained, “I wanted to go on the fellowship to have a better understanding of the history and culture surrounding the biblical text.”

Along with the educational, spiritual and cultural experience, McCracken was most looking forward to inviting her father on the second half of her trip. She and her father always shared a love of history, so exploring ancient lands with him was a once in a lifetime experience.

McCracken was only hesitant about one thing, her mother was very sick with cancer. “I prayed that God would make this an easy decision for me,” McCracken said. “Either my mom would be fine and I could go, or she would be gone.” When she called her mother to tell her about the trip, her mother was excited for her and encouraged her to apply.

“When I opened the letter, it said ‘Congratulations, you have been selected to go to Bethsaida, Israel, as the 2009 Jeeninga Fellowship of Archeology recipient,’” McCracken remembered. “At first I was ecstatic, but then my heart sank. I knew my mom would be gone soon.” Her friends and family encouraged her to be happy and enjoy the opportunity. However, she approached the faculty members who selected her for the fellowship about her situation. She let them know she might have to drop out at the last minute, depending on her mom’s condition. They reassured her that the fellowship was hers whenever she wanted to take it.

In April McCracken’s mother passed away. “Everyone at home was wonderful to my family, but one part of Israel I looked forward to was the joy of not being known,” said McCracken. “No one would ask how I was or make me think or talk about my mom because they did not know my story.” [Photo to right: McCracken explored a 17th century Druze fortress built into a cave along the side of Mount Arbel.]

In the beginning of June, McCracken arrived in Bethsaida, Israel, where disciples Peter, Andrew and Philip were born. It is thought to be the place where Jesus fed thousands by multiplying fish and bread and also where He healed the blind man.

The first two weeks of her trip McCracken worked on the dig. All day the group dug, discovered, photographed, excavated, photographed again and cleaned artifacts only to repeat the process. Mostly McCracken found dirt, rocks and pottery shards. “You might think pottery is boring, and I did too,” she said. “Then I touched a piece and realized no one had touched it in over 2,000 years. Maybe a woman made dinner for her family with it, or a child carried water in it. Either way it was cool.”

One night McCracken and another girl in the group sat by the Dead Sea. “We went down there to lay and read, but as usual we spent the entire time talking and never even cracked open our books,” McCracken said. “As we talked about our lives, eventually my family came up in conversation. I told her about how my mom died five weeks earlier through tears streaming down my face.” McCracken’s new friend was moved by the story and encouraged her to share it with the rest of the group. Eventually she did and found what she called, “the joy of being known.”

The second part of her trip started with an adventure to Jerusalem. “A group had gone without a guide the weekend before, so I took a taxi to the bus station, got on a bus and thought I would be fine. I got off the bus and everyone dispersed… I soon realized I was lost in Jerusalem,” she remembered. McCracken quickly found another cab and asked for a ride to her hotel.

Finally, her father came and spent two weeks sightseeing with her. “Each morning we got up and read the scriptures that pertained to where we were going that day. It really brought the scripture to life and made me read the Bible completely differently,” McCracken explained. “Being able to have my dad there with me meant the world.”

McCracken said her journey to Jerusalem taught her a lot about our place in the world. At the end of her presentation she displayed a picture of herself in Israel on the screen. As the picture of McCracken faded into a picture of the world, she stood at the front of the room and explained, “There is so much more than this and so much more than us.” [Photo below: McCracken had the opportunity to see historic sites she had only imagined. Here, the Sea of Galilee is visible from the McCracken’s perch on the top of Mount Arbel.]

— Elizabeth Vincent is a junior from Greenfield, Ind., majoring in communication arts and minoring in political science. Vincent is an associate with Fifth Street Communications, writing on behalf of Anderson University Communications.

Anderson University is a private Christian university of 2,700 undergraduate and graduate students in central Indiana. Anderson continues to be recognized as a top Christian college: in 2008, U.S. News and World Report ranked Anderson University among the best colleges and universities in the Midwest for the fourth consecutive year. Established in 1917 by the Church of God, Anderson University offers more than 65 undergraduate majors and graduate programs in business, education, music, nursing and theology.

“We are pleased to be listed among the top schools in our category,” said Dr. James L. Edwards, president of Anderson University. “Universities that are achieving their mission especially in these very challenging times deserve this recognition and we are proud to be among them. When a student finds the right college of quality that is an excellent fit in terms of culture, programs and degrees, and overall mission, the future opens in such powerful ways, and for that student, the selected school is the best in the nation. We intend to be such a school for so many.”

The 2010 America’s Best Colleges package provides the most thorough examination of how more than 1,400 accredited four-year schools compare on a set of 15 widely accepted indicators of excellence. Among the many factors weighed in determining the rankings, the key measures of quality are: peer assessment, graduation and retention rates, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources, alumni giving, and graduation rate performance (National Universities and Liberal Art Colleges).

Over the past 26 years, the U.S. News college rankings, which groups schools based on categories created by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, has grown to be the most comprehensive research tool for students and parents considering higher education opportunities. The America’s Best Colleges ranking package, which includes extensive editorial content and multimedia resources, has helped families navigate the difficult decisions involved throughout the college process, from college admission and selection to financing options.

The exclusive rankings, which include more than 1,400 schools nationwide, are available today at www.usnews.com/colleges, will also be published in the September issue of the U.S.News & World Report magazine, on newsstands starting August 20.

Anderson University is a private Christian university of 2,800 undergraduate and graduate students in central Indiana. Anderson continues to be recognized as a top Christian college: in 2008, U.S. News and World Report ranked Anderson University among the best colleges and universities in the Midwest for the fourth consecutive year. Established in 1917 by the Church of God, Anderson University offers more than 65 undergraduate majors and graduate programs in business, education, music, nursing and theology.

“We chose Anderson University and the other terrific schools we recommend as our ‘regional best’ colleges primarily for their excellent academic programs,” said Robert Franek, Princeton Review’s Vice President of Publishing. “We also work to have our roster of ‘regional best’ colleges feature a range of institutions by size, selectivity, character and locale. We choose the schools based on institutional data we collect from several hundred schools in each region, our visits to schools over the years, and the opinions of independent and high school-based college advisors whose recommendations we invite. We also take into account what each school’s customers – their students – report to us about their campus experiences at them on our 80-question student survey.”

The 158 colleges The Princeton Review chose for this year’s “Best in the Midwest” designations are located in twelve states: Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. The Princeton Review also designated 218 colleges in the Northeast, 123 in the West, and 141 in the Southeast as best in their locales on the company’s 2010 Best Colleges: Region by Region section on its Web site. The 640 colleges named “regional best(s)” represent only about 25% (one out of four) of the nation’s 2,500 four-year colleges.

The Princeton Review does not rank the colleges in its 2010 Best Colleges Region by Region Web site section. The Princeton Review survey for this project asks students to rate their own schools on several issues — from the accessibility of their professors to quality of the campus food — and answer questions about themselves, their fellow students, and their campus life.

The Princeton Review is known for its tutoring and classroom test preparation courses, books, and college and graduate school admission services. Its corporate headquarters is in Framingham, MA, and editorial offices are in New York City. It is not affiliated with Princeton University and it is not a magazine.

Anderson University is a private Christian university of 2,800 undergraduate and graduate students in central Indiana. Anderson continues to be recognized as a top Christian college: in 2008, U.S. News and World Report ranked Anderson University among the best colleges and universities in the Midwest for the fourth consecutive year. Established in 1917 by the Church of God, Anderson University offers more than 65 undergraduate majors and graduate programs in business, education, music, nursing and theology.

McCracken’s archeological focus will be conducted via The Bethsaida Excavations Project–a creation of the University of Nebraska at Omaha–in Israel. After her dig with Bethsaid, McCracken plans to tour the country and visit other dig locations at major cities in Israel while traveling June 2 to July 3. [Photo: Haley McCracken on the right in Israel.]

McCracken is the second recipient of the award. Last year, School of Theology student Shannon New-Spangler received the award and spent several weeks at Tel-Dan for her dig and spent a week touring the country.

The Fellowship was established by the late Dr. Gustav Jeeninga, founder and former director of the Bible Museum, for assisting students to study up to four weeks in the Mediterranean basin.

To receive the Jeeninga Fellowship reward, prospective students must be of sophomore status, major in Biblical studies and maintain a grade point average of 3.0 After these criteria are fulfilled, the student must create a proposal, including the area the student wishes to excavate along with a financial estimate. The proposed archeological site must be relevant to the Mediterranean basin and must focus on a time period limited up to the end of the Byzantine Period or 1000 AD. After the archeological trip is finished, the recipient must produce a report, both orally and in writing.

According to David Neidert, Jeeninga Museum Director, McCracken was chosen because of her precise choice in excavation: the Sea of Galilee. After her presentation, McCracken’s works may be archived in Nicholson Library.

The Selection Committee for the Fellowship consists of Neidert; Dr. Blake Janutolo, Dean College of Science and Humanities; Dr. Alan Overstreet, Chair, Religious Studies Department; Dr. Barry Ross, Professor of Old Testament in the School of Theology; and Dr. Kimberly Majeski, Instructor of Bible for the Seminary.

—John Tapley is a senior majoring in Mass Communications at Anderson University.

Anderson University is a private Christian university of 2,800 undergraduate and graduate students in central Indiana. Anderson continues to be recognized as a top Christian college: in 2008, U.S. News and World Report ranked Anderson University among the best colleges and universities in the Midwest for the fourth consecutive year. Established in 1917 by the Church of God, Anderson University offers more than 65 undergraduate majors and graduate programs in business, education, music, nursing and theology.

Dr. Todd Faulkner, campus pastor for Anderson University, nominated Robinson for the fellowship award, which is funded by Lilly Endowment Inc.

FTE Undergraduate Fellows are selected competitively from a pool of applicants from across the U.S. and Canada. They must be nominated by a professor, school administrator, pastor or campus minister; hold a minimum 3.0 grade point average; have an interest in exploring ministry as a vocation; and demonstrate leadership in a church or school community. The 2009 FTE Undergraduate Fellows were chosen by a national committee of theological educators and church leaders. FTE awards the fellowships to increase the number of highly capable young people exploring or preparing for ordained ministry as a profession. Fewer than seven percent of clergy in most denominations today are under age 35, and interest among seminary students in congregational ministry has declined over the past five years.

“In today’s economy, the need to support young people who aspire to serve the church and the common good is an essential investment,” said the Rev. Ellen Echols Purdum, director of FTE Ministry Fellowships. “Congregations and entire communities need the intellect, leadership gifts and compassion that these candidates will bring to local challenges, spiritual, social and economic.”

The Fund for Theological Education is an ecumenical advocate for excellence and diversity in pastoral ministry and theological scholarship. It supports the next generation of leaders among pastors and scholars, annually providing $1.5 million in fellowships and support to gifted young people from all denominations and racial/ethnic backgrounds. Since 1954, FTE has awarded nearly 6,000 fellowships in partnership with those committed to the future of quality leadership for the church. For more information about FTE fellowships, visit www.thefund.org.

Anderson University is a private Christian university of 2,800 undergraduate and graduate students in central Indiana. Anderson continues to be recognized as a top Christian college: in 2008, U.S. News and World Report ranked Anderson University among the best colleges and universities in the Midwest for the fourth consecutive year. Established in 1917 by the Church of God, Anderson University offers more than 65 undergraduate majors and graduate programs in business, education, music, nursing and theology.

Strege has been on the faculty of Anderson University since 1980, coming first to the School of Theology and then moving to the undergraduate Department of Religious Studies in 1992. He is a great teacher, able administrator, and capable scholar and author, who cares deeply about his students and Anderson University.

Strege exemplifies what it means to be a professor. Whether talking about his Liberal Arts Seminar or his upper level courses in history and Biblical interpretation, his students regard his classes as being very demanding, but also very rewarding. Inspired by him, a number of alumni have gone on to graduate school to prepare to teach at the university level. Strege’s name is consistently among those names cited by students when asked who has had the greatest impact on them.

Strege takes seriously his role as a senior professor. He has served on many university committees and recently was a member of the search committee for the new Vice President of Academic Affairs. When asked, he is always ready to take on new assignments for the university. His wisdom and advice are sought by many members of the faculty and administration.

Strege is not only a professional role model for his colleagues and students, but he is a spiritual role model as well. He is active in his local church where he teaches an adult Sunday School class. He has served the Church of God through the books he has authored and through the writing of Sunday School curricula used in Church of God congregations around the world.

Strege’s scholarly abilities, honed in graduate school, have served him well as he writes about the history of the Church of God and Anderson University. He serves as the Historian for the Church of God, and is active in the Church of God Historical Society. In these capacities he strives to keep alive the legacy of those who have gone before in the church and university. Presently he is updating the late Dr. John W. V. Smith’s book on the history of the Church of God. Once this book is finished, he will begin the preparation and writing of the history of Anderson University that will be published in 1917, on the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the university.

Jennifer Steiner, this year’s Morrison Award staff recipient, is an AU alumna and has served Anderson University for nearly 30 years in various support roles. She began in the Tri-S Office, served in the IMC, the Purchasing and Personnel office, and is currently the Development Office Manager of Gift Records and Research.

During her time with the university, Steiner has been setting standards of service and professionalism wherever she goes. In her current role, she has built a remarkable base of knowledge about the constituents of the institution bringing invaluable assistance to staff and academic departments as they serve the students, parents, donors, alumni, and friends of Anderson University. Steiner is known for going the extra mile. Instead she has demonstrated a steadiness, an optimistic word to co-workers, and the tenacity to see that no detail goes unaddressed. Her work ethic is amazing.

Those who are privileged to spend time with Steiner know her to be a compassionate listener who will always makes time for friends. Steiner has clearly earned the respect, admiration, and affection of all those she works with and all those she has served so well.

Anderson University is a private Christian university of 2,800 undergraduate and graduate students in central Indiana. Anderson continues to be recognized as a top Christian college: in 2008, U.S. News and World Report ranked Anderson University among the best colleges and universities in the Midwest for the fourth consecutive year. Established in 1917 by the Church of God, Anderson University offers more than 65 undergraduate majors and graduate programs in business, education, music, nursing and theology.

“I’m looking, but …,” said 37-year-old Dawn Vetor, of Madison County, her voice trailing off. “I have some prospects, but nothing fluid.”

Angela Shelton, 30, Anderson, a former paraeducator at East Side Middle School, was a little more upbeat.

“I’m optimistic,” said Shelton, her silver braces shined as she flashed a bright grin. “I’m looking for a job.”

Both women, graduating with bachelor’s degrees in organizational leadership, were among the 700 students going through Anderson University’s 91st commencement.

Like Shelton, many graduates were hopeful of their future job prospects, despite not yet having offers.

“I’m trying to be optimistic,” said Jon Weber, 22, a native of Cincinnati, Ohio. “It’s rough.”

Weber, who received a degree in marketing, said he’s had five interviews and applied at 15 to 20 companies. But he’s received no offers.

Emily Wasonga seemed nonplused at her job prospects. The 21-year-old native of Kenya earned degrees in international education and communications on Saturday. She said she had no concrete career plans, but emphasized the university’s aim of instilling a sense of Christian service in its students. She said she wants to work in a humanitarian field.

“If it’s a matter of making money,” Wasonga said, “there are a lot of ways to make money.”

Commencement speaker Carl H. Caldwell touched on the unsettling nature of the times.

“To say you graduate in an uncertain time is an understatement,” he said. “If you’re not worried about this, I guarantee your parents are.”

But Caldwell said there’s a lack of certainty at all times — including when he graduated from Anderson University in 1966 during the Cold War.

“Every graduating class has had to face problems,” he said.

Caldwell, the school’s vice president of academic affairs, retired at the end of the school year. He had been with Anderson University since 1996. He earned his master’s degree in history from Ohio University and his doctorate in history from Indiana University.

Next year, Caldwell and his wife, Carolyn, an accounting professor at AU, will move to the Middle East, where they will teach at American University of Iraq in Sulaimani.

But Caldwell’s speech offered a reassuring tone.

“Seeing you before me, I feel very proud of our future,” he said.

For a full gallery of photos, visit The Herald Bulletin site.

—Shawn McGrath is a reporter for The Herald Bulletin. Photo credits: Don Knight. Story republished with permission.

Anderson University is a private Christian university of 2,800 undergraduate and graduate students in central Indiana. Anderson continues to be recognized as a top Christian college: in 2008, U.S. News and World Report ranked Anderson University among the best colleges and universities in the Midwest for the fourth consecutive year. Established in 1917 by the Church of God, Anderson University offers more than 65 undergraduate majors and graduate programs in business, education, music, nursing and theology.

In addition to the Scholarship Award, the family also supported The Pearl Toon Smith Endowed Memorial Christian Education Lecture Series funded by Rev. Billie Roy Smith in memory of his late wife Pearl who passed away in January, 1995 after 54 years of marriage. Between 1997 and 2007 ten lectureships were conducted. [Photo: Alan Overstreet, Hannah Adams, Christie Smith Stephens, Ron Moore]

In March, 2007, the Smith family decided to convert the endowment to a scholarship fund that would annually recognize an outstanding senior in Christian Education. A plaque honoring Billie Roy and Pearl Toon Smith was unveiled during the 2008 kick-off ceremony in the Religious Studies Department.

[Photo: Fred Shively, Alan Overstreet, Hannah Adams, Marian Osborne Berky] “While the award we conferred is an honor, it is an honor in itself to acknowledge the work that has gone into supporting, enhancing and promoting the academic study of Christian Education,” said Dr. Alan Overstreet, associate professor of Christian Education/Ministry and chair of the Department of Religious Studies at Anderson University.  “The temptation is always strong to separate academic study and the practice of ministry.  However, the insistence that each can inform the other has also been strong, and the Smith and Stephens families have done a great deal to support that insistence—through 10 years of outstanding lectures and through a significant scholarship.”

“Our process of selecting this year’s award recipient has led us to someone who has been willing both to engage in the practice of ministry and to reflect critically on that practice,” added Overstreet.  “It is our intent that the award recipient will be someone who meets the formal criteria—someone who has taken courses related to Christian education, done well, & whose plans include further study. It is also our hope that the recipient will be someone whose work reflects the purposes for which the lecture series & the scholarship were established.”

[Photo: Christie Smith Stephens, Hannah Adams] Adams plans to pursue a Master of Theological Studies at Emory University in Atlanta this coming fall.  She hopes to teach at the college level in the future.

“The award brings with it an affirmation from my faculty that they encourage me in my future dreams and pursuits,” said Hannah Adams.  “Though the scholarship given by the Smith family offers greatly appreciated financial support in my educational endeavors, the support I have received from my faculty is just as invaluable.”

The Rev. Billie Roy and Pearl Toon Smith Endowed Christian Education Scholarship Award is a part of the Dreams. Discovery. Direction. campaign for Anderson University. On October 6, 2006, the university launched a $110 million campaign entitled; Dreams, Discovery, Direction. The campaign is the largest fundraising effort in the university’s history. To date the campaign has raised $90 million. Major components of the campaign include $51 million for capital projects, $34 million for endowment and $25 million for operational support.

Anderson University is a private Christian university of 2,800 undergraduate and graduate students in central Indiana. Anderson continues to be recognized as a top Christian college: in 2008, U.S. News and World Report ranked Anderson University among the best colleges and universities in the Midwest for the fourth consecutive year. Established in 1917 by the Church of God, Anderson University offers more than 65 undergraduate majors and graduate programs in business, education, music, nursing and theology.

Thomas, a Center for Public Service fellow, first gained cross-cultural experience by traveling with Tri-S to London in 2005. Since London, she has participated in five additional Tri-S trips and in May will travel to Australia. [Pictured left with students in Russia.]

“Carrie exemplifies the scholar/leader who is committed to academic excellence, international travel and education, public service, as well as campus and community leadership,” said Joel Shrock, Director of Center for Public Service. “Carrie’s record of accomplishments is beyond impressive, it is dazzling.”

Through each international experience, Thomas learned it was possible to pursue her career outside the traditional American public school system. Along with a strong interest in European culture, Thomas started her international teaching journey at Anderson University by serving on the licensing feasibility committee for adding the English as a New Language Program. She will be receiving a certification in English as a New Language.

“Dr. Nelson encouraged me to think about applying for the Fulbright Scholarship during an international politics class I took in the fall of my junior year,” said Thomas. Thomas started the application process after accepting a position at Dubravushka Boarding School in Obninsk, Russian Federation, as an English Language teacher for students ages 5-17.

Most recently, Thomas was a student teacher in Vienna, Austria, this past semester at the Danube International School. She student taught English A and English as a Second Language, in the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme for grades 6-10.

“Both Russia and Austria were different opportunities and experiences,” said Thomas. “In Russia, teaching was more difficult because I had few resources and little structure with which to work. In Vienna, I had more support and was paired with a great collaborating teacher as opposed to teaching on my own. I think teaching on my own first was a more backwards approach but one that served as a great opportunity.” [Pictured right in Vienna.]

Thomas’ award is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State. Her responsibilities will include teaching English as a foreign language at Gymnasium Jura Hronca (Grammar and Secondary High School) in Bratislava, Slovakia. She will also work on conducting some independent research on language teaching and the education system of Slovakia.

Thomas is graduating May 9 with a 4.0 GPA and is a Presidential Scholar, Sigma Tau Delta (English Honors Society) 2007-08 president, Kappa Delti Pi (Education Honors Society) 2007-08 secretary, AU International Education Committee member, AU English as a New Language Committee member and Athletic Committee member. Thomas also started her own Carrie Thomas Youth in Philanthropy Endowed Fund through the Hendricks Community Foundation which provides grants to youth organizations and is a member of AU’s Women’s Golf Team.

She is the only AU English major to have received the Recognition of Excellence for her PRAXIS II English Language, Literature, and Composition exam. This honor is earned by scoring in the top 15 percent of candidates nationwide who took the test in the past five years.

“Carrie is best described as an ambitious academician, intellectually courageous, highly admired by faculty and students, always considerate of the needs of others, and one who works well with people of all ages and backgrounds,” said Dean of the School of Education Diana Ross. “She has been an outstanding student leader at Anderson University.” [Pictured left in Slovakia.]

Thomas’ grant starts in the fall of 2009 and will last 10 months. She plans to start graduate work in the future on comparative and international education along with second language acquisition.

“It is amazing how God places people in your life at the right time and right place,” said Thomas. “ God has blessed me with opportunities like Tri-S, ENL and people like Dr. Nelson, Dr. Shrock, and Dr. Ross who have helped shape and guide my future plans.”

The Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government and is designed to “increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries.” With this goal as a starting point, the Fulbright Program has provided almost 300,000 participants—chosen for their academic merit and leadership potential — with the opportunity to study, teach and conduct research, exchange ideas and contribute to finding solutions to shared international concerns.

- Stefanie Leiter is the Web Content Manager at Anderson University.

Anderson University is a private Christian university of 2,800 undergraduate and graduate students in central Indiana. Anderson continues to be recognized as a top Christian college: in 2008, U.S. News and World Report ranked Anderson University among the best colleges and universities in the Midwest for the fourth consecutive year. Established in 1917 by the Church of God, Anderson University offers more than 65 undergraduate majors and graduate programs in business, education, music, nursing and theology.

To be a member for Alpha Chi, students have to be of junior or senior status and in the top ten percent of their class. While all Alpha Chi students on campus are invited to submit a paper or presentation of work in their major for the national competition, Anderson University can only submit two papers for the national scholarship competition. Students compete either as juniors or seniors. This year three Alpha Chi students submitted papers for the scholarship competition. A faculty committee then selected the two students to represent Anderson University. Both students this year competed in the junior category.

Zehner will be serving as student body president next school year on campus and is a triple major in chemistry, biology, and philosophy.

“Anderson University has a long history with Alpha Chi and having our students win national and regional scholarships,” said Blake Janutolo, Dean of College of Science and Humanities.

Senior Heike Baird from Anderson, Ind., was an alternate winner for the Nolle Scholarship and received a $100 award. Baird also served as an alternate for the regional scholarship, a $200 award. Baird is majoring in English with a minor in Spanish. [Photo: Front row, left to right: Jennifer Perry, Heike Baird, Candice Lane. Back row, left to right: Nick Zehner, Blake Janutolo, Trish Janutolo, Marcus Smith, Nathan Turner]

“Nick and Heike have continued that tradition by submitting excellent papers for the scholarship competition and giving dynamic, professional presentations of their work at the National Convention. Watching their presentations made me proud to be part of an university that produces students that excel in their academic achievements,” added Janutolo.

A nominee for the Nolle Scholarships must be planning to be a senior in the fall semester of the award year.

Anderson University is a private Christian university of 2,800 undergraduate and graduate students in central Indiana. Anderson continues to be recognized as a top Christian college: in 2008, U.S. News and World Report ranked Anderson University among the best colleges and universities in the Midwest for the fourth consecutive year. Established in 1917 by the Church of God, Anderson University offers more than 65 undergraduate majors and graduate programs in business, education, music, nursing and theology.