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Ryan Piurek
IU Media Relations
rpiurek@indiana.edu
812-855-5393

Last modified: Tuesday, September 9, 2003

Two IUB students named winners of Palmer-Brandon Prize competition

Each student to receive $20,000 from IU College of Arts and Sciences

EDITORS: A reception honoring the winners of the 2003 Palmer-Brandon Prize will be held at 4 p.m. today (Sept. 9) in the University Club's Faculty Room at the Indiana Memorial Union. Photos of the winners are available by contacting Ryan Piurek, IU Media Relations, at 812-855-5393 or rpiurek@indiana.edu.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Indiana University Bloomington seniors Shawna Ayoub of Carmel, Ind., and Tiffani Jones of New Castle, Ind., have been selected as the winners of the 2003 Palmer-Brandon Prize competition and will be honored today (Sept. 9) at a reception hosted by the IU College of Arts and Sciences. This year, each student will receive $20,000 to be used to further her educational experiences.

The Palmer-Brandon Prize is given annually to outstanding full-time students who are majoring in the humanities. This year's winners will be expected to graduate in May or August of 2004. Ayoub plans to graduate in May with a double major in anthropology and Near Eastern languages and cultures. Jones also plans to graduate in May with a double major in religious studies and English and a possible third degree in psychology.

A reception honoring the winners will be held at 4 p.m. in the University Club's Faculty Room at the Indiana Memorial Union.

"The College is extremely proud to be able to recognize truly outstanding undergraduates in this way," said College of Arts and Sciences Dean Kumble R. Subbaswamy. "It is unusual for any institution to have such a significant prize to give to an undergraduate in any field. We are fortunate that we will have two of them each year to give to our best students in the humanities. I'm sure Ms. Ayoub and Ms. Jones will do us proud in coming years."

Ayoub, who graduated from Carmel High School in 2000, said she will apply her prize money toward her IU tuition. She has served as a public relations coordinator for the Muslim Student Union at IUB and a teaching assistant at the Islamic Center of Bloomington. She is also interested in writing fiction and has published several poems. "I'm grateful for this award because I'll be able to concentrate more on my writing," Ayoub said. "And now I'll be able to use some of the money that I earn working to try to get my writing into various publications." Ayoub added that she is considering applying to the IU Creative Writing Program, which offers master of fine arts degrees in fiction and poetry.

Jones is a first-generation college student whose interests include religious studies, human rights, the human condition, sociology and psychology. She has volunteered for several organizations in and around Bloomington, including Middle Way House, Habitat for Humanity and the Center for Sustainable Living, and has served as a summer orientation leader for the university. "Before receiving this award, the classes I took were often second to my work schedule," Jones said. "(The award) has completely alleviated the stress and strain associated with financing my own education and, therefore, ameliorated many barriers to my pursuing other activities." Jones plans to use the Palmer-Brandon Prize to study abroad next semester in the Dominican Republic and to join several clubs and organizations on campus. She said she may also pursue a Fulbright scholarship or apply for the Teach for America program.

The Palmer-Brandon Prize is named for the late Ralph Graham Palmer of Washington, Ind., and his wife, the late Barbara Brandon Palmer. Both husband and wife were IU alumni. The award was made possible by a gift made to the College of Arts and Sciences in the 1980s. Students can apply for the Palmer-Brandon Prize if they are full-time students with junior standing who are majoring in the humanities and scheduled to graduate in May or August of the following year. Winners may elect to apply the prize money directly to their tuition costs.

Applicants are asked for a personal statement that outlines their career goals, and winners are expected to submit a report after graduation explaining to the selection committee how the prize enabled them to further their education. The prize is based solely on merit.

To speak to the winners of the 2003 Palmer-Brandon Prize, contact Ryan Piurek, IU Media Relations, at 812-855-5393 or rpiurek@indiana.edu.