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News Release

Last modified: Thursday, April 22, 2010

IU students and faculty receive Sony scholarships

The Sony scholarships award event will take place tomorrow (April 23) from 3 to 4 p.m. in the Indiana Memorial Union, State Room West, IU Bloomington.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 22, 2010

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Five outstanding Indiana University students and two faculty members will receive awards tomorrow (April 23) composed of information technology tools necessary to continue their scholarly work.

Last fall Sony selected IU as a "First Wave" participant in its latest scholarship program. The program supports Empowering People, IU's strategic plan for information technology, fostering faculty excellence, enhancing student success, and making available abundant teaching and learning technology resources.

"Indiana University is dedicated to empowering the best and the brightest with the tools they need to advance teaching and learning. Sony's expertise in digital media products and solutions will help in reaching our goal," noted Brad Wheeler, IU vice president for information technology and CIO.

Five student awardees will receive a Sony VAIO notebook computer and additional technology to support their studies:

• Megan Anderson, IU Bloomington, Public Affairs: Nonprofit Management. Anderson is a sophomore studying nonprofit management and is also a member of the honors program. She is very involved with campus student groups that focus on environmental and social issues. She plans to use her new laptop to further her academic and career goals both on campus and in the community.
• Madiyeh Butt, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), Health Services Management. Butt is a freshman studying pre-dental hygiene. An active member of many on-campus groups, she volunteers much of her time to community service projects. She plans to use her new laptop to further her professional and academic goals.
• Sabrina Dada, IU Bloomington, Nutrition Science. Dada is a junior studying nutrition science with minors in Spanish, chemistry, and biology. She is extremely focused on her academic coursework and has learned how to balance a job with the rigors of a heavy course load. Her new laptop will aid her post graduation plan of attending dental school.
• Angel Dyke, IU Southeast, Psychology. Dyke is a junior and also is a member of the honors program. Last summer, she was given the opportunity to participate in an out-of-state research fellowship and plans to travel again this summer for an internship. Dyke plans to attend graduate school and will use her new laptop to achieve her many academic and career goals.
• Matthew Herndon, IU Bloomington, Theatre & Drama. Herndon is a junior studying theatre and drama with a minor in African languages. His interest in the theater is connected with lighting and sound design. Herndon plans to use his new laptop to provide visuals to productions teams in school, as well as aid his professional pursuits.

Two faculty awardees will also receive a Sony VAIO notebook computer and additional devices to facilitate their research, teaching, and learning:

• Rochelle Brock, IU Northwest, Urban Education. Brock is the executive director of the Urban Teacher Education Program at IUN and an assistant professor in urban education. Her current research and teaching interests include urban education, multicultural education, and teacher identity.
• Soni Lacefield, IU Bloomington, Biology. Lacefield is an assistant professor of biology in the Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology Program. Her research and teaching areas include chromatin, chromosome and genome integrity, eukaryotic cell biology, cytoskeleton and signaling, microbial cell biology, and environmental responses.

"Technology is a huge part of the learning process today," said Mike Abary, senior vice president of Sony Electronics. "We understand the added pressures students and faculty have during these tough economic times, and want to help outstanding individuals focus on what's really important -- education."

For more information about the awards or the recipients, please contact Steve Chaplin, University Communications, at 812-856-1896 or stjchap@indiana.edu.

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