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Last modified: Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Outstanding IU Bloomington students to be the centerpiece of Founders Day convocation

Michael McRobbie

Michael McRobbie

Print-Quality Photo

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 24, 2008

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- To salute the university's beginning in 1820 and its academic mission today, Indiana University will celebrate 2008 Founders Day with two separate events on Sunday (March 30). The first, at 2 p.m. in Assembly Hall, will recognize the achievements of IU Bloomington's top students. Later in the afternoon at a 4:30 p.m. invitation-only event in Alumni Hall in the Indiana Memorial Union, distinguished teaching and service awards will be presented.

IU President Michael A. McRobbie will preside over the Founders Day student honors convocation, which will include music by the Indiana University Brass Quintet and the Indiana University String Quartet. McRobbie will deliver a welcome address to those in attendance.

Karen Hanson, provost of the Bloomington campus and executive vice president, will offer remarks to the audience before introducing Jenna Sherry, a 2008 Marshall Scholar and a senior in the IU Jacobs School of Music, who will speak on behalf of her student colleagues.

Sherry, a native of New Orleans, is completing a bachelor's of music in violin performance this spring with Mark Kaplan, professor of music in the Jacobs School. As a Marshall Scholar, Sherry will study at London's Guildhall School of Music and Drama with violinist David Takeno starting in September 2008. The prestigious Marshall Scholarship pays all expenses for two to three years of study in any discipline at any British university and is valued at about $60,000. For additional information on Sherry and the Marshall Scholarship, go to: https://newsinfo.iu.edu/news/page/normal/7270.html.

Following Sherry's address, Hanson will present the honor students formally by school. Each student will process across the platform to be individually acknowledged by Hanson, McRobbie, the dean of the student's respective school, and a representative of the IU Alumni Association.

Students qualify for honors by meeting the following standards of credit hours carried and of grade point average for either one of the two regular semesters or the combined summer sessions preceding Founders Day. A student on the Bloomington campus must have completed 12 credit hours in the regular semester or within the summer sessions. Also, a student must achieve a grade point average of 3.5 or higher.

The Founders Day honors convocation also will include acknowledgement of 10 IUB students who have received major university awards.

Kate Monroe FitzGerald is the winner of the 53rd Herman B Wells Senior Recognition Award. Established in 1962, the Wells award is named for IU's 11th president, and later, university chancellor. It recognizes excellence in academic growth, achievement, leadership and participation in campus activities.

John H. Edwards Fellowships go to four students: Giovanna Urdangarain, Adam Daniel Will, Violet Naanyu Yebei and Rafia Zakaria. The Edwards Fellowships were endowed by the late alumnus John H. Edwards of Mitchell, Ind. A university committee selects recipients from those nominated by the various graduate divisions of the university.

Finally, Michael Steven Deranek, Janet C. Hamilton, Kristen Leigh King, Emily Alise Prifogle and Alexander Macdonald Shortle have received the 42nd Annual Elvis Stahr Distinguished Senior Awards. These awards were established by Stahr, the 12th president of IU, to honor outstanding members of the senior class. The awards are based on scholarship, leadership, personality and service to the university. Nominations are received from the entire faculty by a selection committee composed of students, faculty and administrators.

The distinguished teaching and service awards traditionally given on Founders Day will be presented by President McRobbie at a 4:30 p.m. invitation-only event for the recipients, and their invited family and friends. A media release listing those faculty who received awards can be found at the link below.

For information on faculty awards, visit: https://newsinfo.iu.edu/news/page/normal/7779.html.