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News Release

Last modified: Wednesday, April 6, 2011

IU's founding, student scholarship celebrated with IU Bloomington Honors Convocation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 6, 2011

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Indiana University President Michael A. McRobbie and Provost Karen Hanson will preside over the 2011 Bloomington Honors Convocation Sunday (April 10) at 2 p.m. in the IU Auditorium. They will salute IU Bloomington Founders Scholars, high-achieving students who have earned cumulative GPAs of 3.8 or higher, and other outstanding undergraduates who have distinguished themselves in scholarship, leadership and service.

The convocation is part of activities surrounding the annual celebration of IU's beginnings in 1820. In honor of the university's founding, the Founders Scholar designation was introduced in 2009 to recognize sustained academic excellence. To earn the Founders Scholar designation, an undergraduate, degree-seeking student must have earned a cumulative grade point average of 3.8 or above by the end of the fall term immediately preceding the honors convocation.

Approximately 3,600 Bloomington undergraduates are 2011 Founders Scholars. They received a letter of commendation from the president and provost in the early spring, and they and their families are invited to the IU Bloomington convocation.

In addition, the following undergraduate students will be honored with prestigious awards and scholarships.

Herman B Wells Senior Recognition Award

Erin R. Chapman, a senior from North Bend, Ohio, is majoring in history, is an Individualized Major Program major in conflict resolutions studies and has minors in Spanish, English and political science. She is the 56th Herman B Wells Senior Recognition Award winner. Established in 1962, the Wells Award is named for Indiana University's 11th president and, later, university chancellor. It recognizes excellence in academic growth, achievement, leadership, and participation in campus activities.

Elvis J. Stahr Distinguished Senior Awards

Five students are recipients of the 45th annual Elvis J. Stahr Distinguished Senior Awards. The Distinguished Senior Awards were established by Elvis J. Stahr, 12th president of Indiana University, to honor outstanding members of the senior class. The awards are based on scholarship, leadership, personality and service to Indiana University. The students are:

• Elizabeth Bercovitz -- a senior from Indianapolis majoring in biology, Bercovitz also is minoring in Spanish and is a student the the LAMP program
• Laura F. Goins -- a senior from Palmyra, Ind., she is a mathematics and philosophy major
• David C. Hines -- a senior from Terre Haute, Ind., he is a history major and an Individualized Major Program student in democratic theory and contemporary American citizenship, and is minoring in English
• Isak O. Nti Asare -- a senior political science and linguistics major, both in the honors program, he is from Laramie, Wyo., and also has a minor in African languages (Swahili and Akan)
• Esther Oluchukwu Uduehi -- a senior from Evansville, Ind., is majoring in chemistry and mathematics

Rhodes Scholar

Esther Oluchukwu Uduehi, a senior from Evansville, Ind., majoring in chemistry and mathematics, also will be honored as IU's 2011 Rhodes Scholar. Established in 1902 by Cecil Rhodes, a British philanthropist and African colonial pioneer, the highly prestigious Rhodes Scholarship covers all expenses for study of up to four years at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. Selection criteria for Rhodes Scholars include high academic achievement, integrity of character, a spirit of unselfishness, respect for others, potential for leadership and physical vigor.

Hearst Journalism Award

Caitlin L. Johnston, a senior from Crown Point, Ind., majoring in journalism and political science, is the recipient of the 2011 William Randolph Hearst Foundation Journalism Award. The national Hearst Journalism Awards Program is presented by the Association of Schools of Journalism and Mass Communication with funding by the Hearst Foundation. It encourages excellence in journalism and journalism education in America's colleges and universities.

Beckman Scholars

Three students are 2011 Beckman Scholars. The Beckman Scholars Program provides scholarships to students of accredited universities and four-year colleges in the United States. The awards contribute to advancing the education, research training, and personal development of select students in chemistry, biochemistry, and biological and medical sciences.They are:

• Hena Sara Ahmed, a junior from Carmel, Ind., majoring in neuroscience
• Tyler H. Stanage, a junior from Elkhart, Ind., majoring in biochemistry
• Anna L. Watkin, a junior from Franklin, Ind., majoring in neuroscience and English

National Pacemaker Awards

Initiated in 1927, the National Pacemaker Awards are given for excellence in American student journalism. The Associated Collegiate Press, which is the largest and oldest national membership organization for college student media in the United States, administers the college and university Pacemaker Awards. Two IU students are recipients of this award:

• Lawrence D. Buchanan Jr., a senior from Fort Wayne, Ind., majoring in journalism
• Sean P. Morrison, a junior from Northlake, Ill., majoring in journalism

Boren Scholarships

Boren Scholarships are funded by the National Security Education Program, which focuses on geographic areas, languages, and fields of study deemed critical to U.S. national security. Boren Scholarships enable U.S. undergraduate students to study abroad in areas of the world that are critical to U.S. interests and underrepresented in study abroad, including Africa, Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, Eurasia, Latin America, and the Middle East. The 2010 and 2011 Boren Scholarships go to:

• Bethany J. Muncy (for 2010-2011), a junior from Bedford, Ind., majoring in Japanese and French
• Luke W. Martineac (for 2011), a senior from Bloomington, Ind., majoring in business economics and public policy, and international business

Provost's Awards

The 2011 Provost's Awards for Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity recognize outstanding undergraduate achievement and originality. They also recognize the faculty members (listed here in parentheses) who mentor the awardees, encouraging and guiding them and engaging them in the learning process. This year's recipients are:

• Jayne Elizabeth Flax (Anthony L. Fargo, associate professor of journalism), a junior from Winchester, Va., majoring in journalism
• Kyle Charles Fletcher (Sandra L. Shapshay, assistant professor of philosophy), a philosophy and economics major from Greenwood, Ind.
• Jaimie Miller Murdock (Colin Frederick Allen, professor of history and philosophy of science and of cognitive science, and Larry Yaeger, professor of informatics), from Murray, Ky., graduated in the falll of 2010 and majored in computer science and cognitive science
• Brittany Elizabeth Stigler (Steven R. Krahnke, lecturer in telecommunications), a junior from Brazil, Ind., majoring in English and telecommunications
• Sarah Anne Thacker (Anthony L. Fargo, associate professor of journalism), a sophomore from Zionsville, Ind., majoring in journalism
• Linwood Alexander Watkins III (Vijay Khatri, professor of business information systems), a senior from Indianapolis in the Kelley School of Business

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