 Outstanding Scranton Student Named Among Elite National Truman Scholars
 Vivienne Meljen ’13 completed her undergraduate studies in biology at The University of Scranton in just three years while maintaining a 3.9 GPA and participating in multiple research and community service projects. Already accepted to six medical schools, Meljen can now add an esteemed national honor to her resume. She is one of just 62 students from 54 colleges in the nation selected as a 2013 Truman Scholar. Read more.
NAC&U Students Present Research to Members of Congress
 Manhattan College student Alberto Morgante ’13 has a pet peeve: not enough politicians have science and engineering pedigrees.
“So many of them come from business and economics backgrounds,” says Morgante, who is majoring in civil engineering. “Nothing against those fields, but how can they truly understand the infrastructure projects they’re funding?”
Morgante had the opportunity to educate those politicians when he traveled to Capitol Hill to present his latest research on how to build bomb-resistant tunnels in a post-9/11 era. Morgante is one of 60 undergraduates across the country selected to participate in “Posters on the Hill,” designed to bring Congressional delegates up-to-speed on some of the most cutting-edge federally funded academic projects. The initiative is sponsored by the Council on Undergraduate Research, a nonprofit organization that fosters collaboration between undergraduates and their professors.
Katie Moore, a Stetson University student, presented her research on a motivational fitness app for smartphones that uses body sensors that provide a customized routine and ensure the user is performing at one’s target heart rate. Ithaca College junior psychology majors Briana Faringer and Megan Long presented research conducted with eye tracking technology which sought to explain why language gaps begin in infancy for children whose mothers have no schooling beyond high school. Caitlin Murphy, a student at Pacific Lutheran University, also presented her research at the event. For more information: Manhattan.
Several NAC&U Students Win Newman Civic Fellow Awards
The following students have been chosen as 2013 Newman Civic Fellow Award recipient:
- Cristina Semi, Hamline University
- Allison Currier, Ithaca College
- Thomas Flanagan, Pacific Lutheran University
- Jay DeDon, Stetson University
- Caleb Rollins, Valparaiso University
- Sarah Schafer, Westminster College
- Melvin Holmes, Widener University
 The Newman Civic Fellows' program is presented by Campus Compact, a coalition of over 1200 college and university presidents across the United States dedicated to the promotion of campus-based civic engagement. Campus Compact recognizes student leaders who have proven their investment in finding solutions to challenges facing communities. For more information: Hamline | Ithaca | Stetson | Valpo | Westminster | Widener |
Widener Computer Science Majors Make Learning Easier for Children with Autism
 What do autism and raspberries have in common? For Widener University senior computer science majors Justin Gordon and Tyler Romasco, the link is an inexpensive microcomputer that could help children with autism become more effective learners. Romasco became interested in the subject from research his sister was conducting as a graduate student at Arcadia University on using PowerPoint to help children with autism learn. A self-professed computer geek, Romasco saw promise in the research using Raspberry Pi, a popular new microcomputer which is about the size of a deck of cards and costs only about $35. Read more.
 Samford Student One of 20 in U.S. Chosen for China Internship
Samford University history and French double-major Becca Wilcox has been chosen to participate in the new South China Internship (SCI) project organized by the Hong Kong America Center (HKAC) and United International College (UIC) of Zhuhai in China’s Guangdong province. The SCI project is funded in part by a grant from the Ford Foundation to the U.S. “100,000 Strong Initiative,” which seeks to increase opportunities for Americans to live, study and learn in China. Read more.
 North Central Student Radio Station Claims Rare Spot on iHeartRadio
North Central College’s student-run radio station WONC-FM 89.1 began streaming live online via iHeartRadio.com and through the iHeartRadio mobile app. WONC is one of only eight college radio stations in the United States the company chose to be part of its streaming services. Read more.
Student Newspapers at John Carroll and Butler Win Awards
John Carroll University’s student-run newspaper earned first- and second-place awards for overall excellence,  along with 11 individual honors for staff members, from two nationaljournalism organizations. Read more.
The Butler Collegian was named Best All-Around Non-Daily Student Newspaper—for the second consecutive year—by the Society of Professional Journalists for the three-state region that includes Indiana, Illinois, and Kentucky. Read more.
 Student-Generated Content
In the “Life as a Purple Ace” blog, University of Evansville students reflect on packing up at the end of the semester, what the arrival of spring means for studying, performing in one’s last college stage production and being part of the TeamUE running team. Read more.
A Wagner student reflects on the public speaking general education course requirement on Wagner’s HawkTalk, a blog written by students.
Samford Students Take Top Research Honors at Alabama Academy of Science
 Samford University students Rebekah Brooks, Hannah Chappell, Jason Goebel and Christina Rickman won top research honors at the 90th annual meeting of the Alabama Academy of Science. All four take part in Samford's Clark Scholars Program in Computational Biology. Read more.
Westminster Entrepreneurs Place in Top Ten Business Challenge
Westminster College students Chris Ciancone and Abby Speicher are top ten finalists in the Utah Entrepreneur Challenge business plan competition. The state-wide competition had 121 submissions from colleges across Utah. It is the first time Westminster students have taken two of the top ten finalist positions. Read more.
 Hampton Student Receives HHMI Gilliam Award for Doctoral Study
Hampton University senior Kayla Lee has received one of nine 2013 Gilliam Fellowships for Advanced Study awarded by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI). The awards provide full support to outstanding students in their pursuit of doctoral degrees in life sciences. Read more.
Belmont Bruins Win March Madness Academic Bracket on InsideHigherEd.com
 InsideHigherEd.com released its own picks for the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Bracket and selected Belmont University to take home the Championship Trophy, at least according to the team’s multi-year Academic Progress Rate (APR). The site annually completes an NCAA bracket based on each team’s academic performance, and for the past two years the winner of its Academic Performance Tournament bracket has played in the actual championship game.
A team’s APR is a measure of eligibility and retention for Division 1 student-athletes that was developed by the NCAA. Belmont’s men’s basketball currently boasts a perfect 1000-point APR as well as a 100 percent graduation rate. Read more.
 North Central Business Students Present at International Conference
North Central College students gave presentations at the 49th annual MBAA International Conference held in Chicago. Drawing some 800 participants from the United States and around the world, the conference and its presenters focused on different business disciplines, including marketing, finance, international business, legal studies, ethics, entrepreneurship and health management. Read more.
Westminster Alum Wins $40,000 Grant to Create Jobs
 A Westminster alum’s company, BreathAdvisor, recently won a $40,000 grant from the Technology Commercialization & Innovation Program (TCIP). Jason Knott created BreathAdvisor while enrolled in an entrepreneurship class at Westminster College. BreathAdvisor places law-enforcement grade breathalyzer kiosks in local bars and restaurants. The kiosks are offered at no cost to venue owners and charge users a small fee to test their blood alcohol content prior to driving. He plans on using a portion of the $40,000 dollar grant to provide internship opportunities to Westminster students studying business and computer science. Read more.
NAC&U Students to Present Research at NCUR
 Students across NAC&U will showcase their original research at the National Conferences on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) in April at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. NCUR accepted 39 proposals from Hamline University and 32 proposals from North Central College, tying the College’s 2012 record for the most accepted proposals in the College’s history. The University of Evansville, Widener University and Belmont University are also sending students to the conference. For more information:
North Central |
Belmont
Drury Students Add Humanitarian Component to Research Trip
 Thirteen Drury University students in a marine biology class traveled with Dr. Teresa Carroll, an associate professor of biology, to Roatan, an island off the coast of Honduras to conduct research. It was not Carroll’s first trip to the location, however, and she knew that the upcoming rainy season would mean severe illness for local children who have to walk through sewage mixed with mud and rain. And that created an opportunity for her students to make a difference. Read more.
For the video, go here.
Hamline Students Use First-Year Seminar to Collaborate on Real-World Project
First-year students at Hamline University in Sociology Professor Melissa Embser-Herbert’s first-year seminar, Justice Denied: Wrongful Convictions in the United States, explored the many complicated factors that can lead to innocent people being convicted of very serious crimes. Students in Embser-Herbert’s class not only studied their topic on an academic level, they also worked to raise awareness of the issue around the Hamline community. Read more.
North Central Student’s Research Chosen for Conference Presentation, Wins Award
 Kristen Soforic ’13, a psychology major at North Central College, was recently recognized for her academic work. Her research project, titled “The Effect of Induced Hypocrisy on Texting While Driving,” was accepted for presentation at the 2013 Midwestern Psychological Association (MPA) conference in May in Chicago. She co-authored the project with North Central 2012 graduate Nicholas Petkunas, also a psychology major. Her project also won a Regional Research Award from Psi Chi, the international honor society for psychology. With more than 600 abstracts submitted for presentation to MPA, only 18 received this distinguished award. Read more.
Arcadia Students Present at Math Conference
 Eight Arcadia University students presented at the Moravian College Undergraduate Mathematics Conference, a day-long conference in which undergraduate college students from the tri-state area present talks and discuss mathematics, statistics, operations research, and computing. This is the third consecutive year in which Arcadia has sent the most presenters to the event than any other participating institution.
To read their abstracts, go here.
 Special Education Council Honors Butler Student Teacher
The Indiana Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) named Butler elementary education major Karly Keiper as Outstanding Student Chapter Teacher of the Year. The CEC is an international professional association dedicated to improving the educational success of children with disabilities and/or gifts and talents. Read more.
Butler Senior Wins Cell Biology Competition
 Butler University senior Hitesh Dube won first place in an undergraduate poster session at the American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB) meeting in San Francisco. Dube’s poster showcased work he and Assistant Professor of Biology Jennifer Kowalski have been doing in collaboration with scientists from Tufts University and the University of Massachusetts. They are investigating the mechanisms by which an enzyme called the APC controls neuromuscular signaling in microscopic roundworms, known as C. elegans. Read more.
Pacific Lutheran’s Student-Run MediaLab Working on Water Crisis Documentary
 Water is the basis of life on Planet Earth. But from the Gulf of Mexico to the Arctic Circle, many of our major waterways and water supplies are threatened by drought, pollution and population growth. In October 2013, award-winning filmmakers of MediaLab at Pacific Lutheran University will premiere their latest film, “Tapped Out: Unearthing the Global Water Crisis,” a new documentary that examines the current state of our most important natural resource. Read their blog as they research and film.
North Central College Student Broadcasters Earn 6 IBS Award Nominations
North Central College student broadcasters are nominated for 26 awards in a national competition—more than any other college or university radio station in the nation. Read more.
 Widener Law Students Help Bring Hope to Long-time U.S. Residents Who Have Immigration Issues
A group of Widener University School of Law students put some of the skills they’ve been acquiring in law school to work recently, helping members of the community who are concerned about their immigration status. Read more.
Westminster Student Fights Hunger with Child Artist Designed Pajamas
 Westminster College MBA student Nick Whatcott believes no child should ever go to bed hungry. To help fight hunger in Utah, Whatcott came up with a business plan to benefit the Utah Food Bank and other organizations fighting children’s hunger, while giving young artists a venue for their work. It’s called Sugar Doodle Kids. At www.sugardoodlekids.com, child and adult artists submit their artwork into an online voting contest. Sugar Doodle Kids then prints the artwork with the most votes onto high-end children’s sleepwear. For every product sold, a meal is given to a child in need through the Utah Food Bank children’s back-pack program.
Read more.
Nazareth Sophomore is an Activist in Action
 Nazareth College Sophomore and CEO Cherise Madigan’s weekly Skype sessions are changing and saving the lives of women worldwide. To say that Madigan ’15 has determination would be a great understatement. The 18-year-old peace and justice studies major has been supporting herself financially since she was 16, chats weekly via Skype with an Iraqi feminist, and is the chief executive officer and founder of the non-profit organization The Feminine Alliance (TFA). Read more.
Arcadia’s Fernandez Presents at the 4th Annual Masculinities Conference in Bolivia
 Alejandro Fernandez Gutierrez, a Fulbright Scholar and second-year student in Arcadia University’s International Peace and Conflict Resolution master’s program, presented at the 4th Annual Masculinities Conference in La Paz, Bolivia. The conference brings together scholars from Bolivia, Peru, Mexico, Argentina and Chile to present research about masculinity in diverse settings across Latin America, with the aim of counteracting colonialist and racist assumptions about Latin American patriarchy. Read more.
Samford Students Take Grand Prize in Taziki’s Marketing Challenge
 Samford University Brock School of Business and Department of Journalism Mass Communication students were selected the winners of the Taziki's Collegiate Marketing Challenge. As part of the project, the student teams were challenged to propose a market for a new Taziki's Mediterranean Café and to develop a business and marketing plan around their idea. The Samford team chose to focus on the New Orleans, La., area, particularly the Uptown region, because the demographics are closely aligned with Taziki's top-grossing market in Mountain Brook, Ala. Their plan for the New Orleans market was designed and based on research at the current Alabama stores and research the team conducted in New Orleans.
"Our students participated in this competition above and beyond their regular course load; which says something about our students' dedication to seeking real-world experiences," said Howard Finch, Brock School of Business dean. "This is one of many ways students use what they learn in the classroom in a real world setting. It is exciting to see the students use their entrepreneurial spirit in this way." Read more.
Drury, Ithaca Advertising Students Honored
 The American Advertising Federation (AAF) has named Drury University senior Amber Perdue and Ithaca College seniors Diana Cirullo and Silvia Magana on the list of the Most Promising Minority Students for 2012. They are among just 41 students chosen by the AAF from more than 100 applicants. For more information: Drury | Ithaca
Pacific Lutheran’s Explore! Retreat Helps Students Understand Vocation
 The annual Explore! retreat at Pacific Lutheran University offers students the chance to have fun and make new friends, but unlike other first –year programs it also offers students the opportunity to reflect on their journey and consider broader questions of meaning and purpose.
They talk about what they want to do with their one wild and precious life, what they’re passionate about, and a variety of other big enough questions to help set them on their vocational journey.
The goal isn’t to have students leave with answers, but with tools to ask these types of questions, according to Eva Frey Johnson, Dean for Student Development, Director of Student Involvement and Leadership, and Explore! co-coordinator. Read more.
 Drury Architecture Students Help Cities Plan their Futures
Every semester, Drury University architecture students put their skills to the test in an applied learning class that engages them with communities throughout Missouri. This semester, Drury’s Center for Community Studies (CCS) is working with three communities in the Ozarks. Read more.
John Carroll Students Present Research
John Carroll University students Brian Harrison ’13 and Eric Mustee ’15 presented original research at the 2012 Midstates Conference For Undergraduate Research in Computer Science and Mathematics at Ohio Wesleyan University. The conference featured original research in computer science and/or mathematics conducted by students with guidance from faculty.
 Harrison, a mathematics major and computer science minor, collaborated with Barbara D’Ambrosia, Ph.D., on his paper, “An Interesting Relationship Between Vertex Coordinates and Center of Mass.” Mustee, a computer science major, collaborated with Marc Kirschenbaum, Ph.D., and Daniel Palmer, Ph.D., on his paper, “Supporting Dynamic and Robust Evaluations of Decentralized Human Assisted Swarms.”
Read more.
Westminster Student’s New Social Enterprise Helps Educate Children in Ghana
 “Buy a Purse. Fund a Future”—that’s the theme of a new social enterprise called Daakye. Created by Westminster College business student Abby Speicher, Daakye was inspired by her travels to Africa where she saw the need for a business that could help send local children to school. With the help of Westminster’s Center for Entrepreneurship, Speicher’s business vision is now a reality. Daakye buys handmade purses and wallets in Ghana and then sells them in the United States for a profit. Each purse contains a thank you note from a student who will be helped by the purchase. The profits from the sales will help fund educational fees for local children in Ghana. Read more.
Sage's Scott Jarosz named to Academic All-America Team
The Sage Colleges men’s soccer team member, junior forward Scott Jarosz was named the 2012 Capital One Academic All-America Third Team for his efforts in the classroom and on the playing field. He becomes the first Sage men’s soccer player to garner this distinction and the third Sage student-athlete to achieve this distinction in the last calendar year. Read more.
Belmont Students Claim World Cup Title at International Entrepreneurship Competition
 Students from Belmont University were named the 2012 World Cup champions in an international entrepreneurship competition in Washington, D.C., beating out the national champions of 38 other countries with a flawless presentation and annual report on their 14 community outreach projects. The Belmont team was formerly known as Belmont SIFE (Students in Free Enterprise) until SIFE Worldwide announced its new name, Enactus, this week. Enactus is a community of student, academic and business leaders committed to using the power of entrepreneurial action to transform lives and shape a better, more sustainable world. Read more.
University of Scranton Student Wins Prestigious Scholarship
Vivienne Meljen, a senior biology major at The University of Scranton, was selected as a recipient of a Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) Scholarship to pursue graduate-level study. Read more.
 University of Evansville Claims MVC Academic Award for the First Time
The University of Evansville has been recognized as the recipient of the 2011-12 Missouri Valley Conference All-Academic Award, which is given to the school whose student-athletes post the highest cumulative GPA. Read more.
Butler’s Kyle Inskeep '12 Earns Fellowship With NBC News
 Butler University student Kyle Inskeep ’12 has been named the recipient of NBC News’ Tim Russert Fellowship, earning him a one-year salaried position in the network’s Washington, D.C., bureau. Inskeep will start with Meet the Press, then join NBC’s political team and, finally, work on general assignments.
The Tim Russert Fellowship is awarded to one motivated, passionate graduating senior interested in pursuing a career in political journalism. The goal is to give a talented young journalist the opportunity to be mentored by seasoned NBC News staff members and experience a yearlong “boot camp” in political journalism. Read more.
John Carroll Entrepreneurship Immersion Team Wins Bronze Medal
 The John Carroll University Entrepreneurship Immersion Week (EIW) team took the bronze at the 2012 Entrepreneurship Education Consortium Immersion Week. Students had to develop an idea and, working as a team, come up with enough substance to present it to a panel of judges at the end of the week. Read more.
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