DES MOINES, IA (06/18/2014)(readMedia)-- The following local residents were named to the Drake University Dean's List for the Spring 2014 semester. Students must achieve a grade-point average of 3.5 or above to earn this honor.

Krista Allbee of Bettendorf

Kelsey Brandt of Bettendorf

Leah Christensen of Bettendorf

Cameron Christoff of Donahue

Thomas Fisher of Bettendorf

Lindsey Garner of East Moline

Talor Gray of Port Byron

Tori Groves of Port Byron

Ricardo Martinez of Davenport

Molly Mayne of Bettendorf

Halli Meyer of Bettendorf

Nathan Ngo of Moline

Jake Powers of Davenport

Madison Ruge of Bettendorf

Hailey Shelton of Moline

Steven Soseman of Bettendorf

Matthew Van of Coal Valley

Claire Vandercar of Port Byron

Karmen Wehrhan of Hillsdale

Drake University is a midsized, highly selective private university in Des Moines, Iowa. Drake enrolls more than 3,300 undergraduates and 1,900 graduate students from 47 states and more than 45 countries.

AURORA, IL (06/18/2014)(readMedia)-- Lillie Stone of Moline, IL earned high honors on the Aurora University Dean's List during the spring 2014 semester.

Stone joins more than 800 other AU students who were honored for their academic success. The Dean's List recognizes students who have earned a 3.6 GPA or higher. Students recognized with high honors have earned a perfect 4.0.

Aurora University is an inclusive community dedicated to the transformative power of learning, annually educating more than 4,900 degree-seeking students at the bachelor's, master's and doctoral levels. The university has a long tradition of preparing students for lives of service and leadership, and using its resources and expertise to meet the needs of the community. In addition to its main campus and the Orchard Center in Aurora, Illinois, AU offers programs online, at its George Williams College campus in Williams Bay, Wisconsin, and at the Woodstock Center in downtown Woodstock, Illinois. Learn more at aurora.edu.

The Mississippi Valley Blues Festival celebrates its 30th annual festival on July 3-5 with an all-star line-up of a variety of blues legends and up-and-coming stars. More than 10,000 festival enthusiasts are expected to partake in the three days of fun, food, and great music on the banks of the Mississippi River in Davenport, Iowa. The Mississippi Valley Blues Festival is considered one of the top five blues festivals in this country and one of the top twenty in the world.

Almost 20 PGA Tour winners and more than a dozen British Open contestants have committed to play in the PGA TOUR's John Deere Classic on July 7-13, 2014, at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Ill. Tickets for the John Deere Classic are available at johndeereclassic.com or by calling 800-336-4655. Free admission will be offered for professional practice rounds on Monday, July 7th and Tuesday, July 8th. The annual John Deere Classic pro-am is set for Wednesday, July 9th with both morning and afternoon tee times. The tournament itself runs Thursday through Sunday, July 10-13.

The Quad City Rockfest on July 19 will offer seven bands and eight hours of music 3-11 p.m. in and outside the iWireless Center in downtown Moline. The arena is teaming up with MetroLink and the city of Moline to host Rockfest, featuring Night Ranger and Firehouse, with bands inside the iWireless Center and on top of the MetroLink parking garage. There will be food, beverages, other vendors and contests!

BATON ROUGE, LA (06/18/2014)(readMedia)-- The following local residents recently were initiated into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation's oldest and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines.

Peter Pentland of Davenport initiated at DePaul University

Ann Tessier of Davenport initiated at Western Illinois University

These residents are among approximately 32,000 students, faculty, professional staff and alumni to be initiated into Phi Kappa Phi each year. Membership is by invitation and requires nomination and approval by a chapter. Only the top 10 percent of seniors and 7.5 percent of juniors, having at least 72 semester hours, are eligible for membership. Graduate students in the top 10 percent of the number of candidates for graduate degrees may also qualify, as do faculty, professional staff, and alumni who have achieved scholarly distinction.

Founded in 1897 at the University of Maine and headquartered in Baton Rouge, La., Phi Kappa Phi is the nation's oldest and most selective all-discipline honor society. The Society has chapters on more than 300 college and university campuses in North America and the Philippines. Its mission is "To recognize and promote academic excellence in all fields of higher education and to engage the community of scholars in service to others."

More About Phi Kappa Phi

Since its founding, more than 1.25 million members have been initiated. Some of the organization's more notable members include former President Jimmy Carter, NASA astronaut Wendy Lawrence, novelist David Baldacci and YouTube cofounder Chad Hurley. The Society has awarded approximately $15 million since the inception of its awards program in 1932. Today, $1 million is awarded each biennium to qualifying students and members through graduate fellowships, undergraduate study abroad grants, member and chapter awards and grants for local and national literacy initiatives.