ROCK ISLAND, IL (05/12/2015)(readMedia)-- Samantha Turner, an Augustana senior from Rock Island majoring in history and anthropology, has been featured in the 2015 "More Than I Imagined" web series, where exceptional seniors from a wide variety of majors reflect on what they've accomplished at Augustana and discuss plans for their futures.

Turner's "More Than I Imagined" profile may be viewed at http://www.augustana.edu/x62414.xml.

To be included in "More than I Imagined," seniors must be nominated by an Augustana faculty member or coach as an outstanding student.

Founded in 1860, Augustana College is a selective four-year residential college of the liberal arts and sciences. The college is recognized for the innovative program Augie Choice, which provides each student up to $2,000 to pursue a high-impact learning experience such as study abroad, an internship or research with a professor. Current students and alumni include 155 Academic All-Americans, a Nobel laureate, 13 college presidents and other distinguished leaders. The college enrolls 2,500 students and is located along one of the world's most important waterways, the Mississippi River, in a community that reflects the diversity of the United States.

GREENVILLE, SC (05/11/2015)(readMedia)-- Bettendorf resident Ruth Gunti was among the more than 700 students who graduated from Bob Jones University Fri., May 8.

Gunti graduated with a BS in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. During the 88th commencement exercises, 531 students received undergraduate degrees and 50 students received associate degrees. In addition, 129 students received master's degrees and 23 candidates received earned doctorates.

Since its founding in 1927, Bob Jones University has conferred over 45,000 degrees.

Located in Greenville, South Carolina, Bob Jones University is a biblically faithful, Christian liberal arts university focused on educating the whole person to reflect and serve Christ. BJU offers a unique blend of rigorous academic programs, discipleship, and character and leadership development. We are committed to the truth of Scripture and to pursuing excellence in all we do.

BJU provides over 100 undergraduate and graduate programs in religion, education, fine arts and communication, arts and science, and business. BJU has nearly 3,000 students from every state and more than 40 countries.

(DES MOINES) - Gov. Terry E. Branstad, Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds and Iowa Student Loan leaders recognized today 20 Iowa high school seniors who each won a $1,500 college scholarship through participation in the Iowa Financial Know-How Challenge: Senior Scholarship, administered by Iowa Student Loan. The high school seniors from across the state were recognized in a special award ceremony at the John and Mary Pappajohn Education Center.

This was the second year Iowa Student Loan offered the Iowa Financial Know-How Challenge: Senior Scholarship, which provided Iowa high school seniors the chance to win $1,500 for college while learning important financial literacy skills.

Between December 2014 and February 2015, registered high school seniors were asked to complete two online financial literacy tutorials ? Student Loan Game Plan^SM and the ROCI Reality Check ? which Iowa Student Loan developed to help students understand the consequences of college borrowing and discover how to maximize their return on college investment, or ROCI. In addition, scholarship contenders were required to take an online financial literacy assessment test. The 20 winners were those who scored highest on the assessment or, in the case of a tie for top scores, received the highest scores on an independently judged essay.

At today's award ceremony, Branstad congratulated the students and thanked them for seeing the value in furthering their education and learning financial responsibility.

"It's crucial for students to minimize debt and for policymakers to find ways to try to hold down the cost of higher education," Branstad said. "Financial literacy is now part of our Iowa academic standards and colleges and organizations like Iowa Student Loan have increasingly have stepped up to help students understand the long-term implications of debt."

The Iowa Financial Know-How Challenge: Senior Scholarship was created to provide an additional funding source for college-bound students, as well as educate them on ways to minimize their borrowing for college and reach the financial potential of a college degree, said Christine Hensley, Iowa Student Loan board chair.

"We witness firsthand the pressures Iowa students and families are facing to finance higher education," Hensley said. "One of the goals for this program was to provide a scholarship that any Iowa high school senior could qualify for ? a scholarship that wasn't merit- or need-based. And we also wanted it to educate them on ways to minimize their borrowing and reach the financial potential of a college degree."

This past legislative session, Branstad and Reynolds stressed that more must be done to ease students' college debt burden. Branstad told the scholarship winners and their families that he and Reynolds worked to freeze tuition for Iowa students at the regent institutions and boost the Iowa Tuition Grant for students attending Iowa's private colleges and universities.

"Encouraging students to earn a college degree or other postsecondary credential is essential, but so is managing the cost," he said. "To truly address the high debt levels of our state's college students, it's going to take the efforts of everyone ? government, schools, nonprofit organizations, the private sector and families."

More than 45 people attended Friday's award ceremony, including 13 of the 20 scholarship winners and their families. Branstad presented each winner with an award certificate; the $1,500 scholarship money can be used at the college or university of the winner's choice in fall 2015. Prior to the presentation, the students and their families were hosted for lunch.

MOLINE, IL – WQPT received more than 310 stories from students in kindergarten through third grade for the annual PBS Kids Go Writers Contest. Educators and contest sponsors selected 16 winners (four from each grade). The winners and their families will be honored and awarded prizes at Deere-Wiman House at 3 p.m. Sunday, May 17.

"We are thrilled that so many teachers and parents encouraged their young authors and illustrators to participate," said Esther Smith, educational outreach WQPT.

Winners (for each grade level) are listed below.

Kindergarten

First Place, "Zoo Animals" by Josie Schlicksup, LeClaire (IA), Bridgeview Elementary School, LeClaire (IA)

Second Place, "The Lost Dog," by Kalie Tessen, Bettendorf (IA), Riverdale Heights Elementary School, Bettendorf (IA)

Third Place, "My T-Rexy," by Mahmood Baig, Bettendorf (IA), individual entry

Honorable Mention, "Teagan`s Greatest Dream," Teagan Dennis, Moline (IL), homeschooled

First Grade

First Place, "Could You Catch the Rainbow," Shalini Chandupatla, Bettendorf (IA), Hopewell Elementary School, Bettendorf (IA)

Second Place, "Daisy," by Madison Southwick, Bettendorf (IA), Rivermont Collegiate, Davenport (IA)

Third Place, "Pandy Visits the Rain Forest," Hunter Morrow, Davenport (IA), Harrison Elementary School, Davenport, Iowa

Honorable Mention, "How Jupiter Lost and Found Its Great Red Storm," Maya Boehle, Moline, Illinois, Washington Elementary School, Moline (IL)

Second Grade

First Place, "My Baby Brother," Tanya Rastogi, Bettendorf (IA), Riverdale Heights Elementary School, Bettendorf (IA)

Second Place, "Ruby," Camryn Veltrop, Morrison (IL), Northside Elementary School, Morrison (IL)

Third Place, "Jack`s Birthday Party," Kamiya Hill, Rock Island (IL), Longfellow Liberal Arts Academy, Rock Island (IL)

Honorable Mention, "My Horrible Trip to Indonesia," Dillon Baker, Moline (IL), Washington Elementary, Moline (IL)

Third Grade

First Place, "Together Again," Gianna Schwartz, Bettendorf (IA), Paul Norton Elementary School, Bettendorf (IA)

Second Place, "The Weird Chick," Alexa McDaniel, Eldridge (IA), Alan Shephard Elementary, Eldridge (IA)

Third Place, "Super Dog," McKenzie Mueller, Dixon (IL), St. Mary`s School, Dixon (IL)

Honorable Mention, "My Job is Best," Drew Eller, Eldridge (IA), Alan Shephard Elementary, Eldridge (IA)

All the entries will be returned, along with a certificate from PBS. Stories will be displayed at the Butterworth Center from May 19-29; Figge Art Museum from May 30 -June 13; and Family Museum from June 14-28.

The contest is supported by WQPT-Quad Cities PBS, the Butterworth Center, Deere-Wiman House, Family Museum in Bettendorf, Figge Art Museum and the Midwest Writing Center.

WQPT is a media service of Western Illinois University - Quad Cities.

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