Sioux City, Iowa (May 28, 2015) - Morningside College presented degrees to more than 320 undergraduate and graduate students during its 117th spring commencement held on May 9.

Local students include : Deena M. Taylor,Bettendorf, Iowa, Master of Arts in Teaching, and Zachary Neuerburg, Rock Island, Ill., Master of Arts in Teaching,

Morningside College is a private, coeducational, four-year liberal arts college with a total enrollment of more than 2,800 students. Morningside offers five bachelor's degrees: Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Music Education and Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Morningside also offers a Master of Arts in Teaching degree.

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LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (May 28, 2015) - The University of Saint Mary celebrated the close of another academic year and marked a major milestone both for the university and its individual graduates at the Saint Mary 2015 Commencement Ceremony on May 9.

The 2015 commencement event honored the university's 400+ graduates-a group composed of over 200 undergraduate degree recipients, more than 160 master's degree recipients, and about 40 doctorate recipients.

This year's graduates hailed from Kansas to California, from Scotland to Nigeria. The presence of many online learners that day also lent the festivities a distinctly national flavor. And the graduation of the 37 Stefani Doctor of Physical Therapy program students marked a major milestone in Saint Mary history-the culmination of an important journey USM undertook years ago to launch its first doctorate program.

At the event, USM President Sister Diane Steele, Ph.D., praised the graduates' accomplishments. "We pray now that with a Saint Mary education that you recognize and treasure the good and the beautiful, that you will seek truth and aim to live justly, and that you have come to see the glory of God in all that surrounds you, particularly in the faces of those that you encounter," she told the crowd.

Those graduating from the Quad Cities area include Damian Papish of Bettendorf receiving a Master of Business Administration degree and Elizabeth Wilkens of Davenport receiving her Doctorate of Physical Therapy.

USM student speakers presented the day's commencement addresses through reflections on their Saint Mary experiences.

"I was offered an opportunity to become a student at a university that prides itself on academic standards... a university that helps lead us on the path to becoming leaders in society," said graduating senior Cade Brummer, an English major from Lancaster, Calif. "USM is a tightly-knit community, one that is accepting and open to all people, one that makes every moment spent here enjoyable."

The members of the Saint Mary graduating class of 2015 arrived at USM from a wide variety of backgrounds and are bound for an equally diverse range of bright futures. In reaching their God-given potential, USM's graduates have overcome obstacles of all kinds.

The University of Saint Mary is a Catholic co-educational applied liberal arts university founded and sponsored by the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth. The University of Saint Mary main campus is located at 4100 South 4th Street, Leavenworth, Kan. USM's Overland Park, Campus near 115th and Pflumm offers evening, accelerated graduate and undergraduate degree-completion programs. The university also offers online programs. Visit www.stmary.edu for more information.

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (May 27, 2015) - Rockhurst University has announced the dean's list for the spring 2015 semester. This honor recognizes students who have achieved a grade-point average of 3.5 or above.

The following students earned a place on the list:  Julianne Delessio of Bettendorf, Iowa.

Rockhurst University is one of 28 Catholic, Jesuit universities in the United States. It challenges students to become leaders while providing a supportive environment for intellectual and personal growth. U.S. News & World Report consistently names Rockhurst among the top Midwest Regional Universities. It has held the community engagement classification from the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching since 2010. Learn more at www.rockhurst.edu

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LAMONI, IA (05/27/2015)(readMedia)-- The honor roll lists for Graceland University's 2015 spring term have been announced, and Olivia St Claire of Bettendorf, IA, has been named to the President's List.

Graceland University students with a perfect 4.0 grade point average are named to the president's list. Students with a GPA between 3.65 and 3.99 are named to the honors list. Students with a GPA between 3.25 and 3.64 are named to the dean's list.

Congratulations, Olivia! Graceland commends you on your academic success.

Graceland University is a liberal arts university located in Lamoni, IA, and is sponsored by Community of Christ. It has been recognized by the Princeton Review as a top school in the Midwest and fosters academic excellence in a caring community with over 50 academic programs and a 15:1 student to faculty ratio. The warm community of inspired faculty, caring staff and remarkable people believes in educating the whole student. For more information visit www.graceland.edu and find Graceland University on Facebook and Twitter to follow additional student achievements.