ST. LOUIS, MO (05/18/2015)(readMedia)-- Kyrstin Plohr of Rock Island, Ill. was named to the Deans' List for the Spring 2015 semester at Maryville University in St. Louis. Plohr is currently working toward a Bachelor of Science in Accounting.

Maryville undergraduate students are eligible for the Deans' List when they complete at least 12 Maryville University credit hours in a semester with a minimum of a 3.5 grade-point average on a 4.0 (perfect) scale.

About Maryville University:

Founded in 1872, Maryville University is a selective, comprehensive, and nationally ranked private institution with an enrollment of nearly 6,000 students. Maryville offers more than 75 degrees at the undergraduate, masters and doctoral levels to students from 50 states and 32 countries. Maryville is consistently ranked as a top private school by Forbes and Kiplinger's magazines. Maryville's athletics teams compete in NCAA Division II as part of the Great Lakes Valley Conference.

LAMONI, IA (05/18/2015)(readMedia)-- Myrissa Liedtke of Coal Valley, IL, has been elected to the 2015-16 Graceland University House Council as Senator for Paloma House.

Graceland offers a unique system that merges student government and the housing system. Each floor of the residence halls is designated as a "house" with its own name, symbol and colors. The integration of student government and the houses allows student leaders to impact the entire campus community and to plan and run programs for the house. This is accomplished by house council leaders becoming the members and decision makers in the student government organizations.

Myrissa and other students participating in leadership and service programs at Graceland University engage in a journey toward personal growth, social responsibility and building community by recognizing leadership potential and clarifying personal, academic and professional goals. Learn more about the "House" system and other leadership opportunities at Graceland HERE.

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.

Washington, D.C. - Congressman Dave Loebsack recently introduced legislation to address the importance of increasing access to critical services in schools to address the non-academic factors that affect students' ability to learn. His legislation, the Reducing Barriers to Learning Act, would increase student access to school counselors, nurses, psychologists, social workers, specialized teachers, and community partners such as mental and physical health providers.

"As someone who grew up in poverty, I know firsthand how important outside factors can contribute to the success of the student in the classroom. We have to promote learning in safe and supportive school environments. Knowing who is available to help struggling students and those in need of more specialized supports is critical," said Loebsack.  "The Reducing Barriers to Learning Act will increase student access to services to better address the non-academic needs of students and help them learn in the classroom by addressing issues such as depression, low-self esteem, and speech and language disorders. This will not only set our children up for success both in school and in their future college and career pursuits, but will also support our teachers' efforts in the classroom."

Loebsack's bill would improve specialized instructional support services in schools and clarify the roles of specialized personnel to ensure they are able to best serve students' needs. It would also create a grant program to develop programs and train personnel dedicated to removing barriers to learning.

DURANGO, CO (05/14/2015)(readMedia)-- The Fort Lewis College School of Arts and Sciences held its annual Undergraduate Research & Creative Activities Symposium on Thursday, April 23, 2015. Student participants were selected by their departments to represent the best undergraduate research and performances done at Fort Lewis College this year. Each department (Anthropology, Art & Design, Biology, Chemistry, Exercise Science, Environmental Studies, Gender & Women's Studies, Geosciences, History, Mathematics, Philosophy, Physics and Engineering, Psychology, Sociology, and Theatre) selects two students to give talks, and up to five groups of students to present posters or performances. Many of these students have also presented at professional conferences in their disciplines.

Alex McWhorter, of Taylor Ridge, IL, presented a project titled "Investigation of Stroke Volume Response to Incremental Exercise in Cyclists of Varying Fitness Levels," , along with peers supervised by Melissa Knight-Maloney and Missy Thompson. McWhorter's major is Exercise Science - Physiology option .

The presentations can be seen on the Fort Lewis College You Tube channel via the archived live streams of the Morning & Afternoon sessions.

Fort Lewis College is the Southwest's crossroads of education and adventure. Our blend of small classes, dynamic academic programs, and a liberal arts perspective leads to transformative learning experiences that foster entrepreneurship, leadership, creative problem solving, and life-long learning. And our unique & beautiful mountain campus, on a mesa above historic Durango, Colorado, inspires an active and friendly community with a spirit of engagement, exploration, and intellectual curiosity.