MOUNT VERNON, IA (04/30/2015)(readMedia)-- More than 200 students received academic awards from Cornell College on April 23.

Rachel Henning of De Witt earned membership in Beta Beta Beta (Biology Honorary Society).

Aubrey Kohl of Bettendorf earned the Alice Gehant Absher Award, membership in Phi Alpha Delta (Pre-law Honrary Society).

Kaylin Voss of Davenport earned the John Branner Shackford Shakespeare Prize.

Each year Cornell College honors outstanding academic achievement with a variety of collegewide, interdepartmental, and departmental awards.

One of the 40 "Colleges That Change Lives," Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa, is a national liberal arts college with a distinctive One Course At A Time curriculum. The One Course schedule provides students the chance to dive into their studies, focus more intensely on the disciplines of their choice, and learn authentically with the unique freedom to shed the confines of the traditional classroom to study off-campus, pursue research, or accept an internship -- all without missing out on other classes.

Cornell has been recognized by numerous publications for the value its education offers and for academic excellence. This year it was named of the 100 best values in liberal arts education by Kiplinger's, one of the "Best Value Schools" among national liberal arts colleges by U.S. News and World Report, and one of the 100 Affordable Elite Colleges by Washington Monthly. Ninety-three percent of Cornell graduates earn their degrees in four years. In 2013 Cornell was named one of the 25 colleges with the best professors by the Center for College Affordability and Productivity.

For more information, visit www.cornellcollege.edu.

Emmalynn Tully of Bettendorf performed in voice seminar at Augustana College

ROCK ISLAND, IL (04/29/2015)(readMedia)-- Sixteen Augustana students, including Emmalynn Tully, performed in a voice seminar on Tuesday, April 28 in Wallenberg Hall. Selections included "The Sky Above the Roof" by Ralph Vaughan Williams, sung by mezzo soprano Sara Naftzger, and Stephen Sondheim's "Green Finch and Linnet Bird" from Sweeney Todd, sung by soprano Victoria Beale. Students were accompanied by Michelle Crouch, Sheila Doak, Howard Eckdahl and Justin Lebo on piano.

Elizabeth DeMay of Geneseo exhibits art at Augustana Teaching Museum of Art

Every year graduating studio art students create and display a collection of original art. This year twenty students, including Elizabeth DeMay, created unique collections that were displayed in the Augustana Teaching Museum of art from April 24 to May 24.

The annual spring exhibition of senior student work is part of their Senior Inquiry capstone project. Every art and graphic design major creates a coherent body of original art work for the senior exhibition, concentrating in one medium or related media. Weekly working sessions and periodic group critiques with faculty in relevant media inform their work.

The finished project is a representative, high-quality collection for their portfolios. In combination with the public presentation component, the Senior Inquiry project gives art and graphic design students an edge for graduate school or the professional art world.

Christine Harb receives Eddie Mabry Diversity Award from Augustana College

Augustana College awarded six students the 2015 Eddie Mabry Diversity Award. Among the winners was senior, Christine Harb of Davenport majoring in Biology and Pre-Medicine. Harb was recognized for the research project: The Seperation Wall.

This award recognizes academic work by dedicated students who have demonstrated a significant commitment to enhancing multicultural awareness at Augustana. Submissions included works that explore issues related to diversity and multiculturalism such as social class, culture, race/ethnicity, sex/gender, sexuality, disability, and religion.

Philip Tunnicliff was elected to Augustana College's Student Government Association

Twenty-one Augustana College students were elected to the college's Student Government Association (SGA) for the 2015-2016 academic year.  Philip Tunnicliff of Bettendorf, majoring in Geology has been elected as senator for the junior class.

Students elected to Augustana's Phi Beta Kappa

Forty-eight students at Augustana College, in Rock Island, Ill., recently were elected into the college's Phi Beta Kappa chapter. This national academic honor society recognizes scholarly achievement, character, integrity, and independence of mind. Members are elected by faculty. Election is less a reward for past success than a recognition of exceptional promise for future growth and achievement.

Among the elected students are:

Hassan Baig of Moline majoring in Religion.

Adam Bengfort of Davenport majoring in Engineering Physics and Applied Mathematics.

Benjamin Knapper of Davenport majoring in Applied Mathematics and Computer Science.

Samantha McGreer of Illinois City majoring in Pre-Medicine and Biochemistry.

Andrew Shearouse of Coal Valley majoring in Business Administration-Management Information Systems and Computer Science.

Rosalie Starenko of Rock Island majoring in Geography and Spanish.

Anthony TouVelle of Bettendorf majoring in German Studies and International Business.

The new Phi Beta Kappa members will be formally honored on campus and introduced at the Senior Honors Convocation on Saturday, May 23, at noon, in Centennial Hall (3703 7th Ave., Rock Island).

Phi Beta Kappa was founded in 1776 and celebrates and advocates excellence in the liberal arts and sciences. It has more than half a million members and chapters at 283 American colleges and universities. Invitation to membership is a reflection of outstanding achievement. Only about 10 percent of the nation's institutions of higher learning have Phi Beta Kappa chapters, and only about 10 percent of the arts and sciences graduates of these institutions are selected for Phi Beta Kappa membership.

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.

ROCK ISLAND, IL (04/28/2015)(readMedia)-- Rosalie Starenko, an Augustana senior from Rock Island majoring in geography and Spanish, 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.

Starenko's "More Than I Imagined" profile may be viewed at http://www.augustana.edu/x62339.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.

(PLEASANT HILL, Iowa) - Iowa Gov. Terry E. Branstad today highlighted the success of the innovative new Teacher Leadership and Compensation System (TLC) at Southeast Polk Junior High School during his weekly press conference. The press conference occurred following the last of three visits with school districts this month to learn how they are using TLC to raise student achievement and raise the status of the teaching profession. The TLC discussion at Southeast Polk followed visits to the Benton and Rock Valley school districts. Southeast Polk is one of the 39 school districts across the state launching the first year of the TLC program.

"As we visit with school districts engaged in the Teacher Leadership and Compensation System, which is the centerpiece of Iowa's landmark 2013 education reform package, we're hearing that better utilizing teacher expertise and creating more time for collaboration is transforming instruction," said Branstad. "Though much work lies ahead, we know that teacher leadership will drive the other reforms needed to give Iowa students a world-class education and revitalize the teaching profession."

Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds, who participated in the roundtables in both Rock Valley and Benton school districts, was unable to attend the Southeast Polk roundtable discussion because she is leading a trade mission to Brazil.

"We have more people in leadership positions, which creates more time to get things done," said Rock Valley Community School Superintendent Chad Janzen about why TLC is helping to transform instruction in his district of 840 students.

The TLC system was launched with 39 school districts that enroll about one-third of Iowa's students. Seventy-six additional school districts, representing another third of Iowa student enrollment, will join the program next school year (2015-2016). All 338 school districts will have the option of joining the TLC system by the 2016-2017 school year. When fully phased in, the program will cost about $150 million annually, and much of the funding will be used to increase teacher leaders' salaries and attract more individuals to the teaching profession by offering more competitive starting salaries.

"I'm optimistic that within a few years every school district in Iowa will be part of TLC, which is the most comprehensive teacher leadership system in the country," said Iowa Department of Education Deputy Director Ryan Wise, who oversees the TLC system for the state. "This exciting work is about supporting teachers to do their best work so that our students can do their best work."

Branstad concluded by saying, "Lieutenant Governor Reynolds and I believe that every Iowa child deserves a globally competitive education, and we know that starts with great teaching in every classroom. The Teacher Leadership and Compensation System is working to ensure we're attracting the best and brightest to the classroom."