VERMILION COMMUNITY COLLEGE SPRING GRADS LIST
Ely, Minn. - Nicholas Goldermann of Bettendorf, an Honors Student with an AAS in Parks and Recreation, graduated on May 8, 2012 from Vermilion Community College in Ely, MN.

Chelsey Creedon Graduates from Concordia University, Nebraska

SEWARD, NEB. (06/07/2012)(readMedia)-- Chelsey Creedon of Eldridge, Iowa earned a bachelor of science from Concordia University, Nebraska at its 105th commencement on May 5. The conferral of 585 undergraduate and graduate degrees, diplomas and certificates marks the largest number awarded in Concordia University, Nebraska's 118-year history. Alumni class members of 1962, celebrating their golden reunion, led the processional in the Walz Human Performance Complex.

"This marks the largest number of degrees awarded in Concordia's 118-year history," said Concordia President Brian Friedrich. "What's better is Concordia's placement record-96 percent of our graduates have gained employment within six months of graduation at a time when 50 percent of the nation's graduates are unemployed or underemployed. We are proud we continue to grow the number of graduates serving and leading in the church and every sector of the workforce."

Concordia University, Nebraska, founded in 1894, is a fully accredited, coeducational university located in Seward, Neb. that currently serves over 2,200 students. Concordia offers more than 50 professional and liberal arts programs in an excellent academic and Christ-centered community that equips men and women for lives of learning, service and leadership. For more information, visit www.cune.edu.

Martin graduates from Davenport West

Haylee Martin of Davenport, has graduated from Davenport West High School and now plans to pursue a degree in Exercise Science and Nutrition from Winona State University in Winona, Minnesota.

ROCK ISLAND, IL (06/08/2012)(readMedia)-- Twenty-one Augustana College students traveled to Greece for two weeks at the end of May and beginning of June, following a spring term course on ancient Greek culture. While in Greece the students visited Athens, Mykonos, Mycenae, Olympia, Delphi and Corinth.

The students from your area that went on this trip include :

Kylie Koger, a sophomore from Davenport, Iowa, majoring in classics.

Ryan Kopatich, a senior from Davenport, Iowa, majoring in psychology.

Crystina Mayfield, a senior from Coal Valley, Ill., majoring in French, Africana studies, and classics.

At Augustana, students choosing to study abroad can receive financial support from the college thanks to a program launched in 2009 called Augie Choice. Focused on advancing student learning in the liberal arts, Augie Choice grants students in their junior year or beyond the opportunity to receive a one-time grant of $2,000 to offset the expenses of study abroad, an internship or research project. Augie Choice funding, which recently surpassed the $1.4-million milestone, is a visible symbol of the college's commitment to experiential learning as a way of preparing students to stand out among their peers.

About Augustana: Founded in 1860 and situated on a 115-acre campus near the Mississippi River, Augustana College is a private, liberal arts institution affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The college enrolls 2,500 students from diverse geographic, social, ethnic and religious backgrounds and offers nearly 90 majors and related areas of study. Augustana employs 182 full-time faculty and has a student-faculty ratio of 12:1. Augustana continues to do what it has always done: challenge and prepare students for lives of leadership and service in our complex, ever-changing world.

Rockhurst University Announces Spring 2012 Dean's List

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Rockhurst University has announced the dean's list for the spring 2012 semester. This honor recognizes students who have achieved a grade-point average of 3.5 or above and includes Gabriella Binion of Davenport.

Miss Binion has also been awarded a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish. Congratulations!

Rockhurst University is one of 28 Catholic, Jesuit universities in the United States. It seeks to challenge students while providing a supportive environment for intellectual and personal growth.

CARTHAGE ANNOUNCES DEAN'S LIST HONOREES

Kenosha, Wis. - Carthage College has named outstanding scholars to its Dean's List for academic excellence during the spring semester of 2012.  Dean's List honors are accorded Carthage students who achieve a 3.5 grade point average while carrying at least 14 credit hours during a semester.

Erin Holst of Bettendorf, Pace Raymond Bennett and Nathan Andrew Moore, both of Moline.

Local Students Honored at St. Olaf College

NORTHFIELD, MN (06/07/2012)(readMedia)-- The following local residents were among nearly 900 St. Olaf College students who were recognized for academic achievement at the college's annual Honors Day convocation on May 4. Honors Day recognizes students who have a cumulative grade point average of 3.60 or higher on a 4.0 scale. The convocation also recognizes students who have been awarded scholarships and fellowships, including Fulbright scholars, Goldwater scholars, and senior members of leadership and academic honor societies.

Joseph Dickens from Bettendorf, is a Mathematics major and a graduate of Bettendorf High School. Joseph is the son of Jayne Rose and Dan Dickens.

Amelia Schoeneman from Rock Island, is an Environmental Studies and Political Science major and a graduate of Rock Island High School. Amelia is the daughter of Megan Quinn.

The ceremony began with a colorful academic procession led by St. Olaf President David R. Anderson '74, and was followed by a reception for students, parents, friends of the college, faculty and staff.

St. Olaf College - As one of the nations leading liberal arts colleges, St. Olaf College offers an academically rigorous education with a vibrant faith tradition as a college of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. St. Olaf prepares students to become responsible citizens of the world by fostering the development of mind, body, and spirit. Widely known for its programs in mathematics, the natural sciences, and music, St. Olaf also provides dynamic opportunities for interdisciplinary study. Committed to global education, more than three-quarters of St. Olaf students participate in off-campus study programs. Over the years, St. Olaf College has been a national leader among liberal arts colleges in producing Rhodes Scholars, Fulbright Fellows, and Peace Corps volunteers.

COE COLLEGE (CEDAR RAPIDS) SPRING DEAN'S LIST

Ashley Jipp, Freshman, daughter, Gary and Wendy Jipp of Bettendorf, 2011graduate of Pleasant Valley High School.
Lindsey Jipp, Freshman, daughter, Gary and Wendy Jipp of Bettendorf, 2011graduate of Pleasant Valley High School.

Full-time students who rank in the top 10 percent of the student body are named to the Dean's List at Coe. For the 2012 spring term, students achieving a grade point average of 3.92 or higher earned this high honor.

Clarke University student-athletes named NAIA Scholar-Athletes

(DUBUQUE, Iowa) Twenty-three Clarke University student-athletes have been named Daktronics-National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Scholar-Athletes. The following area student was named to the honor list:

Megan Chitty of Davenport.

Truman State University Announces Spring 2012 President's List

KIRKSVILLE, Mo. - Truman State University has released the Spring 2012 President's List. To qualify for this list, an undergraduate student must attain a semester 4.0 grade point average and must complete 12 semester hours of credit.

Area students include :

Andrew Keith Piotter, Exercise Sciences, of Bettendorf

Andy Wang Yang, Computer Sciences, also of Bettendorf.

Truman State University Announces Spring 2012 Provost and Vice President's List

KIRKSVILLE, Mo. - Truman State University has released the Spring 2012 Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs' List. To qualify for this list, an undergraduate student must attain a semester 3.50-3.99 grade point average and must complete 12 semester hours of credit.

Area students include :

?Aubrey Ann Crowley of Davenport, Health Science

Margaret Alyson Schutte of Davenport, Exercise Science

Chelsea Kathleen Wagschal of Davenport, French Pre-Education/Secondary

KIRKWOOD COMMUNITY COLLEGE SPRING DEAN'S LIST

[Cedar Rapids, Iowa] --Kirkwood Community College has released its Dean's List for the Spring Semester. These students have achieved a 3.3 grade point average or higher after completing 12 or more credit hours with the college.

Kirkwood students from the area earning this distinction are:

Lenora Caruso, Quinn Claussen, Abigail Donohoe, Matthew Gasser, Kyle Kuehl, Kaytlyn Sheffler, and Alyssa Wellman, all from Bettendorf.

Nick Bakeris, Tony Bakeris, Collin Belk, Grant Bushman, Justin Day, Anthony Faison, Kayla Holst, Michael Leal, Ashley Stichter and Elizabeth Teichler, all from Davenport.

Mitchel Trouten of Moline.

DRURY UNIVERSITY DAY SCHOOL DEAN'S LIST

SPRINGFIELD, Mo., June 7, 2012 - Olivia Thompson of Moline has earned a spot on Drury University's Dean's List. This is a significant accomplishment; it means a student earned a grade point average of 3.6 or greater (on a 4-point scale) while carrying a full-time course load of 12 or more semester hours at Drury, a top 10 midwestern university, according to US News & World Report.

All children deserve equitable access to a free, public education. Yet, each day, countless students across the country and right here in Iowa are denied that access because they are bullied. In some cases, the bullying does not end after they leave school, but instead, continues via social media or on the web.

This is a growing problem that we must not ignore.

Studies have shown that students are often bullied because they seem 'different' than their peers. Some 85 percent of LGBT students and 85 percent of students with disabilities (including 94 percent of children with Asperger's Syndrome) are bullied, compared to approximately 20 percent of all students.

Victims of bullying have also demonstrated impairment on mental health, concentration, and academic outcomes. Of course, far too many cases end in tragedy. Northwest Iowa has been particularly hard-hit: Primghar high school student Kenneth Weishuhn took his own life after terrible bullying on social networks and at school and Alex Libby, who was featured in the movie Bully, was forced to move after bullying became unbearable.

Communities have got to come together if we want to put an end to bullying. That starts with a conversation about what is going on in our schools and how policies on all levels can protect kids. No one - certainly not our children - should face bullying and harassment simply for being who they are.

One way to do this is by exploring bullying prevention policies at the local, state, and federal level. That is the goal of a hearing I will convene of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, which I chair, in Des Moines on Friday, June 8th. The hearing will bring together local students and their teachers as well as federal officials who will discuss this problem more broadly. During the hearing I will also discuss legislation I have cosponsored that will help protect children so they are able to attend school and learn, free from bullying and harassment. The event is open to the public and I encourage area residents to attend.

Together, we can start a conversation; shine the light on this problem, and change the dynamic in schools.

For more information about my efforts to combat bullying in schools, please visit my website at harkin.senate.gov, visit my Facebook or Twitter pages, or call any of my offices in Washington, D.C. or across Iowa.