LINCOLN, NE (02/14/2013)(readMedia)-- The University of Nebraska-Lincoln has announced the students named to the Deans' List/Honor Roll for the fall semester of the 2012-13 academic year. Students from this area who qualified included:

Bettendorf: Hannah Marjorie Kurth, senior, music, College of Fine and Performing Arts with a 4.0 grade-point average.

Bettendorf: Nathaniel Robert Sullivan, junior, music, College of Fine and Performing Arts with a 4.0 grade-point average.

Davenport: Samantha Walton Adrales, junior, English, College of Arts and Sciences .

Qualification for the Deans' List varies among the eight undergraduate colleges and the Honor Roll for the Division of General Studies. Listed below are the minimum grade-point averages on a 4-point scale (4.0 equals A) for each entity and the name of its respective dean or director. All qualifying grade-point averages are based on a minimum of 12 or more graded semester hours. Students can be on the Dean's List for more than one college.

? College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, 3.75; Dean Steven F. Waller.

? College of Architecture, top 10 percent of the students in the college; Interim Dean Kim Wilson.

? College of Arts and Sciences, 3.7; Dean David Manderscheid.

? College of Business Administration, 3.6; Dean Donde Plowman.

? College of Education and Human Sciences, 3.75; Dean Marjorie Kostelnik.

? College of Engineering, 3.5; Dean Tim Wei.

? College of Journalism and Mass Communications, 3.7; Interim Dean James O'Hanlon.

? Division of General Studies Honor Roll, 3.6; Director of Undergraduate Education Nancy Mitchell.

? Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts, 3.7; Dean Charles O'Connor.

A full list of Deans' List/Honor Roll students can be found at:

http://newsroom.unl.edu/releases/downloadables/msword/20130213deanslist.txt.

BOURBONNAIS, IL (02/14/2013)(readMedia)-- Moline resident Nicholas Mizeur was recently recognized by the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) for his academic achievements by being named to the All-Academic Team for fall 2012. Mizeur is a senior at Olivet Nazarene University, majoring in youth ministry and political science and competing in men's cross country.

To be nominated for this award, a student-athlete must have been enrolled at his or her respective CCAC school for a minimum of one academic year, have completed at least 30 semester hours and have earned no less than a 3.25 cumulative grade point average.

Olivet Nazarene University is an accredited Christian, liberal arts university offering more than 100 areas of undergraduate and graduate study, including the Doctor of Education in ethical leadership. Olivet has one main campus in Bourbonnais, Ill. - just 50 miles south of Chicago; three sites: Rolling Meadows and Oak Brook, Ill., and Hong Kong; and more than 100 School of Graduate and Continuing Studies learning locations throughout Chicagoland and the Midwest. From Oxford to Tokyo, hundreds of Olivet students also experience the global classroom each year, whether through study abroad opportunities or worldwide mission trips.

More ONU news is available at Olivet.edu, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Licensed University photos and official logos available upon request.

GRADE 6 - OUTSTANDING
Emma Beardsley
Gabe Beardsley
Jonathan Berry
Chloe Boyd
Bryan Cook
Anna Darrow
John Do
Sydney Elliott
Grant Florence
Julia Fout
Parker Georlett
Lauren Hird
Evan Juarez
Hannah Luppen
Olivia Manternach
Nate Maynard
Aaron Mickelson
Haley Mosely
Paige Nimrick
Mackenzie Parboosingh
Faith Pickslay
Mary Powers
Vanessa Reger
Ava Reynolds
Lily Schoeck
Kaitlynn Zonnevylle

GRADE 6 - DISTINGUISHED
Kaitlyn Bender
Emily Elliott
Katlynn McVey
Isabella Milani
Lily Steffen
Natika Woods

GRADE 7 - OUTSTANDING
Zoe Arvanitis
Alyssa Carpita
Bailey Estes
Amber Guzzo
Brendan Hird
Kale Hyder
Alyssa Klauer

GRADE 7 - DISTINGUISHED
Bridget Ferguson
Mindy Hoang
Erik Hoffman
Cloie Jennings
Ben Luppen
Rebecca Nonnenmann
Jenna Pauley
Jessica Pauley
Collin Rogiers
Clare VanSpeybroeck
Brenon Wilson

GRADE 8 - OUTSTANDING
Lucy Adlfinger
Maris Boelens
Sidney Boelens
Conner Boyd
Augie Darrow
Brian Do
Lisa Do
Sam Dodson
Michael Elliott
Emily Ostrowski
Samantha Sharp

GRADE 8 - DISTINGUISHED
Antonio Anderson
Molly Hunter

The Outstanding Honor Roll requires more A's than B's with no C's. The Distinguished Honor Roll requires more B's than A's with no more than one C.

(February 12, 2013) - Concordia University Wisconsin officials released the Fall Dean's List for the first semester of 2012-2013 academic year. To be eligible for the honor, students must achieve a minimum 3.50 GPA.

Among the area students named to the list were: Elizabeth Vondera, Freshman from Davenport, Athletic Training

Founded in 1881, Concordia University Wisconsin, 12800 North Lake Shore Drive, Mequon, offers 49 undergraduate majors and is affiliated with The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. The school is located on 155 acres of Lake Michigan shoreline, only 15 minutes north of downtown Milwaukee.

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WHITEWATER, WI (02/13/2013)(readMedia)-- The following students have been named to the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Dean's List for the fall semester of 2012.

These students have demonstrated their academic abilities by receiving a grade point average of 3.4 or above in a single semester.

"We are very proud of all our students on the Dean's List," said Beverly Kopper, provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs. "The Dean's List signifies academic excellence on our campus, and we pride ourselves on attracting those types of highly motivated students."

The Registrar's Office reports 2,917 students were selected for the Dean's List for the fall semester. About 12,000 students are currently enrolled at UW-Whitewater.

PORT BYRON, IL - State Rep. Mike Smiddy (D-Hillsdale) invites local K-12 students to participate
in Google's Doodle 4 Google contest for the opportunity to have their artwork featured on the
Google homepage and receive a $30,000 college scholarship and a $50,000 technology grant
for his or her school.

Google doodles are the fun versions of the Google logo that appear on the Google homepage
to recognize special events and people. The theme for this year's contest is "My Best Day
Ever..." and students are invited to submit their entries by mail or online by the March 22, 2013
deadline. On May 1, 2013, the 50 state winning designs will be opened up for a public vote.
State winners will be flown to New York City for a national awards ceremony on May 22, 2013,
where the National Winner will be announced.

"Doodle 4 Google is an innovative and fun way to encourage students to be creative," said
Smiddy. "As a parent, I appreciate Google's commitments to stimulating young imaginations
and helping to support schools and families with the grant and scholarship money available
through this contest."

Doodles will be judged by Google users and a panel of guest judges, including journalist Katie
Couric, musician Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson of The Roots, Chris Sanders, writer and director
of Lilo & Stitch and How to Train Your Dragon, and Pendleton Ward, creator of Adventure Time.

Entry forms, contest rules, an educator's guide, and more information can be found at
www.google.com/doodle4google. Smiddy's constituent services office can be reached at
RepSmiddy@gmail.com, (309) 848-9098, or toll-free at (855) 243-4988.

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Jefferson City, MO (February 11, 2013) - Lincoln University of Missouri is pleased to release the names of students who qualified for the Fall 2012 Dean's List. In order to qualify for the Dean's List a student must acquire at least a 3.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scale, with a minimum of 12 credit hours in qualifying course work:

Lena L. Connor of Davenport

Simon unveils new white paper on higher education in Illinois at Chicago's Union League Club

CHICAGO - February 12, 2013. Lt. Governor Sheila Simon was the featured guest speaker today at the Union League Club in Chicago. Simon released a white paper on game-changing reforms that will make college more affordable and increase graduation rates.

"We need to make sure that our high school students are ready for college and complete certificates and degrees on time and with less debt," said Simon, Governor Quinn's point person on education reform. "The return on educational investment is proven for graduates seeking living-wage jobs and a state seeking high-quality employers. College is worth it."

According to Simon, affordability is the most significant barrier to students seeking degrees at public universities. Simon's white paper includes game-changing reforms, such as dual degree programs that enable students to enroll simultaneously in community colleges and universities. Students are able to pay lower community college tuitions rates and later transition seamlessly to a university.

Reverse transfer programs enable students who have transferred from community colleges to continue earning credits toward an associate degree when their university classes overlap with community college requirements. Simon also suggested targeted income taxes waivers for students who earn bachelor's or advanced degrees and choose to live and work in Illinois post-graduation.

The paper follows Simon's College Affordability Summits for students, teachers and administrators held this fall at the state's 12 public universities.

As the state's leading voice on education and chair of the Joint Educational Leadership Committee, Lt. Governor Simon is charged with increasing to 60 percent the proportion of working-age adults in Illinois with college degrees or certificates by 2025.

This goal is critical to the economic future of Illinois and its families. Without an educated workforce, Illinois will be unable to attract and retain employers requiring highly-skilled workers to fill current openings and sustain their future growth.

Lt. Governor Simon's white paper can be found here.

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(DES MOINES) - Gov. Terry E. Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds today joined Des Moines North High School Principal Matthew Smith to outline their educational achievement goals.

In 1992, Iowa was a top performer on the National Assessment of Educational Progress, also known as the nation's report card because it is the only state-by-state comparison. Iowa eighth-graders were No. 1 in math, with an average score of 283. Iowa fourth-graders placed fifth in reading, with score of 225, but no state scored significantly higher.

By 2011, the most recent national test data, Iowa eighth-graders had fallen to 25th in math, with a score of 285. Iowa fourth-graders had dropped to 29th in reading with a score of 221.

The governor identified his first achievement target: For Iowa to score in the top 10 on national tests in fourth-grade reading and eighth-grade math by 2019.

"National tests in reading and math are given every two years," said Branstad. "If the Legislature passes our education reform package, it would be fully implemented in 2017-18. The 2019 national tests would be our first opportunity to see how we are doing a few years into implementation."

Meanwhile, by 2011 many other states significantly improved their scores bypassing Iowa in the rankings. No. 1 Massachusetts, for example, in 2011 scored 299 in eighth-grade math, and No. 2 Minnesota scored 295. Third-place New Jersey scored 294.

By 2011, in fourth-grade reading, No. 1 Massachusetts scored 237, followed by second-place New Jersey and third-place Maryland each scoring 231.

Branstad also stressed the importance of Iowa's global competitiveness.

"Iowa eventually will need to benchmark not only against No. 1 Massachusetts but against academic stars like Singapore, Canada and Finland," said Branstad.

Attracting more top students into teaching is a focus of the governor and lieutenant governor's education reform plan. In the Iowa class of 2012, students who took the ACT who said they plan to become teachers scored lower than other test-takers. Here is the breakdown:

  • Prospective teachers (820 students) had an average composite score of 20.8.
  • For other test-takers (22,299), the average composite score was 22.2.

"Higher expectations for all students mean it's no longer reasonable to expect one principal in each building to provide all the instructional leadership needed," said Reynolds. "That's why we're calling for principal and teacher leadership teams to work together to do this."

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MOUNT VERNON, IA (02/11/2013)(readMedia)-- Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa, named 254 students to the Dean's List for the fall semester. The following students in your area were named to the list.

Stephanie Campbell of Bettendorf, earned Honors.

Rachel Henning of De Witt, earned High Honors.

Erin McDonnell of De Witt, earned Highest Honors.

Leanna Doyle of Davenport, earned High Honors.

A grade point average of at least 3.6 on a 4.0 scale is required for this designation. "Highest honors" are granted to students with 4.0 averages; "high honors" are awarded to students with 3.8 to 3.99 averages; and "honors" include grade point averages of 3.6 to 3.79.

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 (OCAAT) academic calendar. The OCAAT schedule provides students with intellectual immersion, academic focus, and 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. Founded in 1853, the college's entire hilltop campus is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

For more information, visit www.cornellcollege.edu.

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