Barry McNamara  |  Published April 25, 2016

Scholars Day

Award winners, roundup of events from one of College’s ‘most significant days’
Sisters Jane Kurtz '73 and Caroline Kurtz '72 posed in front of one of Monmouth College's Ethiopia Projects, which were on...
Sisters Jane Kurtz ’73 and Caroline Kurtz ’72 posed in front of one of Monmouth College’s “Ethiopia Projects,” which were on display in the Center for Science and Business as part of Scholars Day activities.
Monmouth College observed Scholars Day – called “one of the most significant days of the college year” by President Clarence R. Wyatt during his Honors Convocation remarks – on Tuesday with several events highlighting the College’s academic successes.

Included were nearly 100 poster presentations in the Center for Science and Business, exhibits focusing on the College’s projects in Ethiopia and on 19th-century Monmouth student Samuel Weed, Honors Program presentations and speeches.

“Today we celebrate the core of our mission – the nurturing of intellectual curiosity and achievement,” said Wyatt. “For it is that power of intellect – the ability to see an issue, an experience, a problem, an opportunity in its many facets, to understand its context – that fosters growth of character and empowers action leading to positive change. The combined power of thought and action is the heart of Monmouth College’s distinctive experience in the liberating arts. And it is that process of liberation that enables our students to approach the world, with all its challenges and opportunities, confidently ­– fearlessly.”

At the Honors Convocation, Corey Yost of Eldridge, Iowa, and Jack Godlewski of Elgin, Ill., were named the Senior Man of the Year and Freshman Man of the Year by the Blue Key honor society. Winning the Mortar Board honor society’s Senior Woman of the Year was Amber Berge of Port Byron, Ill., while Keeley Brinkmeier of Mt. Carroll, Ill., and Kate Saulcy of Bloomington, Ill., shared Mortar Board’s Freshman Woman of the Year honor.

Emily Billin ’17 of Whitewater, Wis., and Trent Markland of Skokie, Ill., were announced as the 2016-17 president and vice president of the Associated Students of Monmouth College, the governing arm of the student body.

Professor Hannah Schell, who has taught in Monmouth’s department of philosophy and religious studies since 2001, received the Hatch Award for Distinguished Scholarship.

Photos of the Honors Convocation award winners

PDF of Honors Convocation program (with pre-announced award winners listed)   Photos of Scholars Day presentations 
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