Published: May 10, 2008 04:47 pm            

Outstanding ISU seniors, juniors receive Rankin award

Four seniors and 16 juniors have been recognized for their achievement and service to Indiana State University with Alan C. Rankin awards.

Named for ISU’s seventh president, Alan C. Rankin, who served from 1965-1975, the Rankin Awards are sponsored by the Student Alumni Association and the Office of Alumni Affairs.

The awards were established to recognize outstanding members of the junior and senior classes who have contributed to the betterment of campus life at ISU. Individuals selected to receive the awards must have a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.25 and demonstrated dedicated membership and leadership ability in campus organizations, as well as in the community.

Hannah Steele, Kit Corps, Steffyn Kiefer and Laura Rudolphi will receive the Alan C. Rankin Memorial Distinguished Senior Awards during commencement exercises at 2 p.m. May 3 in Hulman Center.

Steele, an English major from Oblong, Ill., is involved in multiple campus organizations in addition to serving as a member of the Pearson Student Advisory Board. Pearson, the world’s largest educational publisher, launched an initiative in June 2006 to bring student perspective into the company, its programs and business models. As chairwoman of the editorial committee, Steele is helping shape how the publisher creates textbooks and online supplements.

Steele is a member of Eta Sigma Pi, Sigma Tau Delta and Phi Kappa Phi honor societies and the President’s Scholars Association. She has worked on several ISU publications and journals, including Indiana English, The Folklore Historian and iQ Magazine. She has worked as a learning community peer assistant, English and writing tutor.

Corps, a psychology major from Kendallville, has worked as a learning community peer assistant for three semesters, helping freshmen adjust to campus life. She has been an active member of College Mentors for Kids, four different honor societies (Phi Kappa Phi, Psi Chi, Alpha Lambda Delta and the National Society of Collegiate Scholars) and completed the University Honors Program.

In addition to volunteering her time to help children, she has contributed to research being conducted by ISU faculty and graduate students. Corps worked with Kymberley Bennett as a research assistant, studying cardiac rehabilitation and the variables that impact recovery.

She also worked with Tom Steiger, gathering data through telephone surveys about the crime rate and residents’ knowledge of crime.

Kiefer, a social studies education major from Brazil, did his student teaching this semester at Woodrow Wilson Middle School. He is a member of numerous honor societies (Alpha Lambda Delta, Golden Key International Honor Society, Kappa Delta Pi, Pi Lambda Theta, Sigma Alpha Lambda, Phi Kappa Phi, Mortar Board and the National Society of Collegiate Scholars). Kiefer has been active with Alpha Tau Omega fraternity and has served as a tutor for social studies students.

Rudolphi, an insurance and risk management major from Carlyle, Ill., is a member of the Insurance and Risk Management Honors Corps and the Beta Gamma business fraternity in addition to being a four-year member of the ISU women’s basketball team. She has served on the Missouri Valley Conference Student Advisory Committee since May 2007.

Rudolphi was named the Missouri Valley Conference Prairie Farms Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2007 as well as being named to the conference’s All-Conference Second Team. In 2007, she was named to ESPN the Magazine’s All America Third Team. In 2008, she was named to the College Sports Information Directors of American Academic All-District Five Team and ESPN the Magazine’s All-American first team.

Juniors receiving Rankin Awards include: Robert Grangier, Blake Reed, Darnequea Johnson, Caitlin Whittington, Andrew Willmann, Allison Sears, Kaelynn Hayes, Amy Huntsinger, Betsy Barnett, Erick Anderson, Stephanie Slade, Robin Smith, William Jackson, Andrew Pyle, Kelli Knight, Casey Lock and MiJin Kim.

        

• Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.