President Carl J. Strikwerda with recipients of the 2014 Distinguished Student and Points of Distinction Scholar Awards.
Elizabethtown College students were honored at the Student Awards Ceremony Wednesday, April 16. President Carl J. Strikwerda presented the Distinguished Student Awards and the Points of Distinction Scholar Award.
Distinguished Student Awards are earned by students who have demonstrated an integration of the four strategic signature attributes of an Elizabethtown College education: relationship-centered learning, international and intercultural understanding, purposeful life work and experimental learning. The award also can be achieved by advising or mentoring relationships, international study or intercultural service projects, a fulfilling internship experience, a campus or community leadership role, or a challenging research project. Nominated students must submit a written narrative explaining how the learning was enhanced through these experiences.
Seven students received Distinguished Student Awards, including first-year music therapy student Samantha Eisdorfer.
“Being honored as a distinguished student has given me a real sense of encouragement and support from the College that I love so much. It’s validation that I am on the right track and should continue to challenge myself further in areas of personal development, leadership and service,” said Eisdorfer.
Sophomore actuarial science and economics student, Collin Davidson also was honored. “[The award] represents a lot of hard work that has paid off,” he said. “It’s a validation that I am on the right track and should continue to challenge myself further.”
It’s validation that I am on the right track and should continue to challenge myself further.”
The Points of Distinction Scholar Award is presented to a senior student who best proves he or she has an effective integration of the four signature attributes. Duc T. Dam earned this year’s award.
Susan Lehman, assistant to the Dean of Students, organizes the Student Awards Ceremony; she explained that recipients are selected by the Campus Life Committee, which is a mixture of faculty and staff members and Elizabethtown College students. The process starts in January with a campus wide call for nominations. Students, who must be in good social and academic standing, are notified of their nomination and asked to write an essay given a certain criteria. These essays, with all identifying information removed, are given to the Campus Life Committee. Committee members read the essays and applications and choose the recipients.
The Student Awards Ceremony is held each spring semester. Other student awards from the Campus Life division are also awarded.