Augustana College

Rachel Nandelenga, a senior pre-medicine and neuroscience major from Cary, Ill., was selected as a student laureate for The Lincoln Academy of Illinois. She was nominated by Augustana College President Andrea Talentino. Each fall, a senior from each of the state's four-year colleges and universities and one student from the community colleges in Illinois are awarded the Abraham Lincoln Civic Engagement Award, becoming student laureates. This is the Lincoln Academy's 49th year celebrating student excellence in Illinois.

Augustana College 2023 graduate Madeleine Lange, a sociology and anthropology double major from Cascade, Iowa, was nominated to submit a 'More Than I Imagined' profile, which recognizes seniors who have achieved remarkable academic or personal growth during their time at the Rock Island college.

Eight Augustana College geology majors presented earth science concepts on Oct. 11 at Moline Public Library's Fossil Day Program.

Nineteen Augustana College students recently completed SCUBA certification, with many planning to put their new skills to work during a Janaury Geology course in the Caribbean, diving in the topical waters and reefs of Bonaire.

More than 35 Augutsana College students worked on the production of the area premiere of "Nine," Nov. 16-19, directed by Shelley Cooper, associate professor of theatre arts. "Nine" is presented at the Brunner Theatre Center Main Stage.

A dozen Augustana College seniors are exhibiting their work at Wallenberg Hall at the Rock Island campus as part of the annual senior inquiry art show.

Twenty Augustana College students were elected to the college's Student Government Association (SGA) for the 2023-2024 academic year.

More than 100 Augustana Vikings football players took a break from practice to assist the water line inventory project.

More than 40 Augustana College students will serve on the college's Student Government Association (SGA) for the 2023-2024 academic year.

Augustana College students were among those who answered the call when United Way Quad Cities launched The QC Caring Assignment.

Alexander Tosetti, a senior accounting and business administration major, plans to become a certified public accountant.

Augustana College senior, Lucas simon (Notre Dame, Chicago, Ill.), was named an inaugural recipient of the James A. Sikich Scholarship. Simon, a three year letter winner on the Vikings basketball team, was one of just two students to receive the award, which was established earlier this year with the Illinois CPA Society. Simon majors in accounting and business management information systems and serves on campus as a career mentor, peer mentor for incoming freshmen, and community advisor. He also was the winner of the ICPA's Mary T. Washington Wylie Scholarship earlier in his career. "It's definitely an honor to receive this scholarship," Simon said. "It really feels nice to have hard work pay off and this is just a testement to that. I'm truly grateful for it." The Sikich Scholarship supports students who apply to the Illinois CPA Society (ICPAS) Accounting Scholarship Program. Students are selected annually based upon key criteria as established in cooperation with the ICPAS. This includes accounting students who have demonstrated leadership on campus, as well as students who are minoring in computer science or technology. This scholarship is named after James A. Sikich and its stated goal is to support deserving students who apply to the ICPAS Accounting Scholarship Program. These scholarships help make an accounting education accessible and attainable to bright, promising college students.

Student research assistants were joined by President Andrea Talentino and Dr. Dianna Shandy for a morning of knocking on doors in Rock Island to encourage residents to report the material of their water service lines.

Augustana College senior Brett Kuras is interning this summer with the college's Office of Communication and Marketing Department.

Augustana College announced more than 1,000 students were named to the Dean's List for the 2022-23 spring semester. Students who have earned this academic honor have maintained a grade point average of 3.5 or higher on a four-point scale for courses taken during the term.

Augustana College announced more than 1,000 students were named to the Dean's List for the 2021-22 fall semester. Students who have earned this academic honor have maintained a grade point average of 3.5 or higher on a four-point scale for courses taken during the term.

Ten Augustana College students were recognized by the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) as Esports Academic Honorees for the Spring 2023 semester.

Augustana College mens' basketball senior Daniel Carr has been named an Academic All-American by College Sports Communicators - one of the highest honors for collegiate student-athletes. He is the 178th Academic All-American in the history of Augustana, which ranks No. 1 in the CCIW and seventh in NCAA Division III in number of Academic All-Americans.

Augustana College recognized 624 students at the college's 163rd commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 27. The Class of 2023 is the most diverse class in Augustana's 163-year history, with graduates hailing from 20 countries including the United States and 24 U.S. states.

Augustana College, Rock Island, Ill., held its spring commencement ceremony on Sunday, May 22. 508 students from 19 countries and 18 states participated in the ceremony.

Forty-eight students at Augustana College, in Rock Island, Ill., recently were inducted nto the college's Phi Beta Kappa chapter. This national academic honor society recognizes scholarly achievement, character, integrity, and independence of mind. Members are elected by faculty. Election is less a reward for past success than a recognition of exceptional promise for future growth and achievement.

Josh Malone '20 of Chenoa, Ill., never imagined his Senior Inquiry research would one day be featured in The New York Times. Malone theorizes that polished stones he found in Wyoming are gastroliths (stones that animals swallow to help digestion), and that dinosaurs carried them out west from Wisconsin. The theory needs further study, but the analytical technique Malone used in his research "swings the door open for paleontologists to date other gastroliths," according to The New York Times article.

Senior Rob Williams had the distinction of being the only undergraduate accepted by the program committee to present his research at the annual meeting of the American Historical Association. Williams, who is majoring in history education, presented a paper titled "Must They Write?" at the meeting in Chicago on Jan. 6.