Honorary Societies
Alpha Kappa Delta (Sociology)
AKD stands for Alpha Kappa Delta, a non-secret democratic, international society of scholars dedicated to ideal or Athropon Katamannthanein Diakonesin or “to investigate humanity for the purpose of service”. AKD seeks to acknowledge and promote excellence in scholarship in the study of sociology, the research of social problems, and such other social and intellectual activities as will lead to improvements in the human condition.
Alpha Psi Omega (Theatre)
Alpha Psi Omega is a national theatre honor society dedicated to the promotion and recognition of excellence in college theater. Lake Forest College’s Nu Sigma chapter was established in 1954 and for more than 50 years has served to honor scholastically outstanding students who have attained at least a 3.2 GPA overall and who have shown superior accomplishment in dramatic arts at Lake Forest College by participation in at least five productions. Membership is determined by the current student membership with the advisement of the faculty sponsors. An initiation ceremony is traditionally performed each spring.
Beta Beta Beta (Tri-Beta) (Biology)
Beta Beta Beta, whose Lake Forest College chapter dates back to 1935, functions as an honor society for students of the biological sciences. Its activities are designed to stimulate interest, scholarly attainment, and investigation in the biological sciences, as well as to promote the dissemination of information and new interpretations among students of the life sciences. To become an active member of Tri-Beta, a student must be a biology major and have earned grades of B or A in at least three biology courses counting toward the major (one of which must be above the introductory level), must have completed the equivalent of at least three terms of study at Lake Forest College, and must have an overall 3.0 GPA in the major. Associate membership is open to any student with an interest in the life sciences who has earned a grade of B or A in two biology courses counting toward the major and has an overall GPA of 2.67. Members are elected each term, and officers are elected from among the active members at the last meeting of each school year.
Kappa Delta Pi (Education)
Kappa Delta Pi is an international honor society organized to promote excellence in education. It recognizes education majors who exhibit the ideals of scholarship, high personal standards, and promise in teaching, and who make contributions to education. The Tau Psi chapter was chartered at Lake Forest College in 1994, replacing Kappa Phi Kappa, a local honor society. During the Spring semester of each year, students who have been admitted to the Department of Education and have successfully completed fieldwork, as well as two other courses in education with a B (3.0) or better, and who have attained a 3.2 GPA overall are invited to join Kappa Delta Pi.
Lambda Pi Eta (Communication)
Lambda Pi Eta is the national honors society for undergraduate study ion communication. It is an affiliate of the National Communication Association. The Tau Chi chapter at Lake Forest College was founded in 2005
Lambda Alpha (Anthropology )
Lambda Alpha is the international honors society for students of anthropology. The name, Lambda Alpha, comes from the initial letters of the Greek words logosanthropou, meaning the “study of man”. The society was originally founded with the purpose of encouraging scholarship and research in anthropology.
Nu Rho Psi (Neuroscience)
Nu Rho Psi is the National Honor Society in Neuroscience, founded in 2006 by the Faculty for Undergraduate Neuroscience.
The purpose of Nu Rho Psi is to:
- encourage professional interest and excellence in scholarship, particularly in neuroscience;
- award recognition to students who have achieved such excellence in scholarship;
- advance the discipline of neuroscience; encourage intellectual and social interaction between students, faculty, and professionals in neuroscience and related fields;
- promote career development in neuroscience and related fields;
- increase public awareness of neuroscience and its benefits for the individual and society; and
- encourage service to the community.
Omicron Delta Epsilon (Economics)
Omicron Delta Epsilon, the international economics honorary society, is dedicated to the encouragement of excellence in economics. It encourages devotion on the part of its members as economists to the advancement of their science and to the scholarly effort to make freedom from want and deprivation a reality for all humankind. The Rho chapter of Omicron Delta Epsilon was established at Lake Forest College in 1985. During the Spring term of each year, students who have compiled a 3.0 GPA overall and a 3.0 GPA for at least 12 credits in economics (three Lake Forest College courses), and who have expressed a genuine interest in economics will be invited to join Omicron Delta Epsilon.
Phi Beta Kappa
Phi Beta Kappa is an academic honorary society dedicated to the recognition of superior academic achievement in the liberal arts and sciences. The Lake Forest College chapter (Theta of Illinois), one of 262 in the nation, was founded in 1962. To have a Phi Beta Kappa chapter approved by the national organization is a high honor for a college. In order to win a chapter, the college or university must meet Phi Beta Kappa standards in providing a solid and high-quality liberal arts program. Both faculty and students are members of Phi Beta Kappa. It is the faculty membership that each year elects student members on the basis of outstanding academic achievement. Ordinarily these are graduating seniors, but it is possible, in the case of extraordinary achievement, to be elected in the junior year. This is a rare and special honor. New Phi Beta Kappa members are initiated in a special ceremony that takes place in the spring. The criteria for election include sustained academic excellence as reflected in a strong academic record. Weight is given to the breadth of the program pursued by students, as shown by the number and variety of courses taken outside the major. Weight is also given to balance and proportion in the student’s degree program as a whole. (Professional education and business courses and internships are not counted.) Finally, a student elected to Phi Beta Kappa is expected to have demonstrated at least a minimal knowledge of mathematics and a foreign language appropriate for a liberal arts education.
Phi Sigma Iota (Foreign Languages)
Phi Sigma Iota is the foreign language national honor society. Its purpose is to cultivate interest and encourage excellence in the field of foreign languages. The organization offers its members and the College community at large an opportunity to come into contact with different aspects of foreign language and culture. Candidates for membership must have reached the 300 course level in a foreign language at Lake Forest College or equivalent courses at another institution. They must also have a 3.00 GPA in a foreign language, as well as an overall 3.00 GPA.
Pi Sigma Alpha (Political Science)
Pi Sigma Alpha is the national political science honorary society. The Lake Forest College chapter was founded in 1971. Its purpose is to stimulate productive scholarship and interest in the subject of politics and government by honoring superior students in this field. To become members, students must be either juniors or seniors; must have taken four politics courses above the 100 level (at least two of those at Lake Forest College and at least one at the 300 or 400 level); must have a B+ (3.33) average in political science courses above the 100 level; and must have an overall B (3.0) GPA in all courses.
Psi Chi (Psychology)
Psi Chi is the national honorary society for psychology majors who have been recognized for their academic excellence. The Lake Forest College chapter was established in 1960. Its purpose is to organize social and intellectual activities for psychology majors. In the spring of each year, the present members review a list of psychology majors who have at least a 3.5 average in psychology courses and a 3.0 overall GPA. Students who qualify are invited to join Psi Chi.
Sigma Tau Delta (English)
Sigma Tau Delta is the English honor society for students at four-year colleges and universities. It is dedicated to fostering literacy and all aspects of the discipline of English.
Theta Alpha Kappa (Religious Studies)
Theta Alpha Kappa is the only national honor society dedicated to recognizing academic excellence in baccalaureate and post-baccalaureate students and in scholars in the fields of Religious Studies and Theology.
Student Honors and Awards
The College community honors and rewards the outstanding achievements of its students and faculty by acclaiming them in public and by awarding them significant prizes at the Student Leadership Awards Ceremony in April and the Senior Honors Convocation in May and the Matriculation Ceremony in August. In keeping with the dignity and College-wide importance of its convocations, only the most outstanding achievements are to be honored in this way. Prizes are awarded to the best students who have proven themselves genuinely outstanding by absolute rather than relative standards. Each prize is to be a distinguished and valuable reward commensurate with the occasion and with the prizewinner’s achievement. Such distinction and value are embodied particularly in the prizes endowed and donated by friends and alumni of the College to perpetuate their ties to the academic community. These awards, presented at the Honors Convocations and Leadership Awards Ceremony, collectively express and celebrate not only intellectual and personal excellence, but also the special, enduring relationship between present and past generations of Lake Forest College. Outstanding students in academic areas for which there are no endowed or donated prizes are honored out of the College’s own prize fund for graduating seniors. Awards and prizes other than those referred to below are presented at departmental gatherings or at chapter meetings of the respective honor societies.
General Awards
The Alpha Sigma Kappa Class of 1938 Memorial Prize
This prize was established in 1993 by members of the Class of 1938 who were members of the Alpha Sigma Kappa fraternity. The prize is given to a senior student who has sustained a 3.4 cumulative GPA, has participated in at least two co-curricular activities on campus, and has exhibited a strong commitment to community service while a student at Lake Forest College for at least the last two years. The recipient of the prize is chosen by the Dean of Students and two faculty members. The prize is presented at the Student Leadership Awards Ceremony.
The Bird Award for Intellectual Contributions to the Campus Community
The Bird Award recognizes an individual from the Lake Forest College community—faculty, staff, student, or friend—who brings to the campus a special measure of intellectual fervor and commitment. Such a contribution, demonstrated outside the classroom, may be evidenced either within or outside of campus organizations. The recipient is to be an individual who by action or words challenges the minds of others and who serves as a model for those who study or work at the College. The recipient is chosen by a committee composed of the President, the Provost and Dean of the Faculty, the Dean of Students, the Chair of the Trustee Committee on Student Affairs, and the current recipient of the award. The Bird Award, established by an anonymous donor in 1992, honors Elizabeth Bird Parks, Lake Forest College 1932, and her father, Harry Lewis Bird, Lake Forest College 1894. The Bird Award is presented at the Fall Matriculation Ceremony.
The Peter C. Clute Award for Outstanding Character
The Peter C. Clute Award for Outstanding Character was established to honor the memory of Peter C. Clute, class of 1973, whose “boundless energy and infectious and unceasing enthusiasm brought great happiness to all who knew him.” The fund was established through the generosity of Peter’s friends and classmates. The recipient of the award, selected by Lake Forest College Campus Life staff in consultation with the Student Government Executive Board, “… shall be that Lake Forest College student whose uniquely positive attitude and whose joy in living inspires and enhances the lives of those around him or her.” The award is presented at the Student Leadership Awards Ceremony. The recipient will be invited to speak at the ceremony.
The Jacob Wardwell Edwards Prize
The prize was established by friends and relatives in memory of Mr. Edwards, former Director of Admissions. The prize is given annually to the rising sophomore who is judged to have demonstrated the most outstanding qualities of leadership during his or her first year at the College. The recipient is selected by a committee composed of the Dean of Students, the Director of Admissions, and the President of Student Government. The award is announced and presented at the Spring Leadership Awards Ceremony.
Grace Elizabeth Groner Foundation Awards
- The Community Service Award is given to a student who is selected by members of the Grace Elizabeth Groner Foundation as the senior recipient who earned distinction while volunteering at a community organization.
- The National ServiceAward is given to a student who is selected by members of the Grace Elizabeth Groner Foundation as the senior recipient who earned distinction while volunteering on behalf of citizens across the nation.
- The International Service Award is given to a student who is selected by members of the Grace Elizabeth Groner Foundation as the senior recipient who earned distinction while volunteering to serve people around the world.
The Scott Fossel Prize
The Scott Fossel Prize was established in 1993 to recognize a rising sophomore and a rising junior who exhibit positive leadership attributes in scholarly and/or co-curricular activities as Mr. Fossel, Lake Forest College 1975, demonstrated as a student. The recipients are chosen by a committee of representatives of the faculty, administration, and the Dean of Students, appointed by the Provost and Dean of the Faculty. The Scott Fossel Prizes are awarded at the Fall Matriculation Ceremony.
The Emma O. Haas Memorial Awards for Merit in Scholarship
The late Judge John F. Haas, a graduate in the Class of 1900, established these annual awards in memory of his mother. A cash prize is awarded to a senior-class student outstanding in scholarship as selected by the Dean of the Faculty. This award is announced and presented the day of the annual Senior Honors Convocation. A cash prize is also awarded to a sophomore-class student and to a junior-class student at the Fall Matriculation Ceremony.
The All-College Writing Contest Award
The All-College Writing Contest Award was created to encourage interest and excellence in scholarly writing by all undergraduate students enrolled at the College. The contest is juried by faculty members from a variety of disciplines. The award is presented at the appropriate Honors Convocation.
The First Year Writing Contest Award
The First Year Writing Contest Award was created to encourage interest and excellence in scholarly writing. The contest is juried by faculty members and selected students. The award is presented at the Fall Matriculation Ceremony.
The Anita Chen Li, ’51, International Student Prize
The Anita Chen Li, ’51, International Student Prize is awarded to an international student who has distinguished himself or herself academically and has demonstrated distinguished service to the College community. The recipient is selected by the Associate Vice President for Financial Aid. The prize was established through an endowment created by Anita Chen Li, Class of 1951, and is presented at the Spring Leadership Awards Ceremony.
The McPherson Prizes for Excellence in Scholarship
Each year several prizes given for excellence in scholarship are named after the Reverend Simon J. McPherson. A sum of $3,000 was contributed in 1899 by his friends to establish prizes in English, philosophy, French, Spanish, and theater. The winners are chosen by the department chairs and are announced at the Senior Honors Convocation.
The Edward H. Oppenheimer Memorial Prize Awards
The Edward H. Oppenheimer Memorial Prize Awards are given each year to two senior students who are judged to have contributed the most to the College community. Seniors will be invited to apply based on the following criteria: 3.00 cumulative grade point average, no major code of conduct violations, and submission of an application, resume, a rough draft of the intended speech, and completion of an interview with the selection committee. The selection committee consists of the Dean of Students, the Dean of the Faculty, Director of Athletics, Vice President for Enrollment, Vice President for Communications and Marketing, President and Vice President of Student Government, and the Vice President for Advancement. The prize, given by James K. Oppenheimer, Class of 1965, honors his father. It is announced at the Annual Leadership Awards Ceremony and awarded at the Senior Honors Convocation.
Phi Beta Kappa Senior Thesis Award
This award is given in recognition of outstanding scholarship, intellectual maturity, originality, and competence in academic skills as evidenced in the senior thesis. The award is presented at the Senior Honors Convocation by the Lake Forest College Phi Beta Kappa Association.
The Tamara Lee Wefler Award
This award was established by the class of 1977 in memory of their classmate Tamara Lee Wefler (1955–1975). The prize is awarded annually to that senior whose independent spirit has encouraged the acceptance of a diversity of values and beliefs within the student body; whose inspiration and enthusiasm have promoted the highest standards of character and integrity in others; and whose actions have consistently demonstrated a sensitivity for and an interest in the welfare of others. This award is conferred by a committee consisting of three Student Government representatives, two Campus Life representatives, and one faculty member to be selected by the other members of the committee. It is announced and awarded at the Student Leadership Awards Ceremony.
The Robert Patrick Tiernan Award
This award is granted to a graduating senior who closely resembles Mr. Tiernan’s background and who will be pursuing a law degree from the University of Michigan. The recipient will be selected by the Director of Athletics and the Director of Financial Aid. It is awarded at the Senior Honor Convocation.
Senior Class Speaker
Each year, the College will invite one member of the Senior class to speak and represent their peers at the Commencement ceremony. The process for the selection of this honor shall be managed by the Gates Center for Leadership and Personal Growth, in consultation with the Director of Special Events, the representative from the Office of Communications and Marketing, and faculty representatives. The process for application will be communicated to the Senior class each spring. The chosen member of the Senior class must be current undergraduate student at Lake Forest College and be able to easily access campus during the weeks prior to commencement.
Departmental Awards
American Studies
The W. Gordon Milne Prize in American Studies
This prize was established in the spring of 1990 to honor the memory of Professor Milne, who served with distinction at Lake Forest College from 1951 to 1986 as a professor and chairperson of the Department of English. Professor Milne was instrumental in developing the interdisciplinary major in American Studies. This prize is awarded at Senior Honors Convocation to a student who is judged by the members of the American Studies Committee to have done the most outstanding work in this field.
Art
The Alex F. Mitchell Senior Prize in Art History
This prize was established by Ramona Mitchell to honor the memory of her husband and colleague, Professor Alex F. Mitchell, who passed away in December 1996 after serving Lake Forest College with distinction as professor and chairperson of the Department of Art. The prize is intended for the student or students who, in the judgment of the chairperson and other members of the department, have been outstanding in art history. It is awarded at the Senior Honors Convocation.
Athletics
Scholar/Athlete Award
Lake Forest College annually recognizes student-athletes for their exceptional performance in the classroom by bestowing the Scholar/Athlete Award (previously the Letterman’s Award) on the most deserving senior student-athlete. The athletic letter winner having the best scholastic record for the three terms preceding the annual Fall Honors Convocation will be the Scholar/Athlete Award winner. The senior winner is honored at the Senior Honors Convocation.
There is a Scholar/Athlete Award for the three remaining classes, which are presented annually during the respective student-athletes’ awards ceremony.
The Nicholas J. Wasylik Senior Athletic Award
This award was created and endowed in 1983 by Seymour H. Knox IV, a Lake Forest College graduate of the Class of 1979, to honor Nicholas J. Wasylik, who served on the faculty of the College from 1958 to 1979 as Director of Athletics, coach, physical educator, and, in his earlier years, as assistant professor of Russian. The award is presented to the senior athlete who best emulates the positive, outgoing attitude, as well as the drive and determination, of Nicholas J. Wasylik. The recipient is chosen by the Director of Athletics in consultation with the members of the Athletic Department. It is awarded at the Senior Honors Convocation.
Biology
David W. Towle Award for Excellence in Biological Research
The David W. Towle Award for Excellence in Biological Research is named after a former professor of the Biology Department who transformed it into an active research department for both professors and students alike and set an example for new faculty members through national acclaim for his scholarship. It is awarded to a biology student who, in the judgment of the department faculty members, has performed outstanding research in Biological Sciences. It is awarded at the Senior Honors Convocation.
Business
The Lorraine D. and H. Randall Heath Prize in Business
The Lorraine D. and H. Randall Heath Prize in Business is given to a student who has made a positive contribution to the Business Program. The recipient has brought passion and excellence to activities at the College and is expected to represent the College well in the future. It is awarded at the Senior Honors Convocation.
Chemistry
American Institute of Chemists Award
This award, given for demonstrated leadership and character, as well as high scholastic standing and potential for advancement in the chemical profession, is presented at a departmental gathering.
Analytical Chemistry Award
This award is given by the Analytical Division of the American Chemical Society. The prize is a one-year subscription to the Journal of Analytical Chemistry and is awarded at a departmental meeting.
Dr. Aldo J. Crovetti Prize in Chemistry
Established in 2009, this prize acknowledges an outstanding graduating senior in the Chemistry Department as selected by its faculty. It is presented at Senior Honors Convocation.
The Freshman Achievement Award in Chemistry
CRC Press of Cleveland, Ohio, gives annually a copy of the Handbook of Chemistry and Physics to an outstanding student in freshman chemistry. The recipient is selected by the faculty of the Department of Chemistry and honored at a departmental gathering.
Merck Organic Chemistry Award
Merck & Company of Rahway, New Jersey, presents a copy of the Merck Index at a departmental gathering to the outstanding student in organic chemistry.
Economics
The Robert Baade Prize in Economics
This award is given to the student who, regardless of GPA, demonstrates unwavering tenacity and grit within the department as well as in the broader campus community.
The H. Murray Herlihy Prize in Economics
This award was created and endowed in 1982, initially by a 1974 alumnus, as well as by other students, to honor Professor Herlihy, whose influence during his 25 years of service to the College, from 1957 to 1982, had touched their academic and professional careers. It is awarded to the outstanding senior economics major at the Senior Honors Convocation.
The Warren A. Peterson Memorial Award in Economics
This award was established by members of Mr. Peterson’s family. The prize is awarded annually to student(s) majoring in economics, with grades, activities, and leadership qualities as the criteria used for selection. It is awarded at the Senior Honors Convocation.
English
The Gail DeHerder Memorial Prize in Creative Writing
The Class of 1959 established a memorial fund to honor Gail DeHerder, a member of the class for three years. The income from this fund is used to provide a cash prize to be awarded each year at the Senior Honors Convocation to the senior who submits the best piece of creative writing.
History
The Richard W. Hantke Award in History
This award is presented to a graduating senior majoring in history or in an interdisciplinary field in which the study of history is emphasized. In the opinion of the history faculty, this student must clearly merit recognition for distinguished performance in the study of history at Lake Forest College, as evidenced in classroom work, in independent study and research, and in general appreciation of the discipline of history. The award is presented at the Senior Honors Convocation.
Latin American and Latinx Studies
Senior Prize in Latin American Studies
Established by the Latin American Research Institute in the spring of 1997, this prize is awarded to a senior for excellence in Latin American Studies as demonstrated by the student’s academic transcript and exemplary participation in research projects or internship programs related to Latin America. The prize is awarded at the Senior Honors Convocation.
Linguistics
Superlative Achievement in Linguistics Award
This award is presented to a student who demonstrates superlative achievement in the linguistics courses offered by the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures. It is usually awarded to a senior chosen by the language department faculty and presented at a departmental meeting.
Mathematics
The Harold B. Curtis Prize in Mathematics
In 1967 alumni and faculty members who knew Professor Harold Bartlett Curtis during his long period of service to Lake Forest College created an endowment fund in his honor in order to establish a prize to a senior who is judged by the faculty of the Department of Mathematics as the outstanding student majoring in mathematics. The prize, which is presented at the Senior Honors Convocation, is an appropriate set of books chosen by the recipient in consultation with the Mathematics Department.
Music
The Lorraine D. and H. Randall Heath Prize in Music
This award is given to a student who has made a strong positive contribution to the Music Program. The recipient has demonstrated leadership in ensembles and has brought passion and excellence to his or her activities at the College. It is awarded at Senior Honors Convocation.
Neuroscience
The Carr Prize in Neuroscience
The Carr Prize in Neuroscience is an annual prize in honor or Thomas H. Carr, a 1970 graduate of Lake Forest College. Dr. Carr is a Professor of Psychology Emeritus at Michigan State University where he worked in the Department of Psychology’s Program in Cognition and Cognitive Neuroscience. His research focuses on perceptual recognition, attention, and the executive control of complex skills and the cognitive and neural processes that comprise skilled performances. The recipient, chosen in consultation with the Chair of the Neuroscience program and the Dean of Faculty, will be a graduating neuroscience major or minor whose intellectual excellence and potential for professional contributions is reflected by outstanding academic performance combined with the pursuit of superior undergraduate scholarship in neuroscience. The prize will be awarded at the Senior Honors Convocation.
Philosophy
The Fran Asher Prize for Excellence in Philosophy
This prize was established in 1988 to honor Fran Asher, a student who graduated with honors in philosophy in the Class of 1970. It is awarded to a junior majoring in philosophy who has demonstrated original and creative work in the field that suggests unusual capacity for future work in philosophy. The prize is presented annually at a departmental meeting.
The Roger A. White '60 Prize in Philosophy
This prize recognizes a philosophy major who emboddies Roger White's intellectual curiosity and strong belief in lifelong learning.
Physics
The Harald C. Jensen Prize
This prize is awarded to the senior physics major who has written the most outstanding senior thesis describing his or her original independent research in experimental physics. The recipient is selected by the faculty of the Department of Physics and is honored at the Senior Honors Convocation. The award is named for Harald Jensen, professor of physics, who served on the faculty for 31 years.
Politics
The Solly A. Hartzo Award in Politics
In 1971 the Department of Politics established an endowment fund, the income from which is to be used to provide the Solly A. Hartzo award for excellence in the study of politics and government. This annual award in memory of Professor Hartzo, a member of the faculty for 35 years until his retirement in 1965, is presented at the Senior Honors Convocation to an outstanding senior student majoring in politics and selected by the faculty of that department.
Psychology
The Sterling Price Williams Prize in Psychology
This prize in psychology, given by friends in honor of Dr. Williams, professor of psychology and philosophy at Lake Forest, consists of books on the subject of psychology chosen by the recipient. The recipient is selected by the members of the faculty of the Department of Psychology as the senior psychology major who shows greatest promise in this field. It is awarded at the Senior Honors Convocation.
The David Krantz Prize in Psychology
This prize was created to honor the career of David Krantz, longtime professor of Psychology at the College. The recipient, chosen in consultation with the Dean of Faculty and the Prize Committee, embodies the intellectual curiosity of Professor Krantz and demonstrates excellence in one of his areas of special interest: history and philosophy of psychology; cross-cultural or international psychology; social psychology; or the psychology of art, beauty, and music.
The Robert B. Glassman Prize in Psychology and Neuroscience
The recipient of the Robert B. Glassman Prize in Psychology and Neuroscience, chosen in consultation with the Chair and members of the Psychology Department/Neuroscience Program, as well as the Dean of Faculty, will be a graduating senior who embodies Bob’s intellectual curiosity and interdisciplinary approach to the scientific study of the mind or brain. It is awarded at the Senior Honors Convocation.
Religion
The Scott Award in Religion
In 1957 Mildred Scott of Cleveland, Ohio, established by endowment “The Scott Award of Excellence in the Study of Religion.” The annual cash award honors her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Lyman H. Scott. It is given annually at a departmental meeting to that student, usually a junior, who, in the opinion of the faculty in the Department of Religion, has done the most outstanding coursework in the department.
The Miller Family Prize
This prize was established in 1997 to be presented to the outstanding graduating senior religion student, chosen by the chairperson of the department. The prize is awarded at the Senior Honors Convocation.
The Sciences
The Fredericka L. Stahl Memorial Awards for Excellence in Science
Judge Haas established these annual cash awards for excellence in science in memory of his wife. The recipients of the awards are determined, in consultation with the Dean of the Faculty, by a committee of faculty members and announced at the Senior Honors Convocation. The prizes are awarded to the senior class students who have the best records in the field of natural sciences. Students who major in biology, chemistry, or physics are eligible. Excellence in the natural science courses forms the primary basis for selection. Attitude, habits of work, and spirit of cooperation are all taken into consideration by the committee.
Sociology and Anthropology
The Leo F. Van Hoey Senior Prize in Sociology and Anthropology
This prize was established in 1987 in memory of Professor Van Hoey, who served as chairperson of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology for 15 years. It is presented at the Senior Honors Convocation and is awarded to a senior who is judged by the faculty of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology as the outstanding student majoring in this field.