
Nine Grace College students and one professor traveled to San Diego, Calif., at the end of March to participate in the Alpha Chi honor society’s national convention, where each of the students presented academic papers in his or her field of study.
Professor Joseph Lehmann, faculty sponsor for Alpha Chi at Grace, said Grace was recognized as a star chapter for the third consecutive year. Among the 276 students who participated at the convention, two Grace students won first place recognition in their respective categories – senior Jennifer Benner in English Literature and junior Emily Metcalf in Original Visual Art.
“I enjoyed meeting students from other schools around the country and listening to their presentations,” said Metcalf, who added that winning the Original Visual Art category felt both “gratifying and surreal.” Metcalf said she enjoyed the trip very much and that she would “definitely go again.”
Those who participated included:
- Katherine Aardsma, “Anorexia Nervosa: The Psychological Lie Impacting Our Society,” Psychology.
- Jennifer Benner, “It’s Just Eating Babies: A Text World Theory Approach to Understanding the Effectuality of Swift’s ‘A Modest Proposal’” English Literature.
- Abigail Dutcher, “The Integration of iPods into Pedagogy,” Education.
- Margaret Gullman, “The Biology of a Self-Sustaining Aquarium,” Ecological Biology.
- Julene Holladay, “Self-Directed Learning,” Education.
- Emily Metcalf, “The Convergence of Cultures (and Colors): An Artistic Exploration,” Original Visual Art.
- Alysha Mroczka, “Prairies: A Contrast Between Miller Field and Koinonia Environmental Center,” Ecological Biology.
- Sarah Rice, “Heart of the Highlands: Clearances, Famine, and Culture,” World History.
- Melissa Witwer, “Improving Patient Adherence to Diabetes Care Through Integrated Care and Psychological Interventions,” Health Science.
Alpha Chi was founded in 1922 as a coeducational society whose purpose is to promote academic excellence and exemplary character among college and university students and to honor those achieving such distinction. Its name derives from the initial letters of the Greek words alethia and character, meaning respectively truth and character. The motto of Alpha Chi is, “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32).
Grace College is an evangelical Christian community of higher education which applies biblical values in strengthening character, sharpening competence, and preparing for service. The academic, residential, athletic, and social aspects of the college are designed to encourage intellectual and spiritual growth in a supportive campus community. The 180-acre campus is located in the historic resort town of Winona Lake, near Warsaw, Ind. It has historically been among the top schools of its size and listed in U.S. News & World Report as one of America’s Best Colleges. The Princeton Review has regularly awarded it the title of a “Best Midwestern College.”