UNI Graduate Student Award recipients named for the 2001-2002 year

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- The University of Northern Iowa Graduate College has presented awards for outstanding writing and research.

The awardees were selected from nominees who earned their master's or doctoral degrees between Oct. 1, 2000 and Sept. 30, 2001. A committee of graduate faculty members evaluated nominations in each category for clarity, scholarship, methodology, creativity, significance and contribution to the field of study.

The Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation Award, a plaque and a check for $200, was presented to Sahoby Solo Raharinirina of Cedar Falls. A curriculum and instruction major, her thesis was titled "Investigation of Cooperative Consciousness-Raising As an Innovative Teaching Practice, and of Reactions To its Introduction into High School." Greg Stefanich, professor of education, was her adviser.

First place for Outstanding Master's Thesis was awarded to Cyrill Geyer, an environmental science major and a native of France, who received $200 and a plaque for "The Coupling of Biotechnology with Electrochemistry: Electrodentrification of Water Using the Enzyme." Duane Bartak, professor of chemistry, was his adviser.

Receiving second place in this category, a plaque and $100, was Leah Christine Fuller, a biology major from Waterloo. Her thesis was titled "The Effect of Valproic Acid on Motility and Morphometry Parameters, and Actin and N-Cadherin Distribution in Avian Neural Crest Cells." Darrell Wiens, professor of biology, was her adviser.

The third-place thesis, "A Contrastive Cross-Cultural Study of the Speech Act of Correlation in Egyptian Arabic and American English," earned a plaque and $50 for Nader Anis, an English major from Tampa, Fla. A.J. (Ardith) Meier, associate professor of English, was the thesis adviser.

Nathan S. Jones, an English major from Ann Arbor, Mich., received a plaque and $200 for his Outstanding Creative Master's Thesis, "Residue." His adviser was Vince Gotera, associate professor of English.

First place for Outstanding Master's Research Paper, a plaque and $200, was presented to Natalia Schmitz, an English major and native of St. Petersburg, Russia, now living in Rochester, N.Y., for "Requests in Interlanguage and Contrastive Pragmatics: Teaching Issues." Her adviser was A.J. (Ardith) Meier, UNI associate professor of English.

Second place, $100 and a plaque, went to Stephanie A. Kruckeberg of Cedar Falls, an English major, for "Beauty and Childbearing in Guy De Maupassant's 'Vain Beauty'." Richard Utz, professor of English, was her adviser.

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7/24/02

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:

Tony Stevens, director, Talent Search, (319) 234-6819

Gwenne Culpepper, University Marketing & Public Relations, (319) 273-2761

UNI Talent Search program receives six-figure grant from U.S. Department of Education

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- The Talent Search program sponsored by the University of Northern Iowa has received a five-year $385,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Education. Only those programs ranking in the top 10 percent nationwide receive five-year funding.

Tony Stevens, director for Talent Search, said the funds will support programming designed to help students prepare for and acquire a post-secondary education.

Talent Search works with students in sixth grade through age 18, as well as dropouts. Services include tutoring, assistance with career exploration, academic advising, financial aid advising and admissions assistance. The program serves approximately 1,200 students in Black Hawk, Bremer, Butler and Chickasaw counties.

Stevens said that although two-thirds of program participants must be either low-income or first-generation college students, any student with a need for the services is eligible. "A lot of people will stray away from programs like ours because they figure it's just for low-income students, or students who need academic assistance. That's not the case with Talent Search. We serve a wide range of students, from those doing well academically but needing a little help finding scholarships, to those who need academic assistance in several areas."

For more information, contact Tony Stevens at (319) 234-6819.

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