HONORS AND AWARDS

Graduation with Honors

    Students who have been in attendance at Valparaiso University at least two years (a minimum of sixty credit hours) and who have maintained a standing of at least 3.80 in their work at this institution are graduated Summa Cum Laude.

    Students who have been in attendance at Valparaiso University at least two years (a minimum of sixty credit hours) and who have maintained a standing of at least 3.60 in their work at this institution are graduated Magna Cum Laude.

    Students who have been in attendance at Valparaiso University at least two years (a minimum of sixty credit hours) and who have maintained a standing of at least 3.40 in their work at this institution are graduated Cum Laude.

Semester Honors

    Undergraduate students who achieve a standing of 3.50 in any semester are awarded honors under the following restrictions:

1. The student received no grades of I or U at the official end of the semester concerned;

2. The student completed at least fourteen credit hours of work for that semester on campus or at least twelve credit hours in an International Studies Semester, Special Off-Campus Semester or any other approved cooperating program.

    Christ College. Graduates who complete the requirements of the honors college, Christ College, are designated Christ College Scholars or Christ College Associates.

    Departmental Honors. Students in many departments of the College of Arts and Sciences may be awarded honors in their field of study provided they meet the specific requirements described on page 52.

Honor Societies

NATIONAL FRESHMAN HONOR SOCIETY

    Alpha Lambda Delta. This national honor society recognizes women and men who achieve high scholastic standing during their freshman year.

NATIONAL SENIOR HONOR SOCIETY

    Mortar Board. This national honor society recognizes outstanding men and women for leadership, scholarship and character.

NATIONAL COLLEGE HONOR SOCIETIES

    Alpha Epsilon Delta. This national honor society recognizes students who have achieved academic distinction while pursuing a pre-medical or pre-dental program.

    Alpha Sigma Lambda. This national honor society is devoted to the advancement of scholarship and to the recognition of students in continuing higher education programs.

    Beta Gamma Sigma. This national honor society is restricted to students in business schools which have achieved accreditation from the American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business. Students in the upper ten percent of the senior class and the upper seven percent of the junior class of the College of Business Administration are eligible for membership.

    Sigma Theta Tau. This international honor society for nursing elects outstanding upper class students to membership on the basis of scholarship, leadership and character.

    Tau Beta Pi. Engineering students who have demonstrated high academic achievement, exemplary character and a breadth of interest in the field of engineering are eligible for membership in this national engineering society.

VALPARAISO HONOR SOCIETIES

    Lumina Award. This honor is presented in the spring of the junior year to students enrolled in the College of Arts and Sciences whose cumulative grade point average for the five preceding semesters is 3.60 (level of Magna Cum Laude) or above. It is awarded by the Arts and Sciences Scholarship and Advising Committee and the Dean of the College.

DEPARTMENTAL HONOR SOCIETIES

Accounting - Accounting Society

Chemistry - Phi Lambda Upsilon

Classics - Eta Sigma Phi

Decision Science - Alpha Iota Delta

Drama - Alpha Psi Omega

Economics - Omicron Delta Epsilon

Education - Kappa Delta Pi

English - Sigma Tau Delta

French - Pi Delta Phi

Geography - Gamma Theta Upsilon

German - Delta Phi Alpha

History - Phi Alpha Theta

Home Economics - Kappa Omicron Nu

Journalism - Society of Collegiate Journalists

Marketing - Alpha Mu Alpha

Music - Pi Kappa Lambda

Philosophy - Phi Sigma Tau

Physical Education - Phi Epsilon Kappa

Physics - Sigma Pi Sigma

Political Science - Pi Sigma Alpha

Psychology - Psi Chi

Social Science - Pi Gamma Mu

Sociology - Alpha Kappa Delta

Spanish - Sigma Delta Pi

Theatre - Alpha Psi Omega

Awards and Prizes

    Bauer Award. This prize is presented annually by the History Department to the history major who has written the best historical paper during the year. The award is made in the name of Dr. Walter E. Bauer, Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus of History.

    The Bluemel Award. Awarded to a College of Nursing graduating senior who demonstrates determination, perseverance, a sense of humor, a desire to elevate the standards of nursing, recognition of the importance of the role of the nurse in prevention of illness, and a concern for human worth and dignity, regardless of race, creed, or culture.

    Delta Sigma Pi Award. Awarded to a College of Business Administration senior with the highest cumulative grade point average after seven semesters of study.

    Bruce and Linda Eastmond Award. These are annual awards presented to an outstanding senior student in the College of Engineering and an outstanding senior student in the College of Arts and Sciences.

    Roger and Hazel Guillaumant Award. This award is presented annually by the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures to the French major who has demonstrated outstanding achievement and promise in French studies. It is given in honor of Professor Emeritus Hazel Guillaumant and her husband, Roger.

    The Victor Hoffmann Award. Each year the Beta Nu Chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha, national honorary political science organization, presents an award to the outstanding political science major voted by the faculty of the Political Science Department.

    Howard K. Hughes Mathematics Prize. An annual award is presented to the Valparaiso University student who shows the greatest proficiency in the first four calculus courses. This proficiency is demonstrated through participation in the Hughes Mathematics Competition which takes place in the spring semester of each academic year.

    Indiana CPA Society Award. Awarded to the outstanding senior accounting student in the College of Business Administration.

    Indiana Medical Association of Northwest Indiana Scholarship in Nursing. This award is presented to a student entering the senior year who is selected by the Dean of Nursing. The student must have resided in Northwest Indiana prior to admittance into Valparaiso University and plan on practicing in Northwest Indiana after graduation.

    Walther M. Miller Memorial Prize. This prize is awarded to a student who has majored in German and demonstrated excellence in German studies at Valparaiso University. It is awarded in memory of Walther M. Miller, Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus of German Language and Literature.

     Ronald G. Reidenbach Prize in Music. An annual award honors a graduating student of church music who has made a significant contribution to campus life. The award is made in memory of Ronald G. Reidenbach, alumnus of the University and musician to Lutheran churches in Ohio, Illinois, and Maryland.

    The Dorothy Paulsen Smith Award. Awarded to a College of Nursing graduating senior whose quest for excellence has reflected the spirit of the College of Nursing. Criteria for choice include demonstrated scholarship and leadership, openness and enthusiasm, energy and creativity, empathy and compassion.

    The Donna Spanopoulos Memorial Scholarship in Pediatric Nursing. This award is presented by the Spanopoulos family each spring to a student entering the senior year, in memory of the founder of Infant and Child Special Care, Valparaiso, now part of Children's Memorial Hospital. The $1,000 award was established to encourage interest in the practice of pediatric nursing. The student must demonstrate academic and clinical excellence in the nursing care of children and an expressed interest in specializing in pediatric nursing.

    Anna Zink Springsteen Prize. This prize is awarded to a senior, preferably an English major who has made a substantial contribution to campus life with special gifts in poetry composition.

    Margot Ann Uehling Endowed Scholarship Prize. Awarded annually to an undergraduate student who writes the best non-fiction prose essay.

    The Wall Street Journal Award. Awarded to the outstanding senior business administration student in the College of Business Administration.

Medals

    Lumen Christi Medal. This medal is awarded to a lay person for distinguished service to Lutheranism. It is the highest honor Valparaiso University can bestow.

    Medal of Merit. This medal is an award to recognize the outstanding service to society by the recipients through their chosen calling and by their exceptional activity in the advancement of the mission of Valparaiso University.