Incoming students win Peale Scholarships

Ten incoming freshmen at Northwestern College—from Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota—have been selected to receive Norman Vincent Peale Scholarships. Each student will receive a total of $56,000 over four years at Northwestern from the prestigious Peale Scholarship, which is awarded on the basis of exceptional academic abilities, Christian commitment and leadership skills. 

“The students selected as Peale Scholars demonstrate a significant depth of Christian commitment, leadership and academic ability,” says Mark Bloemendaal, Northwestern’s director of admissions. “The collective talent of these students creates a dynamic community of young scholars and leaders. Each participant has the potential to make a great contribution to this campus.”

The Peale Scholarship winners are: Daniel Anderson, Omaha, Neb.; Kelli Brands, Sioux Falls, S.D.; Heather Craven, Kansas City, Mo.; Emma Cress, Weskan, Kan.; Danielle Fry, Fairfield, Iowa; Nathan Kuik, West Fargo, N.D.; Heather Pagelkopf, Plymouth, Minn.; Emily Papp, Norwalk, Iowa; Laura Tolkamp, Lawton, Iowa; and Lisa Walters of Zeeland, Mich.

This year’s winners have an average ACT score of 30. They include student council officers, community volunteers, students who have earned honors in speech and music competitions, and all-conference athletes.

One-hundred twenty-six students applied for the Peale Scholarships. Sixty-nine finalists, representing nine states, were on campus in February for interviews and a writing competition. 

Criteria for the Peale Scholar candidates included a ranking within the top 15 percent of their high school class or a minimum 3.5 grade point average, and a minimum ACT score of 26. 

The Peale Scholarships were established by the late Mr. and Mrs. Homer Surbeck of Atherton, Calif., who were close friends of Dr. and Mrs. Peale. Dr. Peale, who died in 1993 at the age of 95, was pastor of Marble Collegiate Church in New York City from 1932-84 and author of 46 books, including The Power of Positive Thinking. He has been called the most influential Protestant clergyman in the U.S. Ruth Stafford Peale, chairman of the board emeritus and co-founder of Guideposts magazine, died in February of this year at the age of 101.