Students win Peale Scholarships from NWC

Seven incoming freshmen at Northwestern College—from Iowa, Minnesota and Nebraska—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: David Bruxvoort, Sioux Center, Iowa; John Michael Den Hartog, Omaha, Neb.; Leah Dykstra, Pella, Iowa; Sarah Kugler, Orange City, Iowa; Nathan Nieuwendorp, Orange City, Iowa; Heidi Postma, Sheldon, Iowa; and Katherine Wallin, Rosemount, Minn.

This year’s winners have an average ACT score of 31. They include student council officers, community volunteers, and students involved in band, choir, campus ministry and athletics.

The Peale Scholars were selected from 174 students who participated in a scholarship competition in which they interviewed with a team of faculty, staff and students and also wrote an essay that was scored. Eighteen additional students were named as Distinguished or Recognized Presidential Scholars.

Criteria for the Peale Scholar candidates included a ranking within the top 10 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 2008 at the age of 101.