Bluffton University recognized many of its top students for their academic achievements at the annual Academic Awards and Honors Forum on April 25.
 
Thirty-five seniors were honored as distinguished scholars in their respective academic areas.

Seven seniors were recognized for completion of the Honors Program. They are: Brittany Good, of McComb, Ohio
Mackenzie Hoeckley, of Santa Barbara, Calif.
Victoria Jackson, of Fort Jennings, Ohio
Daniel Piero, of Medina, Ohio
Savannah Roughton, of Paulding, Ohio
Rachel Schoener, of Flanagan, Ill.
Ashley Smith, of Findlay, Ohio
 
Receiving departmental honors for their independent-study projects were seniors Rebecca Lapp, of Watsontown, Pa., for her English and language project, “Children’s Literature to Share Culture, Faith and Language: A Collection of Bilingual Children’s Stories;” and Brianna Lugibihl, of Gomer, Ohio, for her education project, “Demo: A Theatrical Exploration of Trauma in Adolescence.”
 
Other awards went to:
· Rose Hayes, Lima, Ohio, the Naomi Brenneman Prize for an outstanding research and/or interpretive essay on a literary topic. Her essay was titled “Rediscovering Feminist Ties: Ursula Le Guin and Charlotte Perkins Gilman.”
· Emily Short, Archbold, Ohio, the John D. Unruh Award for exceptional research paper written for humanities/social sciences. Her essay was titled “How Could I make a Man out of You? Masculinity and Mennonites during the Great War.”
• Wagler, Leipsic, Ohio, the Beaver-Falcon Master of Accounting Scholarship
· Ethan Zaerr, Archbold, Ohio, the CRC Press Chemistry Achievement Award
· Chelsea Zoltowski, Toledo, Ohio, the Esta Lugibill Dye Award for Excellence in Chemical Science by a Woman
· Anna Cammarn, Akron, Ohio, the Russell A. Lantz Choral Award
· Brianna Keith, Grafton, Ohio, the Instrumental Music Award
· Becky Boban, Madison, Ohio; Tracy Cook, Defiance, Ohio; Aaron Ward, Toledo, Ohio; and Emily Zimmerman, Middletown, Ohio; the Art Show Juror’s Awards of Distinction
· Tracy Cook, Defiance, Ohio, Boehr Award for Best of Juried Student Art Show
· Trey Elchert, Jackson Center, Ohio, the Dr. Elizabeth Hostetler Outstanding Educator Award
· Emily Short, Archbold, Ohio, the Jim Satterwhite Award in Peace Scholarship and Activism
· Claire Clay, Van Wert, Ohio; Eric Beachy, Millersburg, Ohio; and Olivia Poole, Shaker Heights, Ohio, for first, second and third places respectively in the 2017 C. Henry Smith Peace Oratorical Competition
· Anna Hairston, Mansfield, Ohio, Athlete with the Highest Scholastic Record
· Raquel Bruno Aranibar, Bluffton, Ohio, International Student with Highest Scholastic Record
· Katey Ebaugh, Lancaster, Pa., the Lion and Lamb Art Award

Concluding the program was the recognition of three graduating members of Pi Lambda Theta National Education Honor Society; six graduating members of Psi Chi National Psychology Honor Society; 39 new members of Bluffton’s Pi Delta Society, an honor for seniors with a grade point average of at least 3.75 during their college careers; and 32 C. Henry Smith Scholars—five graduating, five continuing and 22 newly elected scholars.