Seventeen Dana fall athletes have been announced as 2006 Scholar Athletes by the NAIA: women’s soccer — Aimee Grosinske (Wausau, WI) and Heather Fischer (Gretna, NE); men’s soccer — Shelby Bliss (Parkville, MO) and Kelly Grant-Leanna (Omaha, NE); cross country — John Kaup (Grand, Island, NE), Eric Bane (Oakland, IA), and Greg Rickenbacher (Tacoma, WA); volleyball — Darcy Gross (Earling, IA) and Kira Presler (Omaha, NE); and football — Trevor Ketelsen (Bloomfield, NE), Kyle Peterson (Blair, NE), Greg Wilmes (Creighton, NE), Joe Stump (Grand Island, NE), Clayton Timm (Glenwood, IA), Alex Hook (Omaha, NE), Aaron McClun (Louisville, NE), and Chris Vacek (Omaha, NE).

Recipients of the Award must be a junior or above in academic standing who have earned a varsity letter while maintaining a grade point average of 3.5 or higher.

The Student Life Office staff delivered 130 boxes of pancake mix and 63 boxes of oatmeal to the Joseph’s Coat Food Pantry in December. That equates to $865 in fines that were paid by students with pancake mix or oatmeal plus a few extra boxes that were donated by staff and students. Kathy Brechbill of the Food Pantry told us that our donation would last about a month.

For fifty years the Dana College Liberal Arts Reading Program has challenged students and faculty to read important books from the past and from contemporary authors. As LARP prepares for its second fifty years we are asking for student input as to how we can make the program even better and more rewarding for the Dana community. Please join us in The Forum on Wednesday, January 10 at 1 p.m. to share your ideas about LARP.

There will be a worship service in commemoration of the life and work of Martin Luther King, Jr. on Thursday, January 11, at 2 p.m. in Trinity Chapel. There will be a guest preacher to bless the service. Please join us!

On Thursday, Jan. 11, the Blair Area Chamber of Commerce will hold its monthly coffee. Coffee and rolls will be served beginning at 7:15 a.m. Dana alumnus and Board of Regents member Bob Coffey will be the speaker. He will present marketing tips for small businesses. Everyone is welcome to attend.

Dr. John Lyden, professor of religion, was flown to Washington, D.C., over Christmas break to be interviewed for a documentary. Star Wars: Legacy will premiere on the History Channel in the spring of 2007. It will explore the sociological, religious, mythic, and political foundations that inspired George Lucas’ saga – from Arthurian legend to the fall of the Roman empire; from Buddhism and Christian faith to the influence of twentieth century demagogues on Darth Vader and his “stormtroopers.” Produced and directed by Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Kevin Burns, the documentary also will explore the cultural impact of Star Wars, discussed in new, insightful interviews with the world’s most respected leaders, academics, and artists.

Dr. John Mark Nielsen (Professor of English and Executive Director of the Danish Immigrant Museum) served on the Council for International Exchange of Scholars on the India Peer Review Committee for the Fulbright Scholar Program.

Peer review committees evaluate applications and recommend candidates for further consideration in the selection of U.S. Fulbright scholar candidates.

Dr. Nielsen was a senior Fulbright Lecturer in American Literature in India in 2000.

Dr. Kate Joeckel has been elected Secretary of the Executive Board of the Blair Chamber of Commerce.

Her term will begin in February. Kate is doing an excellent job as Dana’s Community Outreach Coordinator.