Northwestern names Peale Scholarship winners

Eight incoming freshmen at Northwestern College—from Illinois, Iowa, South Dakota and Wisconsin—have been selected to receive Norman Vincent Peale Scholarships. Each student will receive a total of $48,000 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. “I always enjoy the Peale competition, because it brings to campus so many talented young people who possess the qualities we are seeking in our students. Each participant has the potential to make a great contribution to this campus.”

The Peale Scholarship winners are: Katelyn Erickson, Mt. Horeb, Wis.; Greta Hays of Chicago; Sara Hess, Washington, Iowa; Olivia Johnson, Milford, Iowa; Josh Locker  and Emily Muilenburg of Orange City, Iowa; Lisa Thvedt, Beresford, S.D.; and Daniel Unekis of Rock Rapids, Iowa.

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 forty-six students applied for the Peale Scholarships. Seventy-one finalists, representing 12 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 Norman Vincent Peale and his wife, Ruth Stafford 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.”