2008 - 2009

Superb! Simpson excels in 2008-2009

In 2008, Simpson joined the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment with the goal of becoming a carbon neutral institution. Last year, Simpson launched the Earth Corps program for motivated students eager to help the college accomplish this goal. Members of the Earth Corps program receive a grant to conduct important research on sustainability, participate in outreach projects in the community and manage Simpson’s many green initiatives.

For the third year in a row, Simpson College was named to U.S. News & World Report’s list of colleges with the highest percentage of students studying abroad.

Simpson College junior Lara Roy’s artwork was featured in a recent special issue of National Geographic magazine. The issue is a compilation of the best photographs submitted by readers. Roy first had her photograph displayed on the National Geographic Web site in February. Roy’s photo is of a snow sculpture she created on Simpson’s campus last winter.

Bill Friedricks, professor of history, received the first Iowa History Prize from Humanities Iowa in November. The award de signates Friedricks as Iowa’s public historian for the next two years, and Friedricks plans to use the money from the prize to promote the initiatives of the Iowa History Center, which he founded at Simpson in 2006 in an effort to make Iowa history more accessible to the public.

Alonzo Barkley, a junior majoring in math and physics, has had many opportunities to gain practical experience in his chosen fields. He conducted physics research through the national Research Experiences for Undergraduates program after his freshman year, and he worked on a mathematics research project last summer through the Dr. Albert H. & G reta A. Bryan Summer Research Program at Simpson.


Sonya Nielsen is actively involved in service through Simpson. She frequently volunteers with her sorority Pi Beta Phi, and last spring, she traveled with a Simpson group to New Mexico to build houses. “I’ve always had a love for helping others,” she said. “When I got to Simpson, I was so excited that service was such a big part of what the college was about.”

As student body president, Kyle Liske dedicate d his senior year to serving and bettering the Simpson community. Last year, Liske and other members of the Student Government Association (SGA) took an active role in Simpson’s efforts to become carbon neutral by leading new environmental initiatives on campus. Liske, who graduated in May, is currently in law school.

Simpson students Kelsey Johnston and Kayla Hamilton spent the summer volunteering in a Maasai village in northern Tanzania. “It was challenging, yet we have grown from the experiences and learned valuable life lessons,” said Johnston. “We had the opportunity to live and share life with an amazing community, and we will never forget the time we spent in the village.”

Four members of the women’s track and field team qualified for NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championship meet: Lauren Bucklin, Catie Ellingson, Kinsey Bak and Chelsey Degan. Bucklin and Ellingson received All-American honors for their performances at the meet.

Through Simpson’s Capitol Hill Internship Program, Simpson junior Jamie Corey interned for Senator Tom Harkin in Washington D.C. last spring. The experience helped her land an internship at the White House for the summer, where she worked in the office of presidential correspondence. She drafted presidential proclamations, messages and greetings on behalf of President Barack Obama.

The 2008-09 women’s basketball team won its fourth Iowa Conference Tournament Championship in five years, earning a fifth-consecutive bid to the NCAA Women’s Basketball Championships. Head Coach Brian Niemuth earned his fifth IIAC Coach of the Year award.

Simpson created several new scholarship opportunities for incoming students last year, including the Illinois Tuition Replacement Grant and United Methodist Service to Community Grant. Simpson also increased the number of Wesley Service Scholars from 88 to 120. Wesley Service Scholars complete at least 80 hours of service each year.

Dave Camwell, assistant professor of music, was voted “Top Jazz Saxophonist in Iowa” by the readers of DSM magazine.

Simpson became one of the few colleges in Iowa to provide high-speed wireless Internet access to every location on campus.

The Simpson College Breakfast Club received the Governor’s Volunteer Award, which recognizes volunteers for the commitment they make to Iowa’s nonprofit organizations. Students who participate in the Breakfast Club travel to Des Moines in the morning to serve breakfast to innercity children in a program run by Children and Family Urban Ministries. 

The 2008 volleyball team earned its second trip to the NCAA Women’s Volleyball Championship in three years, claiming an atlarge bid after finishing the conference schedule with a 7-1 record.

Seven Simpson athletic teams received academic awards for overall team GPAs: volleyball, women’s basketball, women’s track and field, men’s track and field, men’s soccer, men’s cross country and women’s cross country.