2018-2019 Coe College Clark Merit Scholars
Pictured (front row) Professor of Religion Geoff Chaplin, Professor of Chemistry Maria Dean and Instructor in Rhetoric Communication Studies Susanne Gubanc; (back row) Joseph E. McCabe Associate Professor of Religion Meira Kensky, Meredith Wall ’19, Alyssa Olson ’19, B.D. Silliman Professor of Physics Steven Feller, Evgeny Pakhomenko ’19 and Jessamyn Holen ’19. Clark Merit Scholar Kelly May ’19 is not pictured.
Five Coe students have been chosen as Clark Merit Scholars for the 2018-2019 school year. This prestigious award carries a prize equal to one year's tuition. Clark Merit Scholars are chosen each year by a committee of two faculty members and one board of trustees member. Award recipients are chosen based on demonstrated qualities of character, integrity, intellect, leadership and social responsibility.
This year's recipients are Meredith Wall ’19 of Galena, Illinois, majoring in philosophy and religion; Alyssa Olson ’19 of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, majoring in chemistry with a collateral in biochemistry/religion; Evgeny Pakhomenko ’19 of Moscow, Russia, majoring in physics and economics; Jessamyn Holen ’19 of Castaic, California, majoring in communications and public relations; and Kelly May ’19 of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, majoring in English and philosophy.
The Clark Merit Awards are funded by an endowment created in 1995 by Coe alumnus K. Raymond Clark '30. Clark's gratitude and loyalty to his alma mater were unequivocally and magnificently evidenced by his service as a member of Coe's board of trustees from 1966 until his death in 2005, and by his unparalleled record of personal giving to the institution. The Clark Racquet Center and Clark Field, the Clark Alumni House, the Contemporary Issues Forum and the Clark Endowment for Merit Awards have significantly enhanced the Coe educational experience and greatly strengthened the institution.