Jenn graduated magna cum laude this month from Stetson University in DeLand, Florida. We were all together for her graduation ceremonies and are so proud of her. She majored in English and German with minors in creative writing and history. She was on the Dean’s List all four years and was part of the Honors Program. This program offers advanced core courses and annually recognizes the outstanding senior “based on academic performance and participation in the intellectual and communal life of the University.” Three women, including Jenn, had identical GPAs, so the faculty decided to award Outstanding Senior to all three of them.

Besides a challenging academic load and a part-time job as a writing tutor, Jenn had many opportunities on campus, including German club president one semester and a teacher’s assistant two different semesters. She also served one semester as Lead Tutor and assisted the new director’s push to update the Writing Center.

Two years ago, she held a research apprenticeship, translating old German journals and letters for a history professor. The next semester, she studied abroad in Germany.

Jenn helped with the publication of the school’s annual literary journal. She had one photo and several literary pieces published on different years, earning Best Fiction Piece in the 2012 journal.

Also, in her senior year, Jenn led a weekly event where student artists, musicians, and writers gathered to share their work; she submitted a senior research paper comparing the poetry of two contemporary poets from Germany and America; and she and a group of tutors conducted an assessment of their tutoring program. Jenn also received the Diane Smith Gibson Renaissance Award from the English department for demonstrating, “in the spirit of the Renaissance, unusual intellectual breadth by excellent work in different intellectual or academic areas.”

Jenn will be living with us for awhile and is already employed by the Specialized Donations department at Campus Crusade for Christ’s international headquarters where she’s worked previously. She’ll also be applying to graduate schools hoping to start in fall 2014.  God has certainly blessed her and given her many opportunities. Because she earned seven scholarships, she is debt-free and will be pursing her desire to become an English professor. Thank you so much for praying for her and encouraging her.

We’re so proud of you, Jenn!

More about Jenn’s graduation:

• See photos from graduation weekend.
• Visit our family videos on YouTube. Start with “Jenn Receives Diploma” and the next four videos to see events and family fun from graduation weekend.

Other Posts from Jenn’s years at Stetson:

• Jenn Awarded Four Honors: During her sophomore year, Jenn was inducted into four honor societies and won the Sullivan Creative Writing Scholarship.
• Posts about Jenn’s semester abroad in Freiburg, Germany.
• Jenn’s blog and photos from her time as a student in Germany.
• Jenn Wins 2013 Undergraduate Tutor Award in recognition for her four years as a writing tutor.