Linfield University

Two Linfield University chemistry students earned competitive scholarships last week from the Portland Local Section of the American Chemical Society, while the student club, the Linfield Society of Undergraduate Chemists (LSUC), earned national recognition. Kenni Proctor '26, a chemistry major from Tacoma, Washington, received the Anderson, Van Santen, Zeh Scholarship. The award includes $3,000 and an additional $1,000 to support travel to a national ACS conference in spring 2026. Proctor is the first Linfield student to receive the AVZ Scholarship since 2019. Allan Fernandez '27, a chemistry major from McMinnville, received the Dunne-Currie Scholarship, which includes a $3,500 cash award. He is the first Linfield student to earn this award since its inception in 2020. Both scholarships are open to students at colleges and universities in the Portland and Salem areas. "These honors show how Linfield students are rising to the top in chemistry, not just in Oregon but across the country," said Andrew Baggett, associate professor of chemistry. In addition to the scholarships, the LSUC - an official student chapter of the ACS - received the society's highest recognition. LSUC earned the "Outstanding Chapter" award for the 2023-24 academic year. The "Outstanding" honor of the Student Communities Award honors ACS student organizations for their campus programs and activities. Honors are based on a peer review by faculty members nationwide. During the 2023-24 academic year, the club's leadership included president Dan Khazaei '24 and vice president Abraham Solomon '24. Khazaei previously made headlines as Linfield's youngest-ever known graduate. Fernandez, representing the club, formally accepted the recognition at the March 2025 ACS national meeting in San Diego. Six Linfield students attended the national meeting to present their research to an international audience. Linfield University's Department of Chemistry is accredited by ACS. It offers a major and minor in chemistry, and provides coursework and research opportunities for chemistry students and for students enrolled in the interdisciplinary biochemistry and molecular biology major.

Nolan Ahmann '25, a finance major and accounting minor, has won a competitive scholarship for $2,000 from Financial Executives International (FEI).

Linfield University's Ivan Galicia Sixto has received a Fulbright U.S. Student Program award from the U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board. As a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant, he will support the teaching of English in Peru during the 2024-25 academic year. The Linfield student will earn his bachelor's degree from Linfield in May 2024. He is majoring in Spanish and secondary education with an ESOL endorsement. He previously attended the Academy of International Studies in Woodburn. "As a first-generation student, this feels unreal," he said. "My parents did not even complete their elementary education, so this accomplishment represents years of overcoming obstacles. However, I am proud to say that, even with the challenges and barriers of being the first, I am grateful for the opportunity to represent my school, community and country. This opportunity serves as the first step for my professional career as a bilingual educator and a representative of the United States." Read the full story at: https://news.linfield.edu/ivan-galicia-sixto-fulbright/.

Three Linfield University accounting students were awarded scholarships by the Oregon Society of CPA's Educational Foundation: Caitlin E. Hillman of Gearhart, Ore., received the Ray & Marilyn Johnson Scholarship Laurel Quinn of Camas, Wash., received the Wilcox Arredondo & Co Scholarship Sophia vanderSommen of Portland received the Delap LLP Scholarship Associate Professor of Accounting Chris Dahlvig said that he was not surprised when he heard Hillman, Quinn and vanderSommen were scholarship recipients. "Accounting is one of those things that you can memorize, but the more you understand what's going on, the better you're going to be, first as a student and later as a professional," Dahlvig said. "They all have a curiosity that makes them stand out - they ask really good questions in class; they're not afraid to ask for clarification and they seek to understand." Hillman, Quinn and vanderSommen were among 51 Oregon college students to receive OSCPA scholarships, which range from $2,500 to $5,000. The organization has awarded Oregon students more than $2.5 million in financial assistance over the past four decades. "Since 1985, the OSCPA Educational Foundation's goal has been to grow the CPA profession in Oregon by providing financial assistance to talented accounting students. We are proud and delighted to help Caitlin, Lauren and Sophia realize their dreams of becoming a CPA," said Tonna Hollis, director of professional development for OSCPA and staff advisor for the Educational Foundation.

Samantha Dewey, a current Linfield University student, and Jacob Straessle, a 2023 graduate, earned awards recently from Alpha Lambda Delta, the honor society recognizing first-year academic success. Dewey, a psychology and mathematics major from Troutdale, received a Jo Anne J. Trow Undergraduate Scholarship in the amount of $3,000 for the 2023-24 academic year. This year, Alpha Lambda Delta awarded 50 Trow scholarships to outstanding students from across the country. Selection is based on maintaining a 3.5 grade point average, academic records, participation in Alpha Lambda Delta activities, campus and community service activities, and the applicant's essay answers. Dewey is the newly elected president of the Linfield University chapter of Alpha Lambda Delta. She also serves as an intern at Juliette's House, a member of Circle K International and as a Math PLUS mentor. She was inducted into Alpha Lambda Delta in 2022. When asked about the impact of Alpha Lambda Delta membership, Dewey said, "When I joined ALD, I became part of a group of students who are focused on their education and who set time aside to engage with their community. Being involved with this society has been encouraging because it has provided me with a set of peers and advisors that I can rely on and who have similar goals. From my experience, everyone in ALD is here to support one another because we all want everyone to succeed." Straessle earned one of only 28 graduate fellowships awarded nationally by the organization. The Miriam Shelden Graduate Fellowship provides $2,000 to offset the expense of pursuing graduate or professional studies during the 2023-24 academic year. Straessle is from Pacific City and was inducted into Alpha Lambda Delta in 2020. As an undergraduate, Straessle majored in finance and economics. He was communications coordinator/secretary and administrative director of Linfield University's Alpha Lambda Delta chapter. While at Linfield, Straessle also served as a resident advisor, student tutor and president of the National Residence Hall Honorary. "I will be attending Oregon State University to obtain an MBA in corporate finance. I plan to then pursue a career in mergers and acquisitions or venture capital," Straessle stated. Each fellowship is named for a person of significance to Alpha Lambda Delta While pursuing his MBA, Straessle is working as a staff accountant at Linfield.

Linfield University is proud to announce that Salma Galvan Pelayo, a 2023 graduate from McMinnville, Oregon, received an English Teaching Assistantship from the U.S. Fulbright Student Program for the 2023-24 academic year. Galvan Pelayo, who earned her degree in anthropology and Spanish, will support the teaching of English at the Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos (UNISINOS) in Brazil as part of a project to engage in local civic activity. As a Fulbright participant, Galvan Pelayo will teach English, share knowledge, and foster meaningful connections across communities in the United States and Brazil. Recipients of Fulbright awards are selected in an open, merit-based competition that considers leadership potential, academic and/or professional achievement, and record of service. This is not the first prestigious international award for Galvan Pelayo. She was also awarded a Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship to study abroad in Quito, Ecuador, during the 2021-22 academic year.

Three Linfield University students received the U.S. Department of State's Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, which funds study-abroad programs. Billie Melchor '25, a nursing student; Divenson Willis '24, a sport management major; and history and international relations major Emma Brissey '23 were awarded up to $5,000 for their January Term studies. The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program began in 2001 and has since sent more than 36,000 students to study or intern in 155 different countries around the globe. The program, funded by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and supported by the Institute of International Education, provides undergraduate students with the chance to learn skills critical to the future of national security and economic prosperity.

Four Linfield-Good Samaritan School of Nursing students have won prestigious Nurse Corps Scholarships, a federal program that pays for tuition and fees in full as well as living expenses. The program is designed to bring high levels of care to underserved communities, and students commit to working at a Critical Shortage Facility (CSF) for two years after graduation. Recipients: Collin Hoyt of Holtville, Calif. (expected graduation June '23); Sarah Miller of Vancouver, Wash. and the Big Island of Hawaii (expected graduation June '23); Ellie Rogge of West Bend, Wis. (expected graduation June '23); Monica Salazar of Hillsboro, Ore. and Santa Rosa, Guatemala (expected graduation Dec. '23). "In a normal year, we're proud when one Linfield School of Nursing student received a Nurse Corps scholarship - it's a very competitive and prestigious award," said School of Nursing Dean Paul Smith. "When four students are selected, it's a true honor to our student body, because it shows not only current excellence but also a commitment to bring the highest level of care to the communities who need it most upon graduation."

Owen Hand, a junior at Linfield University, was named the recipient of the 2023 Financial Executives International (FEI) competitive scholarship from the organization's Portland chapter. The award is given in recognition of a student's achievements and their potential to contribute to the profession of accounting and finance in the future. The chapter gives out only six scholarships each year, five of which are earmarked for students attending one of Oregon's larger public universities. The sixth is awarded to a student at one of the many other colleges and universities in Oregon and southwest Washington. Hand, who is majoring in finance, earned that sixth. "I was kind of drawn to finance because I love investing and the subject really interests me," he said. "I'm interested in both the stock market and helping people. If I can somehow combine the two, whether that's as an advisor or working for a wealth management firm to help people make money, I think that would be really rewarding." Madeleine Brady Romero, an associate professor in Linfield's School of Business, noticed his passion for the subject and encouraged him to apply for the scholarship. "I am so excited for Owen," Romero said. "It is quite an honor and coup for a Linfield student to get the award, and he is incredibly deserving because of his leadership activities and academic achievements." Hand and Romero attended FEI's award ceremony on April 20, 2023, in Portland, where Hand and the other five scholarships were honored. The Portland chapter of FEI has over 190 senior-level financial executives as members, providing networking opportunities and development sessions throughout the year. "A big thanks to Professor Romero for making this happen. This scholarship will make a big impact on my life and my ability to continue to go to school," Owen said. "And thank you to FEI for making this scholarship possible, it's really meaningful."