Presidential Rewards

GAMBIER, Ohio (December 1, 2003) A new award for high-school juniors will seek to cultivate interest among prospective students and build name recognition for Kenyon throughout the country. Dubbed the Kenyon College Presidential Book Award, the honor will be given annually to one junior in each of the eighty-five high schools participating in the program. Students, who will be nominated by their teachers and guidance counselors, will be judged on their intellectual engagement, creativity, and commitment to community. Winners will receive a book written by a Kenyon author.

The schools to be included in the program are still being identified. The admissions office, which is coordinating the program, is seeking to involve schools in which Kenyon alumni teach and can participate in the presentation of the award, schools from which the College has had a steady flow of students, and Kenyon Academic Partnership schools. The office is also seeking schools in areas of the country where the College is seeking to build name recognition, particularly in the Southwest and West.

"The book award is a great opportunity to reinforce Kenyon's literary and academic tradition in key high schools across the country and to recognize top students who match the character of Kenyon," said Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid Jennifer Britz. The program will also strengthen bonds between the College and alumni teachers.

The admissions office will launch the program this spring. The first award winners will receive hardcover copies of Seabiscuit, by Laura Hillenbrand, Class of 1989, along with with congratulatory letters from the College. They will also be invited to campus for scheduled visit days and be honored at a special luncheon when they arrive.

Assistant Director of Admissions Sara Christiansen, Class of 2002, is coordinating the awards program for the admissions office.

One of the nation's leading liberal arts and sciences colleges and home to the Kenyon Review, Kenyon College offers 1,594 students a challenging educational experience enriched by a culture of friendship. Graduates of the College have included actor and philanthropist Paul Newman and Pulitzer-prize winning author E. L. Doctorow.