The debate and forensics team had a busy spring break at the JV Nationals Tournament hosted by Hutchinson Community College from March 8-10. The team took first place in each individual debate event, leading them to capture first overall and defend their JV nationals champion title from 2012. The tournament was open for all students in their first or second year of collegiate competition.

The Sterling College Chorale and Highland Singers will give their final performance of the annual spring break choir tour titled “From the Windy State to the Windy City” on Sunday, March 24. The concert will take place at the Sterling United Presbyterian Church at 3 p.m. The concert is free and open to the public.

Teacher candidates from Associated Colleges of Central Kansas schools met with potential future employers from across the state at Sterling College on March 7 for the annual ACCK Teacher Interview Day. The event was hosted by Sterling College for the first time in six years and 71 representatives from 45 school districts attended the event to interview teacher candidates.

Six Sterling College business students participated in the Phi Beta Lambda Spring State Leadership Conference in Emporia, Kan., on March 1-2. At the competition, all six participants qualified for the PBL National Leadership Conference in Anaheim, Calif., in June.

President Obama encouraged colleges and universities to work on keeping costs down in the 2013 State of the Union address, but it didn’t take presidential advice to convince the Sterling College Board of Trustees to do what they can to help keep Sterling College affordable. The Board decided to freeze tuition and room costs for the 2013-14 academic year, while adding only a slight increase of $175 per semester to board.

Sterling College welcomes Rita Ownbey to its staff as director of financial and administrative services. Ownbey has been doing work with Sterling College since 2007 as a software analyst and trainer for the Associated Colleges of Central Kansas. On March 1, 2013, she joined the College as a full-time employee.

Wielding their paint brushes and swords, theatre professors, alumni and students led a variety of sessions for 140 students from 10 Kansas high schools during Sterling College’s Theatre Workshop Day on Friday, March 1. The event ended with a special matinee performance of SC’s spring production “Medea” which was attended by an additional 100 students from area high schools.

The Sterling College Chorale leaves Thursday, March 7, for their annual choir tour titled “From the Windy State to the Windy City.” The Chorale will make eleven stops on their 2013 spring break tour through the Midwest which will continue through Thursday, March 14.

For Sterling College Assistant Professor of History Dr. Daniel Julich, a normal summer break is filled with preparation for the upcoming academic year. However, the summer of 2013 will bring a unique opportunity for Julich as he was recently selected to participate in one of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities’ annual faculty seminars.

The Dean’s List for the fall of 2012 semester has been released. Criteria for the Dean’s List include the completion of at least 12 graded credit hours and a cumulative and semester GPA of 3.5 or better. This semester 178 students met these criteria. The following students were named to the list.