Lister named Interim President of Eureka College

Paul R. Lister is serving as interimpresident of Eureka College. Appointed in September, Lister has served as an associate professor of business administration at Eureka College and director of the college's prestigious Ronald W. Reagan Leadership Program. He joined the Eureka College faculty in 1996.

Hiram College announces tuition guarantee

Hiram College will guarantee the future cost of tuition and fees by locking in tuition and fees for four years for students entering Hiram next fall and beyond. Hiram is the first Ohio college and one of a select few nationally to offer this guarantee.

“Families simply cannot continue to be faced with never-ending increases in these costs,” said Interim President Thomas V. Chema. “Today, the only thing they can count on is that these costs will continue to rise. On behalf of families, Hiram College is taking a leadership position to stabilize costs. For each new class beginning with the one enrolling next year, we will set a rate for tuition and fees and those charges will remain constant for four years.”

“A good education isn’t cheap. At the very least, we think the costs should be predictable.”

All new students who are enrolled full-time in Hiram’s traditional program will be automatically included in the program.

Bethany College’s new Church Relations Director arrives on campus

Roger Burns-Watson started his new duties as Bethany College's Director of Church Relations and Director of Historic Bethany on February 1.

An ordained minister in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) with standing in the United Church of Christ, Burns-Watson comes to Bethany from Cincinnati where he was an adjunct faculty member with the History Department at the University of Cincinnati and associate minister of Philippus United Church of Christ.

Burns-Watson has earned degrees from Southwest Missouri State University, Lexington Theological Seminary, and the University of Cincinnati and is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Cincinnati.

Burns-Watson, his wife, Rev. Janice Burns-Watson, a graduate of Bethany with the Class of 1989, and their three children make their home in Bethany.

Eureka College observes Founders' Day with presentation of DHE’s T.A. Abbott Award

Eureka College observed the 149th anniversary of its founding on Feb. 6 with a convocation and the presentation of the T.A. Abbott Award, presented annually by DHE to an instructor at a Disciples-related college or university who demonstrate excellence in the classroom and serve as a personal example to the integration of Christian faith and learning.

Eureka College English professor Kathy Whitson was the convocation speaker. Her topic was "The Eureka College Dream: Founding, Finding, and Living the Legacy." It examined the college founders' story, which continues to inform the mission of Eureka College, and examined both the legacy of 1924 alumnus Durward Sandifer and the way the college offers students the opportunity to shape a future dedicated to service and leadership, Whitson said.

Whitson was also presented with the 2003 T.A. Abbott Award for Faculty Excellence. DHE President Dennis Landon presented the award.

SuperFrog stars in Nokia commercials during BCS Championship Series

TCU got prime national airtime when the university’s mascot, SuperFrog, co-starred in a series of commercials for Nokia that aired during college football’s championship games. Mr. Frog co-starred with controversial hip-hop star Snoop Dogg, which raised some eyebrows and drew criticism from The Daily Skiff, TCU’s student newspaper.

“It gets our name out there,” TCU athletics director Eric Hyman told The Daily Skiff. “Seven million people saw us play [in the Fort Worth Bowl] against Boise State, over 100 million saw us at the Sugar Bowl.”

Independent 529 Plan named “Best Product of 2003” by Business Week

The Independent 529 Plan, a prepaid tuition plan offered by a consortium of over 200 private higher educational institutions, was recently named one of the Best Products of 2003 by Business Week magazine. The Plan, which allows individuals to purchase today’s tuition at a reduced rate for future use, was announced earlier this fall. Disciples institutions participating in the I-529 plan are Culver-Stockton College, Drury University, Hiram College, and Texas Christian University.

The Independent 529 Plan is not dependent on the performance of the stock or bond markets because buyers are actually pre-purchasing tuition, in part or in whole, at reduced prices. Participating colleges must offer a discount each year off current tuition fees, the minimum of which is a half of a percent.

Independent 529 Plan proceeds can be used at any of participating colleges. The student does not have to commit to a school until it’s time to begin attending classes.

Individuals can open an Independent 529 Plan at no charge with as little as $25. Prospective contributors purchase certificates, which represent all purchases for a single beneficiary during a given program year, and can use the Plan’s Web site at www.independent529plan.org to determine how much tuition their contribution will buy at each member institution.s - Texas Christian University contributed to this article.