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.”
A 2023 graduate, 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.
While pursuing his MBA, Straessle is working as a staff accountant at Linfield.
About Alpha Lambda Delta
Alpha Lambda Delta is an honor society that recognizes students’ academic success in their first year at a college or university. Founded in 1924 and active on 280 campuses, Alpha Lambda Delta inducts 22,000 members annually and has over 1.3 million lifetime members. Alpha Lambda Delta’s mission is to “encourage superior academic achievement, to promote intelligent living and a continued high standard of learning, and to assist students in recognizing and developing meaningful goals for their unique roles in society.” Since 1939, Alpha Lambda Delta has been a certified member of the Association of College Honor Societies (ACHS), the only national certifying body for collegiate honor societies. For more information, contact Alpha Lambda Delta at ald@nationalald.org or 585-364-0840
