ESU student adds scholarship to accomplishments

Stories of students who’ve financed their college education with scholarships and part-time jobs are admittedly routine. But there is nothing commonplace about Andrea Luthi’s experience at Emporia State University.

A triple-major student, Luthi will earn Bachelor of Science degrees in biology and chemistry, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish.

The daughter of Jay and Jane Luthi of Madison, Luthi received the Peterson-Breukelman Scholarship during a reception on campus. The $500 scholarship is presented to deserving students in ESU’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. At the reception, Dr. DeWayne Backhus, chair of ESU’s Departments of Physical Sciences, noted some of Luthi’s accomplishments during her college career—a Shepherd Scholarship, recognition as the outstanding biology student, and analytical and physical chemistry awards. She serves as a teaching assistant in ESU’s chemistry laboratories.

Luthi’s accomplishments extend across the campus. Her activities as a Spanish major led to the revitalization of ESU’s Spanish Club in the fall of 2003. “During the past year and a half, I have spent a lot of time learning how to run a student organization, planning meetings, and communicating what is going on to everyone who is interested in the club,” she explained. One of the Spanish Club’s activities involves operating an after-school language instruction program at Emporia’s William Allen White Elementary School. Her Spanish language abilities were honed during studies in Mexico and Ecuador the past two summers.

Active in her church, Luthi also balances the demands of working her way through college while maintaining a 3.97 grade point average.

Luthi plans to seek a graduate degree in biochemistry or environmental chemistry, and hopes her Spanish language abilities open doors for research in other countries.

The Peterson-Breukelman Scholarship honors Dr. John Peterson, former dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and Dr. John William Breukelman, a professor of biology and head of the Biology Department at the former Kansas State Teachers College (now ESU) from 1929-58. In 1970, Breukelman Hall was dedicated in his honor.

Last Updated February 4, 2008>