Twelve Rowan Cabarrus Community College students have applied and been accepted as the first cohort of Noyce Summer Interns. Funds from a $1.45 million National Science Foundation grant provide monies to pay the tuition for these students to take a three credit hour online Education course through Catawba College and to allow each of them a paid summer internship in a STEM occupation.

Gamma Sigma Epsilon, Catawba College's chemistry honor society, recently initiated new members. The induction ceremony for the Alpha Delta Chapter took place April 24 on campus.

There was celebration and remembrance at Catawba College's Commencement Exercises on May 11. Three graduates and one alumnus received awards during the two ceremonies, while one student who died just five credit hours away from completing the coursework for his bachelor's degree was honored with a special tribute.

Catawba College recognized three retiring faculty members at its May 11 Commencement Exercises. Drs. James "Jim" Beard, John B. "Jack" Green and Cynthia B. Osterhus '73 were cited for their contributions to the institution at the 10 a.m. ceremony held in Keppel Auditorium.

Catawba College's End-of-the-Year Luncheon for Faculty and Staff was a time to recognize 10 individuals who are retiring from the college this year.

Students at Catawba College enhance their education outside the classroom and are involved in many multidisciplinary research projects. Catawba students are engaged in challenging and unique research experiences that emphasize current developments in biochemistry, pharmaceutical chemistry, environmental chemistry and forensic science using state-of-the-art instrumentation. At Catawba, you'll learn science content in the context of work-world applications.

Members of the Catawba College community gathered in Omwake-Dearborn Chapel on April 23 to celebrate achievement. The occasion was the annual Awards Convocation.Scheduled the day after Earth Day, the awards distributed were eco-friendly, made of Catawba blue, 100% recycled glass. They symbolized the college's commitment to environmental responsibility and are a reminder to the recipients to promote a greener, more sustainable lifestyle.

As the 2012-2013 academic year comes to a close, Catawba College students are thinking about their futures. For some graduating in May, a next step — graduate school — is on their minds. For those with a year or so to go before they earn their undergraduate degree, thoughts are on how to enhance their future opportunities and make themselves ready for the next steps after Catawba.

2011 Catawba College Alumnus Joseph "Joe" S. Manser is now a graduate student at the University of Notre Dame's Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. He recently shared a video link to his research concerning assembling and testing quantum dot solar cells in the lab there.

Elizabeth (Lizzie) White of Salisbury, a chemistry major at Catawba College and the college's current Alpha Chi chapter president, has been selected as one of 10 recipients of the 2013 Alfred H. Nolle Scholarship. This scholarship is awarded by the Alpha Chi National Academic Honor Society.