By Skip Traynor
Media Relations Editor
Tim Throm of Menominee is the 2004 winner of the Barlow Trophy, Alma’s most prestigious award for a graduating senior. He also received the Outstanding Senior Leader Award. Both were presented at Alma’s annual Honors Convocation, April 1.
Throm is a candidate for a bachelor of arts degree with majors in history and political science. During his four years on campus, he has been an integral member of campus government. Starting as a History Club representative to Student Congress in 2001, Throm has been a representative, vice president and president of the student governing body. He has served as a student representative to the College’s Board of Trustees since 2002, handling thorny issues such as alcohol abuse and Greek life regulations.
Throm has been a member of the President’s Advisory Council since 2001, providing the College’s president with a student’s perspective on budgetary and administrative concerns. This past academic year he served on the Educational Policy Committee, helping approve curriculum changes and goals in the creation of Alma’s new curriculum for first-year students. He has been vice president and president of the History Club, copy editor for the student newspaper, scholarship chair for Sigma Chi Fraternity, a member of the Alma Leadership Alliance and a committee member for Discovering Vocation: The Lilly Project.
A Dean’s List honoree for seven consecutive terms, Throm has been a recipient of the David B. Kinney Research Grant, given to Alma student researchers of free speech issues. He received the Michigan Academy of Science, Arts and Letters Ronald O. Kapp Undergraduate Award for the most outstanding paper at the Academy’s 2003 conference. His scholarly article, “Discerning the True Heresy: An Examination of Three Historical Perversions and Myths Surrounding the Cathar Religion,” was published in the Michigan Academician.
Throm is a member of Omicron Delta Kappa national leadership honorary, Phi Alpha Theta national history honorary and Pi Sigma Alpha national political science honorary.
Jennifer Hoornstra of Sault Ste. Marie and Jessica Karbowski of Freeland were the other Barlow nominees.
The Barlow Trophy was established in 1949 by Dr. Joel Barlow, a 1929 honors graduate of Alma College. The award recognizes academic achievement for students in the top 10 percent of their class, as well as contributions to the campus and community. The Barlow Trophy winner is determined by a vote of Alma’s Student Congress and faculty members.
The Outstanding Senior Leader Award is given by vote of the senior class from five recipients of the Senior Leadership Awards. The Outstanding Senior Leader Award winner exemplifies the values of leadership and involvement in campus life. A scholarship funded by the Alma Leadership Alliance is given in honor of the winner to a first-year student demonstrating leadership qualities in high school.
