Rick Alumnus Mr. Samuel G. Russ, Class of ’76, is pleased to announce the Orlynn Evans  Scholarship for Academic Excellence in Science. This scholarship is in honor of Dr. OrlynnEvans’ legacy and service to Ricks Institute. Dr. Evans was a Southern Baptist Missionary to Liberia who served at Ricks Institute from 1971 to 1975. Dr. Evans received his BSc. Degree from the University of Missouri in 1958 and his Doctor of Education (EdD) degree from Purdue University in 1970

The scholarship is being supplemented by the generous contribution of his wife, Evelyn Evans to encourage girls’ interest in science.

Dr. Evans was instrumental in enhancing the science program at Ricks Institute. He was an excellent science instructor and placed heavy emphasis on understanding science concepts. He was particularly innovative in his demonstration of physics principles and using simple experiments to illustrate and simplify complex concepts in science, as reflected in this story.

He led the outfitting of the science lab with a grant from the Southern Baptist Mission Board. The lab supports experiments in physics, chemistry, and biology. More recently, he made a generous contribution to the upgrade of the lab. Dr. Evans’ innovative approach to teaching Physics and his passion for science made a lasting impression on the lives of many students, who have gone on to become engineers, doctors, and significant contributors to Liberia and beyond, including Mr. Samuel G. Russ.

Sam’s interests in physics and teaching styles were significantly influenced by Dr. Evans. After Ricks, Sam studied math/physics at the University of Liberia and geophysics at Texas A & M University. Following in Dr. Evans footsteps, Sam has taught high school and college physics/math for many years.

This Scholarship is granted annually to two students (a boy and a girl) who exhibit excellence in science with an average of 90% or greater.

Scholarship Type: Merit Based (Academic) & Financial Need

Endowment: $2,000 USD ($1,000 for a boy and $1,000 for a girl)

Taken into consideration are: 

(a) The student’s application essay (the essay will be included in the scholarship application form) and should include rationale exhibiting financial need that should be taken into consideration. 

(b) The student’s overall contribution as a member of the Ricks Community.

(c) Recommendation by Ricks Administration