Luckey, Strong Receive Department of History and Political Science Awards
Luckey earns Ron Frank Memorial Award, Strong earns Barlow Book Prize
HUNTINGTON, Ind. — The Department of History and Political Science at Huntington University is pleased to announce two award recipients for the spring 2025 semester: Rebecca Luckey receiving the Ron Frank Memorial Award for Outstanding Scholarship and Kara Strong receiving the Jack P. Barlow, Sr., History Book Prize.
Luckey is a graduate of Homestead High School in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and received a Bachelor of Science degree in history education and a Bachelor of Arts degree with three majors — history, political Science and international & development studies — while completing Huntington University’s Honors Program. Currently, she is a social studies teacher at Bellmont High School in Decatur, Indiana.
The Frank Memorial Award is given to department seniors who graduate with Summa Cum Laude honors, which are conferred upon the top ten percent of the graduating class and recognizes exceptional academic achievement across all courses taken at the university.
As a junior, Luckey received the department’s S.G. Whittle Johnston Memorial Award for her outstanding research paper on political authority in ancient Angkor. In addition to these honors, she also earned the Jack P. Barlow, Sr., History Book Prize as highest performer in one of the department’s upper-level, seminar-style courses. During her years at the University, Luckey was an active member of Alpha Chi’s Indiana Beta Chapter, a national honors society that celebrates achievement in all areas of scholarship. She served as president of the University’s chapter in 2024-2025.
The Frank Memorial Award is sponsored by the Ron Frank Fund, which encourages academic achievement and student participation at professional academic conferences. The fund was established in 1973 in honor of Ron Frank, a former student at Huntington University.
Strong is from Kendallville, Indiana, and is pursuing a bachelor’s degree with a major in history education. She recently completed a semester of study at Oxford University in England. The Barlow Prizes are given to outstanding students in the department’s upper-level, research- and writing-intensive courses.
Strong was recognized by Dr. Tim Smith, professor of non-Western history, for her performance in his course, Diplomacy: Napoleon to Stalin.
“Kara has deftly navigated the intricacies of European diplomatic thought to understand the nuances at work at the heart of Great Power crises,” Smith said.
The Barlow Book Prize honors the memory of professor Jack Barlow, who served for over three decades as professor of American history at Huntington University and carries a prize of $250 worth of academic books. The Barlow Book Prize is also sponsored by the Ron Frank Fund.
Photos provided:
- Rebecca Luckey (right) and Kara Strong (left, pictured with Dr. Tim Smith) received Department of History and Political Science awards in the spring 2025 semester.
