Students in this semester’s International Business class at Kansas State University got a taste of the European luxury market during their spring break faculty-led trip to the United Kingdom, France and Germany. The course creates awareness of the contemporary international environment, how it is changing and how that affects the United States. Area students participating in the European trip included Jacob Mark, a senior in management from Basehor, and Andrea Fouts, a senior in marketing from Ottawa.

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Twenty-six students and alumni from Kansas University have won National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships or received honorable mentions for 2012-13. The recipients include students who earned bachelor’s degrees at KU and will be pursuing graduate degrees at other universities and students pursuing graduate degrees at KU. Regarded as one of the premier awards in the sciences, the fellowships provide a $30,000 stipend each year for three years of graduate study plus an allowance of $10,500 to the institution for research expenses.

Area fellowship winners and honorable mentions are as follows: Terra Lubin, of Lawrence, a graduate student in ecology and evolutionary biology, received a fellowship; Katrina McClure, of Lawrence, a graduate student in geography, received an honorable mention; Matthew Hiatt, of Lawrence, an undergraduate in civil engineering, received a fellowship; Natalie Freeman, of Basehor, an undergraduate in dance, received a fellowship; and Adela Timmons, of Lawrence, an undergraduate in psychology, received an honorable mention.

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Melissa Ann Potts and Noah Patrick Edge, of Cameron, Mo., announce the birth of their son, Micheal Stanley Edge, on April 9, 2012, in Cameron. Siblings include Zayden Titus, 7, Brookly Maxine, 3, and Tristin Renee, 2. Maternal grandparents are Stan and Judy Hogue, Kidder, Mo. Paternal grandparents are LeAnn Chaney-Potts, New Hampton, Mo. Great-grandparents are Bobbie Miller, of Eudora; Jan West, of Prairie Village; Iona Fisher, of Preston, Mo.; and Doris Potts, Kidder.

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Southwest Middle School’s Kiana Hajiarbabi won the Girls State Chess Championship on April 7 in Lindsborg. Other Lawrence medal winners: Kelsey Jian, Southwest, 5th; Diane Camarda, West Middle School, 7th; Shahrzad Hajiarbabi, Southwest, 11th; Anna Jian, Sunflower, 15th; Mikah Beaty, Cordley, 17th; Zoe Diaz Moore, Cordley, 19th; Logan Camarda, Sunset Hill, 20th; and Rita Joseph, Sunset Hill, 21st.

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Lawrence High freshman Kaustubh Nimkar won the first-place trophy in the K-12 Under 1200 section of the United States Chess Federation’s National High School Chess Championships April 13-15 in Minneapolis, Minn.

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Katie and Jacob McDaniel, of Lawrence, announce the birth of their son, Jaxon Gregory McDaniel, April 7, 2012, in Lawrence. Siblings include Kyler Jacob McDaniel, 2. Maternal grandparents are Bernadette Gilbert, St. Joseph, Mo. Paternal grandparents are Greg and Marie McDaniel, of Atchison.

Great-grandparents are Virginia Girard, St. Joseph; Marvel McDaniel, Winchester; and Joan Noll, Mooney Creek.