MUNCIE, Ind. - Two Ball State University sponsored contests have paid off for students Sam Wood and Shane Trowbridge.

Wood, a junior history major from Muncie, won a free spring break trip to Orlando, Fla., after his name was drawn from a pool of eight finalists who participated in the semester-long Cardinal Knowledge interactive Web game. Each week students who got an "A" (a score of 18 or better out of 20) were entered into a grand-prize drawing for the trip, provided by Great Destinations.

Trowbridge, a senior telecommunications major from Leo, Ind., was the winner drawn among four finalists in the Student Success Essay Contest. He received a semester of free books for his essay about how he became a successful student.

The Committee for Positive Academic and Student Success (COMPASS) sponsored the contest. COMPASS is a one-of-a-kind program among universities designed to help students succeed by keeping them informed about the university's educational and social programs.

COMPASS was founded in 1995.

By Kortney Reinitz, Graduate Assitant

(NOTE TO EDITORS: For more information, contact Jessica Daniel by e-mail at jdaniel@bsu.edu or by phone at (765) 285-1736.)