Huntington University sophomore Christian Cunkle was honored Saturday, Nov. 10, at the 23rd annual "Realizing the Dream" banquet.

Cunkle is a psychology major from Angola.

Made possible by a grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to the Independent Colleges of Indiana, the event recognized first-generation students attending ICI campuses, along with their inspirational teachers and families.

Each honored student received a $2,000 check to help with college costs, and each student's chosen "most influential" teacher received $1,000. Cunkle's most influential teacher was Shari Schippers at Prairie Heights High School in LaGrange.

Independent Colleges of Indiana is a membership association of the state's 31 private, nonprofit colleges and universities.