Incoming Hixon scholarship winners met on campus earlier this week for orientation. Sadly, one recipient of the award wasn’t at that meeting.

Thomas Christensen, 18, an incoming ISU freshman, died in a motorcycle accident June 1. He was the Christina Hixson Opportunity Award Class of 2000 scholar for Jasper County.

Christensen was a graduate of Pella Christian High School. He was killed when the motorcycle he was riding collided with another vehicle near his hometown of Sully.

The Hixson scholarship program was designed to recognize one individual from each county in Iowa every year who has experienced challenges of personal or financial hardship. Scholars receive $2,500 each year they attend Iowa State.

Debra Sanborn, program coordinator for Special Recruitment, said the university will not give Christensen’s scholarship to another student.

“In respect for the circumstances, we decided not to issue it to someone else for that county,” she said. “He demonstrated that he was a student quite capable to go on and do college work, and his family was hit hard by the farming economy.”

Christensen’s family could not be reached for comment.

Sanborn said there was a large number of applicants for the upcoming year whose families had suffered from the farm economy.

Clyde Rinsema, who has been the principal at Pella Christian High School for the past 12 years, said Christensen was a very bright student with a deep commitment to his Christian faith.

“He had a lot of natural ability that he was given by the Lord, and he had a work ethic that didn’t quit,” Rinsema said. “We’re all going to miss him deeply.”

Christensen was near the top of his class, and he participated in many activities, including band, choir, basketball, track and soccer, in which he earned recognition as an all-tournament captain at the state playoffs last year, Rinsema said. He also was active in a school music group called Praise Team.

He is survived by his parents, Gary and Lynnette Christensen of Sully; two sisters, Rachel Deur of Wheaton, Ill., and Andrea Christensen of Sully; a brother, Jamis, of Sully; and his grandparents, Junior and Joyce Christensen of Sully and Bernie and Lenora Nikkel of Pella.

Funeral services were held for Christensen June 5 at the Sully Reformed Church, and a memorial service was held June 2 at his high school.