Columbia's Joshua Peterson Selected as AMC Nominee for NAIA A.O. Duer Scholarship Award
Written by Bruna Niederkorn, AMC Assistant Commissioner
ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Columbia College men's soccer student-athlete Joshua Peterson has been selected as the American Midwest Conference (AMC) nominee for the NAIA A.O. Duer Scholarship Award.
Named in honor of the NAIA's former executive secretary, the A.O. Duer Scholarship Award recognizes one male and one female junior student-athlete who have excelled in scholarship, character and citizenship.
A senior from Olathe, Kansas, Peterson has built an impressive record of academic excellence, athletic achievement, leadership and service throughout his collegiate career.
Pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Peterson has maintained a 3.96 GPA while earning recognition as an NAIA Scholar-Athlete, AMC Academic All-Conference selection, College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District honoree and CSC Academic All-America selection.
On the soccer field, Peterson appeared in 19 matches with 14 starts, totaling four goals and three assists for 11 points while recording three game-winning goals. He helped lead the Cougars to the American Midwest Conference regular-season championship, the program's 14th overall, and earned First Team All-AMC and AMC All-Tournament Team honors.
Peterson's commitment to academic excellence is evident both inside and outside the classroom.
"As an economics student, Joshua has consistently gone beyond expectations. He researches course material independently, arrives prepared with questions that reflect careful, original thinking, and pushes himself into territory well beyond the assigned curriculum. His questions in class are thoughtful, the kind that come from a student who has already gone home, looked further, and come back with something worth discussing. This kind of intellectual initiative cannot be taught, and Joshua brings it on his own."
"Beyond scholarship, what strikes me most about Joshua is his maturity and seriousness of purpose. He carries himself with quiet confidence and engages respectfully and thoughtfully with ideas and with people. These are markers of Joshua's character that come through naturally in his personal engagement and general demeanor," said Rudy V. Araujo, Instructor of Economics at Columbia College.
Peterson's leadership extends beyond Columbia College. During high school, he served as senior class president, helping foster school spirit and engagement as students returned from the COVID-19 pandemic.
"As Senior Class President, he had a significant and lasting impact on our student body and school culture. During a challenging period as we emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic, Joshua's positivity and initiative helped restore enthusiasm, unity, and engagement within our school community. He was a dependable leader with strong character, integrity, and a genuine concern for others," shared Scott Roberts, Executive Director of School Administration at Blue Valley Schools.
In addition to his accomplishments on the field and in the classroom, Peterson serves as a Columbia College student ambassador and works a full-time job.
Peterson has also spent the past three summers serving as a counselor at Kanakuk Kamps, mentoring campers while helping build confidence, character and lifelong relationships. He also volunteers with his church, faith-based organizations and KLIFE, where he helps mentor middle school and high school students.
"Joshua stood out from the first as a man of authentic character. His words and his actions were synced up," said Joe Belzer, Pastor at KLIFE. "When he asked a question, I could see this genuine curiosity and fascination for the Word of God… and it came from a heart that was teachable (which is such a rare quality these days). Josh was also eager to "understand" so that he would not mislead others. Even though these bible studies start at 6 a.m. – Josh was faithful to be present and to also invite other young men from Columbia College to join him."
"Lastly, I appreciate the friendship and kindness that Josh has shown me personally. I know this may be insignificant to others, but it has been such a motivator to know someone appreciates your hard work. Maybe a better word for this quality would be "honor." In our world today, where there is so much dishonor being thrown around, this rare quality is like a crown of gold on this young man's head. When we honor those who are older – the Lord always pours honor back on us. I'm so excited to see the plans the Lord has for Josh in the days ahead. It has been such a gift to work with him there 3 years," concluded Belzer.
Up Next
As the AMC nominee, Peterson is now eligible for the NAIA A.O. Duer Scholarship Award. The national recipients will be announced during NAIA National Awards Day on Sept. 15.