Campus NewsWestminster Awards $540,000 in Scholarships to Eight Top StudentsTweetFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Exemplary Achievement Awarded to Students Who Overcame Hardships, Excelled Academically SALT LAKE CITY - Westminster College announced today the selection of eight winners for the newly established Exemplary Achievement Award scholarship program. The awards amount to $540,000 in scholarship money to be given to students who demonstrated their ability to overcome significant personal hardships or achieve academic excellence. Each student will receive a scholarship award totaling $60,000 over the four years they study at Westminster. This year's winners represent a diverse group of students including seven incoming freshmen and one transfer student-the first group of students to be given the newly created Exemplary Achievement Award. Westminster College President Dr. Michael Bassis remarked, I am pleased with the high character and academic caliber of the students who were selected to receive the Exemplary Achievement Awards. Westminster is deeply committed to students and their learning, and we take pride in our ability to prepare students for success. I am certain this group of students will excel in the academically rigorous environment that Westminster offers. In order to be considered for the award, each student was required to submit a personal statement or essay, a resume of activities, awards and achievements, and at least two letters of recommendation. In addition, applicants had to meet a minimum of a B-grade point average. The college considered achievements in and out of the normal academic setting, such as community service, athletics, writing, or the performing arts This year's Exemplary Achievement Award winners are: Kristie Lynn Giles is an incoming freshman from Portage, Pennsylvania. She graduated from Chestnut Ridge High School with a 3.93 GPA. She served as editor of her school newspaper, wrote for local city newspaper, and submits freelance material whenever possible. Giles was also actively involved in volunteerism, jazz band and free style skiing. Sarah Hatch is an incoming freshman from Clinton, UT. She graduated from Northridge High School with a 3.98 GPA. Hatch was awarded the Presidential Student Service award for her more than 482 hours of community service. She was actively involved with the Future Business Leaders of America, Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) and the Layton Youth Court. Brian Lahti is a transfer student from Salt Lake Community College with a 4.0 GPA. He suffered a spinal chord injury, which left him paralyzed. He now mentors other patients with spinal chord injuries at the University of Utah hospital. Lahti continues to be actively involved with athletics, serving as the assistant baseball coach at Brighton High School and peer instructor at Brighton Ski School. Prior to his accident, he volunteered with the Kid Start program and the local homeless shelter. Sara Lockwood is an incoming freshman from Salt Lake City, UT. She graduated from Judge Memorial Catholic High School with a 3.785 GPA. Lockwood was rendered legally blind by a disorder known as acromotopsia at age seventeen. She sang with Judge Memorial Catholic High School Choir each year, and was the first from her school to receive a Superior rating at the Region and State Choir Competitions. Krikor Makhdoumian is an incoming freshman from Salt Lake City, UT. He graduated from Highland High School with a 4.0 GPA. He is the first of his family to be born in the US and a first generation college student. He was actively involved with the National Honor Society, and was enrolled in a number Advanced Placement courses. Tenzin Norgyal is an incoming freshman from Salt Lake City, UT. She graduated from Granite High School with a 3.98 GPA. She has been living in the US since 1996, and she and her family are refugees from Nepal. Norgyal was actively involved with the National Honor Society, MESA and the Health Occupation Students of America (HOSA). She volunteered for the Utah Tibetan Association and Students for a Free Tibet. Elizabeth Sears is an incoming freshman from Lubbock, Texas. She graduated from Vista High School with a 3.56 GPA. She was a national finalist in the Discovery Young Scientist Challenge, and was awarded an Excellence in Environmental Science Award by Intel. Sears also served as head cheerleader, writer and editorial staff-member of her school newspaper and completed more than 130 hours of community service. Dimple Singh is an incoming freshman from West Valley City, UT. She graduated from Granger High School with a 3.695 GPA. She and her family came to the US from the Fiji Islands when she was three years of age. Singh was actively involved in leadership position at her high school, serving as Student Body Office Communication Vice President, Executive Council member, class Vice President, and freshman class President. She was also involved in a number of community service and leadership organizations. |
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