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Date 6-1-06
Contact David Tisdale 601.266.4499
Hattiesburg—A
record number of incoming students at the University of Southern
Mississippi have accepted Presidential Scholarships from the university’s
prestigious Honors College, according to Southern Miss officials.
Dr. Ken Panton,
dean of the Southern Miss Honors College, said that 27 students
have accepted the coveted scholarships, which pay for tuition, textbooks,
room and board.
“The university
is awarding the largest number of Presidential Scholarships in its
history, and that is a reflection of the very high quality of the
students who applied,” Panton said. “We are delighted that so many
academically talented young people have decided to come to Southern
Miss, and we look forward to welcoming them to the Honors College
in the fall.”
The scholarships
are awarded to students who meet rigorous entrance requirements,
including a score of at least 30 on the American College Test or
be designated a national merit semifinalist, and successful completion
of an on-campus panel interview and essay competition.
"We are
delighted to welcome this unprecedented group of scholars,” said
Dr. Joe Paul, vice president for Student Affairs. “Their responsiveness
to Southern Miss is a testament to the quality of our faculty and
the intimate learning environment created by our Honors College.”
The Honors College
at Southern Miss is one of the oldest in the nation. The first honors
classes were taught in 1965 as part of an honors program. The college
was formally inaugurated in 1976 and offers special opportunities
for students who demonstrate high academic potential, intellectual
curiosity and ambition.
Elizabeth Maloy,
a Presidential Scholar from Long Beach who plans to major in graphic
design at Southern Miss, said the appeal of the Honors College “active”
curriculum, which gives students learning experiences outside the
classroom, was a strong selling point for her.
She said the
friendly atmosphere at the university and the assistance of the
Honors College Ambassadors (Honors College students, including Presidential
Scholars already enrolled at the university) also helped persuade
her to accept the offer. “The ambassadors gave me insight into the
experiences offered through the Honors College,” Maloy said. “Everyone
greeted me with a smile and was beyond helpful.”
In addition
to Maloy, the other Presidential Scholars include Jennifer Caitlin
Bach of Mobile, Ala.; Samuel Paul Bateman of Hattiesburg; Charles
Adam Byrd of Brandon; Maria Katherine Clapp of Hattiesburg; Sarah
Coleman of Silverhill; Jesse DiGiacomo of Pass Christian; James
Paul Fuqua Jr. of Mobile, Ala.; Zachary Joel Gressett of Brandon;
Cordelea Ann Haecker of Magee; Corey Alexander Higginbotham of Ocean
Springs; Kristin Howard of Biloxi; Andrew Treloar Jones of Hattiesburg;
Jennifer Yasmin Lamb of Brandon; Stuart William Lovinggood of Metairie,
La.; Duncan Alexander Lutz of Ellisville; Robert J. Maxwell of New
Orleans; Winston Tyler McCleery of Mobile, Ala.; Samuel Herbert
Muller of Lacombe, La.; Jonathan Stuart Neal of Clinton; William
Bradford Nicholson of Clinton; Kyndal Ann Owens of Hattiesburg;
Adam Benjamin Seyfarth of Hattiesburg; Erica Joy Shelton of Moundville,
Ala.; Caitlyne Celeste Shirley of Clinton; Amanda Jean Trulock of
Mountain Brook, Ala.; and Madison Anne Walker of Pensacola, Fla.
For more information
about the Honors College and Presidential Scholarships, call 601.266.4533;
online, visit the Honors College at http://www.usm.edu/honors/.
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