EAST LANSING, Mich. - Twelve outstanding high-achieving students from throughout the nation have been named Alumni Distinguished Scholars for 1999 at Michigan State University.
The Alumni Distinguished Scholarship (ADS) program is one of the most competitive in the country. Recipients are selected from nearly 1,200 high school seniors who applied to MSU and who come to campus in February to take an intensive general knowledge examination.
The Alumni Distinguished Scholarship is the most prestigious academic scholarship offered by the university.
"I am extremely pleased to welcome these academically talented students to Michigan State University," said MSU President Peter McPherson. "These scholars join a distinguished group of MSU students and alumni who have utilized the benefits of this award and gone on to stellar careers in nearly every field imaginable."
Scholarship winners from Michigan are:
- Liisa Bergmann, Grosse Pointe Woods, Grosse Pointe North High School
- Elissa Bretz, Lansing, JW Sexton High School
- Jonathan Brown, Swartz Creek, Durand High School
- Benjamin Gielda, Brighton, Brighton High School
- Mary Ellen Keathley, Okemos, Okemos High School
- Elizabeth Pfaff, DeWitt, DeWitt High School
- Rachana Potru, Rochester Hills, Rochester Adams High School
- Joshua Schwannecke, Saginaw, Arthur Hill High School
Out-of-state scholarship recipients are:
- Ellen Lau, Olive Branch, Miss., Olive Branch High School
- Annette McCoy, Matthews, N.C., Charlotte Country Day School
- Vani Ramakrishnan, Vermillion, S.D., Vermillion High School
- Allyson Modra, Milwaukee, Wis., Rufus King High School
Achievements of the ADS winners:
- The average high school grade point average of the 12 students is 4.0 on a 4.0 scale
- Six of the students are ranked No. 1 in their high school graduating classes
"We are justifiably proud of all our students at MSU, and it is particularly exciting that such extraordinary accomplished students as these have selected MSU for their undergraduate education," said Provost Lou Anna K. Simon. "The faculty and staff of MSU are excited to have these students as part of our challenging and stimulating learning community."
Of the 12 students, eight plan to major in science fields, four through MSU's residential program in the Lyman Briggs School in the College of Natural Science. Another student will attend James Madison College, and another will major in English in the College of Arts and Letters. Two of the students have not yet declared majors.
First offered in 1956, the scholarship now covers the costs of tuition, room and board, books and other academic expenses for up to nine semesters of undergraduate education. Total value of the scholarship is approximately $45,000 for in-state students and $75,000 for out-of-state students over the term of the award.
Alumni Distinguished Scholars participate in the programs of the Honors College at MSU in addition to the academic work in their majors.
"We are very excited that these scholarship winners have chosen to attend MSU and participate in Honors College programs," said Ron Fisher, director of the MSU Honors College. "For fall semester they will join more than 1,600 other Honors College students at MSU who are pursuing honors academic programs, participating in research and enriching the university community."
Students are selected by a committee of faculty and administrators who select the recipients based on results of the scholarship examination, high school programs and achievements, other standardized test scores and interviews of the finalists.