Twenty-three incoming Michigan State University students will receive either a University Distinguished Scholarship or an Alumni Distinguished Scholarship – considered among the most competitive awards in the country.
The scholarships are valued at about $120,000 for in-state students and approximately $200,000 for out-of-state students. They cover full tuition, room and board and a stipend for up to eight semesters of study.
The newest Alumni Distinguished Scholars and University Distinguished Scholars hail from Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, New York, Nebraska, Missouri, Virginia and California.
“Bright and talented students like these help make Michigan State University even greater,” said Jim Cotter, director of admissions. “On behalf of the university, we congratulate them on this award.”
All of the students receiving an Alumni Distinguished Scholarship or University Distinguished Scholarship will be members of the Honors College.
“The Honors College actively recruits and fosters the intellectual talent of students like these,” said Cynthia Jackson-Elmoore, dean of the Honors College.“We congratulate them on earning this scholarship and look forward to helping them achieve their goals at Michigan State University.”
Alumni Distinguished Scholars were selected from more than 1,100 of the top high school seniors who applied to MSU and took an intensive general knowledge exam in February. They were then selected by a committee comprising faculty and administrators based on the results of the exam, high school programs and achievements, other standardized test scores and interviews with the finalists.
The Alumni Distinguished Scholars are:
- Georgia Artzberger of Birmingham. Artzberger is graduating from Seaholm High School. She plans to double major in comparative cultures and politics in James Madison College and human biology in the College of Natural Science.
- Mohit Bansil of Farmington Hills. Bansil is graduating from North Farmington High School. He plans to major in mathematics, advanced in the College of Natural Science.
- Adnan Barazi of Livonia. Barazi is graduating from Churchill High School. He plans to major in actuarial science in the College of Natural Science.
- Allison Bell of Lincolnshire, Illinois. Bell is graduating from Adlai E. Stevenson High School. She plans to select a major in Lyman Briggs College.
- Jordan Hankin of San Diego, California. Hankin is graduating from Canyon Crest Academy. He plans to select a major in the College of Engineering.
- Laura Hohnstadt of Clarkston. Hohnstadt is graduating from Lutheran High School Northwest. She plans to major in civil engineering in the College of Engineering.
- James Jahns of Northville. Jahns is graduating from Churchill High School. He plans to major in mathematics, advanced in the College of Natural Science.
- Katherine Koebel of Lake Zurich, Illinois. Koebel is graduating from Lake Zurich High School. She plans to major in animal science in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
- Alexander Lafler of Centreville. Lafler is graduating from Centreville High School. He plans to major in geographic information science in the College of Social Science.
- Emalee Metzner of Hastings. Metzner is graduating from Hastings High School. She plans to major in environmental engineering in the College of Engineering.
- Keelyn O’Brien of West Chicago, Illinois. O’Brien is graduating from the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy. She plans to major in microbiology in the College of Natural Science.
- Joshua Pang of Troy. Pang is graduating from Troy High School. He plans to major in actuarial science in the College of Natural Science.
- Matthew Rightor of Midland. Rightor is graduating from Herbert Henry Dow High School. He plans to major in mechanical engineering in the College of Engineering.
- Andrew Schmidt of Saint Peters, Missouri. Schmidt is graduating from Francis Howell North High School. He plans to major in computer science in the College of Engineering.
- Brent Strong of Saline. Strong is graduating from the Ban American School of Bahia in Brazil. He plans to select a major in Lyman Briggs College.
- Anna Weixel of Cleveland, Ohio. Weixel is graduating from Rocky River High School. She is undecided on a major.
- Grant Woodard of Chagrin Falls, Ohio. Woodard is graduating from Orange High School. He plans to major in fisheries and wildlife in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
University Distinguished Scholars were chosen from an MSU applicant pool based on academic records, accomplishments and interviews with the finalists. Students were selected by the director of admissions and dean of the Honors College on the basis of their high school programs, achievements and standardized test scores.
The University Distinguished Scholars are:
- Aleksandra Andersen of Noblesville, Indiana. Andersen is graduating from Noblesville High School. She plans to major in actuarial science in the College of Natural Science.
- Alyssa Corpus of Avon, Indiana. Corpus is graduating from Avon High School. She plans to major in genomics and molecular genetics in Lyman Briggs College.
- Theodore Faust of Alexandria, Virginia. Faust is home schooled. He plans to major in mathematics in the College of Natural Science.
- Don Nguyen of Omaha, Nebraska. Nguyen is graduating from Creighton Preparatory School. He plans to double major in earth science in Lyman Briggs College and astrophysics in the College of Natural Science.
- Abigail Shaw of Dousman, Wisconsin. Shaw is graduating from Kettle Moraine High School. She plans to major in chemistry in the College of Natural Science.
- Tyler Will of Clarence, New York. Will is graduating from Canisius High School. He plans to double major in computational mathematics in the College of Natural Science and computer science in the College of Engineering.