Twenty-two incoming students have been awarded scholarships to cover full tuition, room and board and a stipend for up to eight semesters of undergraduate study at Michigan State University.
The scholarships – considered among the most competitive awards in the country – are valued at about $120,000 for in-state students and approximately $220,000 for out-of-state students.
The newest Alumni Distinguished Scholars and University Distinguished Scholars hail from Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, North Carolina, Kentucky, Virginia, Wyoming, Washington, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Lebanon.
“For more than 60 years, MSU has offered these highly competitive scholarships to a select group of accomplished incoming students,” said MSU Interim President John Engler. “They are part of the largest and most diverse freshman class ever to step foot on our campus and will receive a world-class education.”
All the students receiving an Alumni Distinguished Scholarship or University Distinguished Scholarship will be members of the Honors College.
“The Honors College fosters flexibility as students pursue a rigorous undergraduate education and encourages students to engage in high-level coursework, research, experiential learning and education abroad,” said Cynthia Jackson-Elmoore, dean of the Honors College. “We congratulate the students on earning these prestigious scholarships and look forward to seeing them succeed at Michigan State University.”
Alumni Distinguished Scholars were selected from more than 1,300 of the top high school seniors who applied to MSU, participated in interviews and took an intensive general knowledge exam this past winter.
The Alumni Distinguished Scholars are:
- Claudia Chen of Canton. Chen is graduating from Salem High School. She plans to major in mechanical engineering in the College of Engineering.
- Aneesh Cherukuri of Novi. Cherukuri is graduating from Novi High School. He plans to major in Lyman Briggs College.
- Manasi Desai of Troy. Desai is graduating from Athens High School. She plans to major in biology in Lyman Briggs College.
- Ann Desrochers of Houghton. Desrochers is graduating from Houghton High School. She plans to major in experience architecture in the College of Arts and Letters.
- Eliot Haddad of Lebanon. Haddad is graduating from International College Beirut. He plans to major in human biology in Lyman Briggs College.
- Gabriella Hardy of St. Joseph. Hardy is graduating from St. Joseph High School. She plans to major in biochemistry and molecular biology in the College of Natural Science.
- Charles Hultquist of Bartlett, Illinois. Hultquist is graduating from the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy. He plans to major in physics in the College of Natural Science.
- Jason Kenny of La Grange, Illinois. Kenny is graduating from Riverside Brookfield High School. He plans to major in advanced mathematics in the College of Natural Science.
- Anusha Mamidipaka of Northville. Mamidipaka is graduating from Detroit Country Day School. She plans to double major in biochemistry and molecular biology and neuroscience in Lyman Briggs College.
- Andrew McDonald of Hudson, Ohio. McDonald is graduating from Hudson High School. He plans to major in computer science in the College of Engineering.
- Cecilia Mikat of Milford. Mikat is graduating from Brighton High School. She plans to major in advanced mathematics in the College of Natural Science.
- Parker Renberg of Raleigh, North Carolina. Renberg is graduating from Leesville Road High School. He plans to major in James Madison College.
- Alex Roy of Utica. Roy is graduating from Utica High School. He plans to major in Lyman Briggs College.
- Emma Smith of Brighton. Smith is graduating from Hartland High School. She plans to double major in chemical engineering and biosystems engineering in the College of Engineering.
- Madeline Steffke of Weidman. Steffke is graduating from Beal City High School. She plans to major in music education in the College of Music.
- Alexander Surkov of Snohomish, Washington. Surkov is graduating from Glacier Peak High School. He plans to major in Lyman Briggs College.
- Kelli Weigold of Farmington Hills. Weigold is graduating from Farmington High School. She plans to major in chemical engineering in the College of Engineering.
University Distinguished Scholars were selected from an MSU applicant pool by the executive director of admissions and recruitment and the dean of the Honors College based on high school programs, achievements, standardized test scores and interviews with the finalists.
The University Distinguished Scholars are:
- Noah Hintz of Masontown, Pennsylvania. Hintz is graduating from Albert Gallatin Area Senior High School. He plans to major in James Madison College.
- Rida Khan of Nashville, Tennessee. Khan is graduating from Hume-Fogg Magnet High School. She plans to major in human biology in the College of Natural Science.
- Shay Ladd of Blacksburg, Virginia. Ladd is graduating from Blacksburg High School. She plans to major in chemical engineering in the College of Engineering.
- Jason Scott of Laramie, Wyoming. Scott is graduating from Laramie High School. He plans to major in mechanical engineering in the College of Engineering.
- Selin Sergin of Somerset, Kentucky. Sergin is graduating from the Carol Martin Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science. She plans to major in nutritional sciences in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources.