National Reputation, Full Scholarships Draw The Nation s High Achievers To The University of Cincinnati

The University of Cincinnati’s newest Cincinnatus Scholars are coming from near and far to pursue their college educations. Each of the 12 top recipients of the eighth annual Cincinnatus Scholarship competition will receive a full $66,000 award to pay for their tuition, books, room and board at UC.

Every February since 1997, the Cincinnatus Scholarship competition has drawn thousands of the nation’s best and brightest high school seniors to UC to compete for four different levels of scholarship awards. The award levels are based on academic achievement, performance at the competition and background in community service.

Students from the Tristate who won a full ride to UC also have the added distinction of being named Presidential Scholars.

Presidential Scholars

Ashley Burkert, Cincinnati (Sycamore Township), Ohio – The 17-year-old Princeton High School graduate and pre-nursing major says it was the U.S. News and World Report’s national ranking of UC’s nursing school (52 out of 700 schools nationally) that drew her to campus, plus she says she wanted to attend a university that was located close to her family. Burkert is pursuing a career as a neonatal nurse practitioner. The Bethesda North Hospital volunteer is a National Merit Commended Scholar and a recipient of the Harvard Book Award. Her high school activities included service as editor of the school’s literary magazine; secretary and member of the Key Club, a volunteer organization; founder and vice president of Helping Our Planet Earth (HOPE) Club, a nationally ranked environmental organization; secretary of the history club; member of the National Honor Society; and member of the school orchestra and chamber orchestra.

Anar Patel, Cincinnati (Evendale), Ohio – The 18-year-old salutatorian of Princeton High School was accepted into UC’s prestigious Connections program, a dual admissions program which guarantees her entry into the UC College of Medicine once she completes her UC bachelor’s degree. Patel plans to major in biological science. Her previous experiences at UC came in high school, when she was selected for the UC Summer Honors Institutes for Gifted Students and for the UC College of Medicine’s ExSEL program. Patel says it was the Connections program, plus the transformation of campus, that drew her to UC. Her high school activities included serving as treasurer for Student Council; vice president of Key Club; National Merit Finalist; National Honor Society; recipient of the Mercantile Library Award; and volunteering at Bethesda North Hospital and as a counselor for children with disabilities. An avid Indian classical dancer, Patel has performed at local cultural and religious events, plus she has traveled to India to help establish a camp for rural children.

Emily Stover, Villa Hills, Ky. – The 18-year-old graduate of Notre Dame Academy was also accepted into UC’s Connections program, which guarantees her entry into the UC College of Medicine once she completes her UC bachelor’s degree. Stover plans to major in biological science. She says UC’s urban atmosphere, research opportunities and her early acceptance into medical school – plus the award of a full scholarship – led her to UC for her college education. Stover’s high school experience included participation on the Academic Team Bowl; president of the Spanish Club; The Muses art club; National Honor Society; Spanish National Honor Society; volleyball; varsity fast-pitch softball; and Girls Athletic Association. Using her Spanish skills, Stover has worked with Hispanic adults and children as they learned to speak English. She has also volunteered service in special education.

Benjamin Tice, Hamilton, Ohio – The 18-year-old valedictorian of Hamilton High School will be majoring in physics. Tice’s high school activities included president of Student Council; National Honor Society; show choir; theater group; and orchestra (where he played violin). He has served as a volunteer at Mercy Hospital in Mt. Airy and presently is volunteering at a summer camp for four-and-five-year-olds. Tice says he first became interested in UC when he researched the university as part of a high school project. He adds that he also chose UC because he liked the location – close to home – plus, he liked the idea of attending college on a larger campus and getting involved with UC’s many student programs.

Other Top Cincinnatus Winners

Michael Brothers, King of Prussia, Pa. – The 18-year-old graduate of Upper Merion Area High School will be majoring in chemistry and says he is also interested in the social sciences. Brothers says his father, Lou, graduated from UC, which is why he initially applied to the university. “As I further studied the university, I found the opportunities to succeed were innumerable, due to the fact that they encourage undergraduate research and also due to the fact that they attract an enormous amount of research grants,” he says.  Brothers was an Advanced Placement (AP) Scholar with Distinction; National Merit Commended Scholar; vice president of Student Council; head coordinator of a peer tutoring program; and co-captain of the track-and-field and cross- country teams. He previously participated in the Science Olympiad in southeastern Pennsylvania, placing first in cell biology with a fellow team member. Brothers also volunteered service by performing as a clown for day care centers and nursing homes and serving as a camp counselor, teaching athletic skills to six-and-12-year-old children.

Jennifer Brown, Bridgeport, W.Va. –  The 18-year-old valedictorian of Bridgeport High School will major in cello performance at UC’s internationally recognized College-Conservatory of Music (CCM). Brown says she was interested in studying music at CCM from the time that she was a little girl. She was principal cellist of the West Virginia All State Orchestra during her sophomore, junior and senior years in high school. Other high school activities included National Merit Scholar; National Honor Society; French Honor Society; French Club, Key Club; Christian Club and the Responsible Students Program. Brown’s community service activities included membership in her church youth choir, community band, the West Virginia Community Orchestra and performing concerts and recitals for the Governor’s School for the Arts. She also helped teach French to elementary school students.

Edward (“Alex”) Dent, Tupelo, Miss. – The 18-year-old cum laude graduate of Tupelo High School and regional award-winning artist will major in architecture at UC’s nationally renowned College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning. Dent says it was the program’s prestigious reputation that drew him to UC. His school activities included president of the National Honor Society; Junior Humane Society; secretary of SADD; Key Club; president of the local chapter of National Art Honor Society; theater; photography club; and founder and president of the Culture Club, an organization to generate attention over different forms of visual art. Dent is an active member of his youth group at First Presbyterian Church. His service activities include participation in Project Hope, membership in a peer group that promoted positive living to middle school students, and participation for nine years on mission trips to Mexico.

Evan Henderson, Orrville, Ohio – The 18-year-old valedictorian of Orrville High School will major in architecture and said it was the program’s national reputation that brought him to UC to study. He adds that he’s excited about the improvements on campus, such as UC’s MainStreet corridor. “Cincinnati will be an exciting place, compared with the small town where I’m from.” Henderson is a volunteer and past president of the Ohio Association of Student Councils; president of his high school Student Council; member of Key Club; Earth Science Club; Ski Club and vice president of Students Against Destructive Decisions. He was honored as the Akron Beacon Journal Regional Start Student. His community service activities included serving as a mentor for fifth graders at the Orrville Boys and Girls Club. Also, through the Ohio Reads initiative, he worked with students to become better readers.

Joan Hermann, Rutherfordton, N.C. – The 17-year-old salutatorian of Rutherfordton-Spindale High School has not yet declared her major, but says she is interested in interior design. It was her musical background in piano and songwriting that first led to her exploration of UC. “I had met a student from Ohio at a camp just outside of Asheville, N.C., who had suggested that I check out CCM – but then as I explored the programs, I saw that UC’s interior design program was ranked number one in the nation, so I visited the college a few times.” Hermann was president of the National Honor Society at her high school; secretary of the national Beta Club; and a member of the Art Club and Key Club. Her community service included tutoring elementary school students as part of a community outreach with her church, First United Methodist Church in Rutherfordton; singing in the youth choir and serving as an occasional pianist for the church; working as a Head Start volunteer and volunteering with the Girl Scouts.

Julia Jones, Ottawa, Ohio – The 18-year-old valedictorian of Ottawa-Glendorf High School is Ohio Junior Miss 2004 and is majoring in biomedical engineering. She says she chose UC not only because of the full scholarship, but also because of the distinguished reputation of the College of Engineering and because she was interested in getting involved in activities on a larger college campus. Jones was active in her high school band, choir, drama club, swim team and 4-H Club. Her community service included volunteering at St. Rita Medical Center, cleaning homes for the elderly, planning and performing piano recitals at a nursing home, and working with the Putnam County 4-H Fair Board.

Andrew Schriner, Findlay, Ohio – The 18-year-old graduate of Findlay High School will major in mechanical engineering, and says it was the excellent reputation of UC’s engineering program that brings him to UC. He was selected 2004 Outstanding Science Student at his high school; was vice president of Student Council; played wide receiver four years on the football team and received an honorable mention at the All-Greater Buckeye Conference. He was also captain of the high school track and field team and a member of the YMCA basketball team. Schriner was on the Findlay High School team that won the We The People State Championship (an intense academic program focusing on student knowledge of the U.S. Constitution.) His team also attended the national We The People competition in Washington, D.C. Schriner was a member of the National Honor Society and received top honors on the National Latin Exam. His community service includes participation in the Relay For Life fund-raiser for the American Cancer Society, volunteering in the Right to Read program and planting trees for the Hancock County Soil and Water Conservation.

Amy Schlegel, Coshocton, Ohio – The 17-year-old salutatorian of Coshocton High School is majoring in biomedical engineering and was also accepted into UC’s Connections program, which guarantees her entry into the UC College of Medicine once she completes her bachelor’s degree. She says she selected UC because of Connections, the size and location of campus, and because she was impressed by the faculty she had met during campus visits. Schlegel was involved in her high school concert, marching and community band; her school and community theater; the All-Ohio State Fair Youth Choir; local, state and national science competitions and presentations. Other extracurricular activities included COSI Academy, Chess Club, French Club, Quiz Team and the teen advisory board for Coshocton Public Library. Her volunteer service includes tutoring elementary students and service through the Coshocton Youth Leadership Program and Coshocton Youth Foundation.