| The 2008 class of Sturgis Fellows boasts
an average of a 33 composite score on the ACT and a 4.0 high school
grade point average. Five are National Merit semifinalists. They
are Ethan Latimer of Searcy, Ark.; Marie Morris of Little Rock,
Ark.; Preston Scrape of Jonesboro, Ark.; Jeanne Vockroth of Fayetteville,
Ark.; Kate Thompson of Mankato, Minn.; and Meenakshi Prajapati
of Trinidad and Tobago.
“This class of Sturgis Fellows once again represents some
of the most accomplished students in Arkansas and in the world.
They are National Merit finalists, valedictorians, extraordinary
volunteers in their communities and exemplary students,” said
Donald R. Bobbitt, dean of the J. William Fulbright College of
Arts and Sciences at the University of Arkansas.
The Sturgis Fellowship is unique from other university fellowships
and scholarships because it requires the students to pursue a major
in Fulbright College. Moreover, the students must complete the
rigorous Scholars Program and graduate with honors.
“This year’s class, like those before them, are articulate
and informed, bringing an enthusiasm for learning to every class
they take. As always, we are enormously grateful to the Sturgis
Trust for allowing us to attract such outstanding students to the
university,” said Bobbitt.
The Sturgis Fellowship is made possible by an endowment from the
Roy and Christine Sturgis Charitable Trust of the Bank of America.
Each Sturgis Fellow receives $50,000, or $12,500 per year, making
the Sturgis among the most generous scholarships offered at the
University of Arkansas. The fellowship pays for tuition, room and
board, and provides discretionary funds for computers, musical
instruments, professional journals and trips to conferences. The
trust has also endowed a second program, the Sturgis Honors Scholars
Grants, which fund research and study abroad programs for non-Sturgis
Fellows enrolled in the college’s Honors Program.
“As with every year, the talented pool of students we interviewed
this year was very deep indeed, and so our choices were difficult;
the spectrum of talent was a wide one, and this diversity is amply
represented by this wonderful group. All of us are looking forward
to their arrival here on campus,” said Sidney Burris, director
of Honors Studies.
Ethan Latimer will pursue a bachelor of science degree in biological
sciences and pre-medicine. Latimer graduated from Searcy High School,
where he was the yearbook editor and a Boys State delegate, as
well as a member of the First Team All-Conference in football and
winner of a poetry recital. Ethan volunteered with Special Olympics
and has worked with the elderly.
A graduate of Mount Saint Mary Academy in Little Rock, Marie Morris
will major in biochemistry and Spanish and plans to attend medical
school. She has been a volunteer for focus groups on teen health
and served as a tutor for Building Bright Futures. She hopes to
pursue service work in Kenya and Belize following her medical training.
Originally from New Orleans, Jeanne Vockroth moved to Fayetteville
in 2005 following Hurricane Katrina. She was an active member of
the Art Club at Fayetteville High School, serving as president
in her senior year. For the past two years, she has served as the
art editor for the Fayetteville High School's literary magazine,
Connotations. She attended Governor’s School as a visual
arts student, and her art is featured in the Blair Library’s
literary magazine. She will pursue a major in studio art, with
an emphasis in narrative painting.
Preston Scrape from Jonesboro, Ark., plans to major in biochemistry.
In his senior year at Jonesboro High, Preston interned at a research
institute, where he studied the effects of maternal drug use on
child development, looking largely at brain tissues. Before starting
at the University of Arkansas, Preston plans to travel to France
and Spain. He hopes to combine his interests in the natural sciences
with studies in theology and philosophy.
Kate Thompson from Mankato, Minn., plans to major in anthropology
and study archaeology and linguistics as well. Active in research
projects over the years, Kate has studied the effects of leachate
recirculation on landfill cells, test anxiety in high school students
and the reliability of oral traditions. She has presented her findings
at local, regional, state and international competitions, serving
as a regional judge in her senior year.
With a special interest in zoology, Meenakshi Prajapati from Trinidad
and Tobago will major in biological sciences and plans to attend
medical school. She sees herself as an agent of change for the
future, improving health care in under-serviced areas in the United
States. Her goal is to forge policies for health care reform.
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