USI Welcomes 2014-2015 Merit Scholars

The University of Southern Indiana's Office of Admission welcomes the class of 2018's top merit scholarship recipients to campus this fall. Twenty-six incoming freshmen receive Presidential, Baccalaureate/Doctor of Medicine, and Deans Scholarships.

For the second year in a row, the University of Southern Indiana's incoming class has the strongest credentials in its history. Average high school GPAs for incoming freshman are at an all-time high at 3.27. USI was one of the top two college choices for Tri-state area high school valedictorians.

Presidential Scholars

Presidential Scholarships are awarded annually to 10 Indiana valedictorians and salutatorians of senior high school classes, who are chosen after a competitive interview process. Applicants must attend a state-commissioned high school in Indiana and earn an SAT score of 1200 (without writing component) or 1800 (with writing component), or an ACT composite score of 27. The program began in 1988 as an initiative to bring outstanding Indiana students to USI. The full-tuition scholarships are funded by private donors to the USI Foundation.

Amanda Graham, of Evansville, received the Joseph E. and Marie N. O'Daniel Endowed Presidential Scholarship. A graduate of North High School, she is the daughter of Greg and Michelle Graham. She is undecided in her plan of study.

Livia Hopper, of Mt. Vernon, received the Louis and Anne G. Harpole Presidential Scholarship. A graduate of Mt. Vernon High School, she is the daughter of David and Mari Hopper. Hopper plans to study biology at USI.

Adam Lockard, of Evansville, received the Henry J. and Hazel D. Bennighof Presidential Scholarship. A graduate of North High School, he is the son of Steven and Sharon Lockard. Lockard plans to study engineering at USI.

Rachel Miller, of Greenfield, received the Edgar W. and Lucile E. Schergens Presidential Scholarship. A graduate of Heritage Christian High School, she is the daughter of David and Melinda Miller. Miller plans to study biochemistry at USI.

Mackenzie Moore, a graduate of New Albany High School, received the Margery F. Kahn Presidential Scholarship. A New Albany native, Moore is the daughter of Roger and Deborah Moore. She plans to study chemistry.

Cameron Riecker, of Celestine, received the Donald and Allene Hazeltine Endowed Presidential Scholarship. A graduate of Northeast Dubois High School, he is the son of Alan and Gina Riecker. Riecker plans to study biology, a pre-chiropractic track at USI.

Alexis Skelton, of Westfield, received the Fred C. Newman Family Endowed Presidential Scholarship. A graduate of Westfield High School, she is the daughter of Ed and Jennifer Skelton. Skelton plans to study Spanish at USI.

Paige Spieth, of Fishers, received the Edward F. Harrison Presidential Scholarship. A graduate of Hamilton Southeastern High School, she is the daughter of Dan and Cathy Spieth. Spieth plans to study biology/pre-medicine at USI.

Jonathan Thomas, of Lafayette, received the William H. and Dallas Bower Suhrheinrich Endowed Presidential Scholarship. A graduate of Faith Christian High School, he is the son of James and Connie Thomas. Thomas plans to study science education at USI.

Emily Vogel, of Evansville, received the C. Wayne and Betty Worthington Endowed Presidential Scholarship. A graduate of Reitz Memorial High School, she is the daughter of Michael and Lisbeth Vogel. Vogel is undecided in her plan of study.

Deans Scholars

Deans Scholarships are awarded annually to 10 exceptional students from across the country who rank at or near the top of their high school classes. Applicants meet similar academic requirements to those of B/MD scholars. Deans Scholarships provide an award of $2,000 each year, funded by private donors to the USI Foundation. Most Deans Scholars receive additional scholarship funding through their academic departments.

Erin Bonner, of McLeansboro, Illinois, received the Z. Olen and Inez G. Pumphrey Endowed Deans Scholarship. A graduate of Hamilton County High School, she is the daughter of Stephen and M. Suzanne Bonner. She plans to study biology at USI.

Angela DaCosta, of East Hanover, New Jersey, received the Edward F. Harrison Deans Scholarship. A graduate of Hanover Park High School, she is the daughter of Maryanne and DAD DaCosta. She plans to study biology/pre-medicine at USI.

Justin Gentry, of Hanson, Kentucky, received the Jennings D. and Josephine K. Carter Deans Scholarship. A graduate of Madisonville North Hopkins High School, he is the son of Kevin and Kimberly Gentry. He plans to study biology at USI.

Alayna Gersic, of DeKalb, Illinois, received the Aline Nunn Renner Deans Scholarship. A graduate of DeKalb High School, she is the daughter of David and Dawn Gersic. She plans to study early childhood education at USI.

Lindsey Hansen, of Algonquin, Illinois, received the Edward F. Harrison Deans Scholarship. A graduate of Dundee-Crown High School, she is the daughter of Scott and Kimberly Hansen. She plans to study nursing at USI.

Thomas Katzman, of Spring Hill, Tennessee, received the Rebecca N. Couch Deans Scholarship. A graduate of Independence High School, he is the son of Richard and Robin Katzman. He plans to study exercise science at USI.

Alexandra Logan, of Carleton, Michigan, received the Frederick B. Riechmann Deans Scholarship. A graduate of Airport Senior High School, she is the daughter of Kenneth and Lynne Logan. She plans to study mathematics at USI.

Daniel Pemberton, of Lynnville, Indiana, received the Aline Nunn Renner Deans Scholarship. A graduate of Tecumseh High School, he is the son of Bradley and Wendy Pemberton. He plans to study engineering at USI.

Dana Tang, of Evansville, Indiana, received the Henry J. and Hazel D. Bennighof Deans Scholarship. A graduate of Signature School, she is the daughter of David and Jayne Tang. Tang is undecided in her plan of study.

Angela Todd, of Hanson, Kentucky, received the Jennings D. and Josephine K. Carter Deans Scholarship. A graduate of Madisonville North Hopkins High School, she is the daughter of David and Jodi Todd. She plans to study nursing at USI.

Baccalaureate/Doctor of Medicine Scholars

Baccalaureate/Doctor of Medicine (B/MD) Scholarships are awarded to six exceptional Indiana high school students annually, who meet similar academic requirements to those of Presidential Scholars. The B/MD Scholarship program, which offers a provisional seat in the Indiana University School of Medicine to each recipient, is sponsored jointly by USI and the Evansville Center for Medical Education, Indiana University School of Medicine. The full-tuition scholarships are funded by private donors to the USI Foundation.

Mahek Ali, the daughter of Rashid and Nusrat Ali, received the Edward F. Harrison B/MD Scholarship to study biology/pre-medicine. A Fishers native, she is a graduate of Hamilton Southeastern High School.

Dora Meyer, the daughter of Darryl and Diana Meyer, received the Krueger Family Foundation B/MD Scholarship to study biology/pre-medicine. A Griffin native, she is a graduate of North Posey High School.

Katelyn Robinson, the daughter of Noah and Janie Robinson, received the William C. H. Jr. & Phillis R. Grimm Endowed B/MD Scholarship to study biology/pre-medicine. An Evansville native, she is a graduate of Signature School.

Madalyn Schadler, the daughter of Gene and Rebecca Schadler, received the Edward F. Harrison B/MD Scholarship to study biochemistry/pre-medicine. A Chandler native, she is a graduate of Reitz Memorial High School.

Lexis Schue, the daughter of Scott and Gina Schue, received the Delores & Charles Browning and Jennifer & Mark Browning B/MD Scholarship to study chemistry/pre-medicine. An Evansville native, she is a graduate of North High School.

Samantha Sellers, the daughter of Jon and Melissa Sellers, received the Victor V. Schriefer Jr. Endowed B/MD Scholarship to study biochemistry/pre-medicine. An Evansville native, she is a graduate of Francis J. Reitz High School.

Merit Scholars must maintain full-time continuous enrollment in each regular semester, with a minimum of 30 semester hours successfully completed each academic year.

Students who want to apply for 2015-2016 USI Merit Scholarships should submit an application, along with related admission materials and most recent high school transcript, by January 15, 2015.