Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Dain Garrett Merit Award winner chosen
 Taryn Funkhouser, a senior history major, is the 2008 recipient of the Dain Garrett Merit Award for a junior or senior history student who has overcome a significant obstacle. The award was established by Dain Garrett, who graduated from USI in 1999 with a perfect 4.0 GPA despite a long struggle with muscular dystrophy. After graduation, he went on to complete a master’s degree from California State University Dominguez Hills, passing away just prior to receiving his degree. As a USI student, Garrett won many of the prizes awarded by the USI History Department, and upon his graduation, he used his award money to establish this annual cash prize to assist students who struggled against physical, economic, or other hardships. Funkhouser is a married full-time student who works part-time to pay for her education and remains very involved with mentoring her younger siblings. Despite these demands on her time, she maintains a nearly perfect attendance record in her classes and has a high GPA. Dr. Tamara Hunt, chair of the History Department, said, “Taryn’s academic work is excellent, a fact that is reflected in the number of awards she won this year, including the USI Alumni Association Scholarship for bright and deserving full-time students, the USI Foundation Excellence in Learning Award in recognition of her excellence in learning, and the USI History Club Award for recognition of the excellence of her research paper, ‘Her Eyes Turned Westward,’ that examined opportunities for women in the American West.” Funkhouser plans to pursue a graduate degree after graduation from USI. Contributions to the Dain Garrett Merit Award are accepted by the USI Foundation. |
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