USI proud to announce 2015-2016 Top Merit Scholars

The University of Southern Indiana's Office of Admission welcomes the class of 2019's top merit scholarship recipients to campus this fall. Twenty-six incoming freshmen received Presidential, Baccalaureate/Doctor of Medicine and Deans Scholarships. These students come from large metropolitan areas, as well as rural communities, and represent a wide cross-section of backgrounds and interests.

The University's incoming class continues a tradition of boasting the strongest credentials in the University's history and represents some of the brightest students the state has to offer. Average high school GPAs for incoming freshmen ranked among the highest the University has seen at 3.27. Once again, 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.

Jessica Coleman, of Evansville, received the Henry J. & Hazel D. Bennighof Endowed Presidential Scholarship. A graduate of F.J. Reitz High School, Coleman plans to study biochemistry/pre-medicine at USI.

Ethan Duncheon, of Montgomery, received the Susan. R. Enlow Endowed Presidential Scholarship. A graduate of Barr-Reeve High School, Duncheon plans to study biology/pre-medicine at USI.

Kate Grudzinksi, of Newburgh, received the David S. Deering Endowed Presidential Scholarship. A graduate of Signature School, Grudzinksi plans to major in political science at USI.

Katherine Hamilton, of Paoli, received the Southern Indiana Higher Education Endowed Presidential Scholarship. A graduate of Paoli High School, Hamilton plans on studying biology/pre-medicine at USI.

Parker Hart, of Indianapolis, received the Ruth Gray Yates Endowed Presidential Scholarship. A graduate of Decatur Central High School, Hart plans to major in philosophy at USI.

Wyatt Helms, of Cannelburg, received the Robert A. & Carole D. Rust Endowed Presidential Scholarship. A graduate of Barr-Reeve High School, Helms plans on studying engineering at USI.

Claire Hirsch, of New Albany, received the Janet L.  & Daniel M. Fuquay Endowed Presidential Scholarship. A graduate of New Albany High School, Hirsch plans on studying nursing at USI.

Natalya Meinhart, of Washington, received the Robert M. Kent Family Endowed Presidential Scholarship. A graduate of Washington High School, Meinhart plans to major in chemistry at USI.

Meredith Opel, of Indianapolis, received the James J. Giancola & Sally H. Roty Endowed Presidential Scholarship. A graduate of Roncalli High School, Opel plans on studying nursing at USI.

Kelynn Shafer, of Fishers, received the Robert L. & Mary Koch Endowed Presidential Scholarship. A graduate of Fishers High School, Shafer plans to major in environmental science at USI.

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.

Maggie Browne, of Burlington, Kentucky, received the Olive Carruthers Clifft Endowed Deans Scholarship. A graduate of Boone County High School, she plans on studying theatre at USI.

Halle Cunningham, of Slaughters, Kentucky, received the Aline Nunn Renner Deans Scholarship. A graduate of Madisonville North Hopkins High School, she plans on studying kinesiology at USI.

Holly Denny, of Hamilton, Ohio, received the Kanzler Deans Scholarship. A graduate of Mount Notre Dame High School, Denny plans to major in engineering at USI.

Grant Edwards, of Olney, Illinois, received the Olive Carruthers Clifft Endowed Deans Scholarship. A graduate of East Richland High School, Edwards plans to major in psychology at USI.

Haley Limper, of Springfield, Illinois, received the Kanzler Deans Scholarship. A graduate of Lutheran High School, Limper is undecided in her field of study.

Sean McDicken, of Royalton, Illinois, received the Melvin Paul & Emma A. Gorby Deans Scholarship. A graduate of Zeigler-Royalton High School, he is undecided in his field of study.

Allison Stieler, of Newburgh, received the Henry J. & Hazel D. Bennighof Deans Scholarship. A graduate of Castle High School, she plans on studying nursing at USI.

Cassidy Thomas, of Corydon, Kentucky, received the Aline Nunn Renner Deans Scholarship. A graduate of Webster County High School, Cassidy plans to major in finance at USI.

Kathleen Varvera, of Saint Peters, Missouri, received the Bess C. & Elmer W. Halwes Memorial Deans Scholarship. A graduate of Incarnate Word Academy, Varvera plans to major in nursing at USI.

Olivia Wilde, of Racine, Wisconsin, received the Paul & Madeline Fletchall Deans Scholarship. A graduate of Union Grove High School, she plans on studying 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.

Autumn Austin, received the Dr. William C. H. Grimm Jr. & Phyllis R. Grimm B/MD Scholarship to study biochemistry/pre-medicine at USI. An Evansville native, Austin is a graduate of Signature School.

Rishi Bolla, received the Dr. Fawzy E. & Sandra Salama B/MD Scholarship to study biology/pre-medicine at USI. A native of Carmel, Bolla is a graduate of Park Tudor School.

Kayla Clodfelter, received the Victor V. Schriefer B/MD Scholarship to study biology/pre-medicine at USI. A native of Roachdale, Clodfelter is a graduate of North Putnam High School.

Hannah Hillenbrand, received the Thomas E. Topper B/MD Scholarship to study biology/pre-medicine at USI. A native of Newburgh, Hillenbrand is a graduate of Castle High School.

Anjali Patel, received the Ethel Reed B/MD Scholarship to study biology/pre-medicine at USI. A native of Evansville, Patel is a graduate of Evansville Day School.

Katherine Schnautz, received the Delores DeWitt & Charles H. Browning & Jennifer & Mark Browning B/MD Scholarship to study biology/pre-medicine at USI. A native of Evansville, Schnautz is a graduate of F.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 2016-2017 USI Merit Scholarships should submit an application, along with related admission materials and most recent high school transcript, by January 15, 2016. For more information, visit usi.edu/financial-aid/aid/scholarships/freshmen-scholarships-2016-beyond.