Source: Kiley Moody, 785-532-6318, kmoody@k-state.edu
Hometown connection/news tip: Leawood, Olathe and Overland Park, Prairie Village, Shawnee, Tonganoxie, Topeka and Wichita, Kan.; Damascus, Md.; and Bellevue, Neb.
Photo available: http://www.k-state.edu/media/images/feb13/presidential.jpg
Photo cutline: The 2013 Presidential scholars and finalists. Front row, from left: Anne Recker, Aubrey Smading, Zachary Dodd, Grace Tapp and Crystal Qian; and back row, from left: Hunter Cook, Hope Rietcheck, Riley Gay, Amy Hein, Aislinn Davis and Jacob Wilkinson.
Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2013
Future wildcats: Two Kansas City area high school seniors earn largest scholarship award in state
MANHATTAN -- Kansas State University has awarded the Presidential Scholarship, the largest award in the state, to two high school seniors from Greater Kansas City.
The 2013 recipients are Grace Tapp, Leawood, a senior at Shawnee Mission East High School, and Riley Gay, Overland Park, a senior at Olathe East High School. Each receives a scholarship worth $20,000 a year, or $80,000 over four years.
The scholarship competition was Jan. 22. The university received 240 applications, and a selection committee chose 11 student finalists to interview for the Presidential Scholarship. Each finalist received a four-year renewable scholarship.
The Presidential Scholarship is the largest and most selective scholarship award made by Kansas State University. It seeks to recognize students who have been truly outstanding, both academically and as student leaders, during their high school careers.
"K-State takes great pride in being able to recognize outstanding students from Kansas and across the region who are making a significant impact in their high schools and communities. I am confident these students will become great K-Staters and I look forward to welcoming them to our K-State family,” said Kirk Schulz, university president.
The Presidential Scholarship is made possible with the support of K-State alumni like Mike and Becky Goss, who will be supporting the 2013 scholarship recipients, and Mark A. Chapman, who currently provides funding for two Presidential Scholars.
Finalists for the 2013 Presidential Scholarship include:
From Greater Kansas City: Aislinn Davis and Crystal Qian, both from Overland Park and both seniors at Blue Valley Northwest High School; Anne Recker, Prairie Village, senior at Shawnee Mission East High School; and Amy Hein, Shawnee, senior at Shawnee Mission Northwest High School.
Hunter Cook, Tonganoxie, senior at Tonganoxie High School; Zachary Dodd, Topeka, a senior at Hayden High School; and Aubrey Smading, Wichita, senior at Wichita East High School.
From out of state: Hope Rietcheck, Damascus, Md., senior at Damascus High School; and Jacob Wilkinson, Bellevue, Neb., senior at Bellevue West High School.
