University of Arkansas Names 2013 Honors College Fellows

Photo Submitted

The fellowship application process includes an on-campus interview with Honors College faculty. The new class of Honors College fellows was selected from a field of more than 500 top students.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. –The University of Arkansas Honors College has selected 63 exceptional students to join the 12^th class of Honors College Fellows. The new class is drawn from a field of more than 500 applicants throughout the region and includes 17 National Merit Scholars and two students who achieved a perfect score of 36 on the ACT college entrance exam.

The Honors College fellowship of $50,000 largely covers tuition, books, room and board, and registration over four years, granting these students the freedom to pursue their academic interests. The fellowship funds can also be combined with other scholarships and grants, such as the $500,000 to $1 million in study abroad and research grants that the Honors College awards to students each year.

Top grades and test scores are a given for Honors College Fellows: students must score at least 32 on the ACT and have a 3.8 grade-point average to apply. The rigor of applicants’ high school course work, their letters of recommendation and community involvement also count.

Maribeth Lynes, an assistant dean of the Honors College who leads the college’s recruiting team, emphasized that this class has been unusually engaged in service and creative work.

 “The ways these students have integrated academics with their outside interests is a standout this year,” Lynes said. “One student conducted creative writing workshops at an elementary school, and another worked with children of families who lived on a local army base. Several of the new fellows are starting their own businesses in fields like nanotechnology and engineering, and one young woman is writing a novel.”

Lynes also noted an increased interest in the “STEM” fields of science, technology, engineering and math: “We have seen an increase in fellows who plan to pursue careers in STEM fields, particularly mathematics, physics, engineering, chemistry, biology and computer science,” she said.

The Honors College fellowships and grants are made possible by a portion of the Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation’s historic $300 million gift to the university in 2003.

 “These fellowships were created to help students realize their academic and professional dreams, to allow them to explore,” said Bob McMath, dean of the Honors College. “We look forward to welcoming them to campus this fall.”

The University of Arkansas Honors College Fellows Class of 2017, with their high school and hometown:

• Kyle Addington, Miami High School, Miami, Okla.
• >Holly Alker, Waynesville High School, Waynesville, Mo.
• John Alumbaugh, Joplin High School, Joplin, Mo.
• Adam Angel, Episcopal Collegiate School, Little Rock, Ark.
• Kayla Bartnicke, Mount Saint Mary Academy, Little Rock, Ark.
• Khusbu Bhikhabhai, Fayetteville High School, Fayetteville, Ark.
• Carter Bodinger, Russellville High School, Russellville, Ark.
• Austin Boice, Lamar High School, Lamar, Mo.
• Cody Campbell, Russellville High School, Russellville, Ark.
• Kimberly Changose, Little Rock Christian Academy, Little Rock, Ark.
• Julianne Clements, Bentonville High School, Bentonville, Ark.
• Madison Crowl, Blue Valley Northwest High School, Overland Park, Kan.
• Melanie Curry, Union High School, Tulsa, Okla.
• Hanna Curtis, J.D. Leftwich High School, Booneville, Ark.
• Michael Dasso, Van Buren High School, Van Buren, Ark.
• Justin Davis, Rogers Heritage High School, Rogers, Ark.
• Emily Degner, Blue Valley North High School, Leawood, Kan.
• Zayne Derden, Cabot High School, Cabot, Ark.
• Amanda Ederle, Episcopal Collegiate School, Little Rock, Ark.
• Hayden Elliott, Cabot High School, Cabot, Ark.
• Adam Ferrier, Fayetteville High School, Fayetteville, Ark.
• Wilson Guillory, Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts; Eureka Springs, Ark.
• Jackson Haley, Little Rock Central, Little Rock, Ark.
• Mason Harper, Crossett High School, Crossett, Ark.
• Jacob Harris, Bentonville High School, Bentonville, Ark.
• Claire Hartgrove, C.E. Byrd High School, Shreveport, La.
• McKayla Holmes, Bentonville High School, Bella Vista, Ark.
• Mikayla Hopkins, Morrilton High School, Springfield, Ark.
• David Jacobson, Russellville High School, Russellville, Ark.
• Merrisa Jennings, Collinsville High School, Collinsville, Okla.
• Indran Kamalanathan, Bentonville High School, Bentonville, Ark.
• Andrea Kathol, Fayetteville High School, Fayetteville, Ark.
• John Kyte, Ruston High School, Ruston, La.
• Jonathan Main, Fayetteville High School, Fayetteville, Ark.
• Larissa Markwardt, Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts; Fayetteville, Ark.
• Madison Martinez, Southside High School, Fort Smith, Ark.
• Kylie McClanahan, Central Arkansas Christian School, North Little Rock, Ark.
• Michael McClure, Lake Hamilton High School, Hot Springs, Ark.
• Madeline Meier, Olathe South High School, Olathe, Kan.
• Erik Monson, Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts; Hot Springs, Ark.
• Jessica Montgomery, Northside High School, Van Buren, Ark.
• Edward Moran, Houston High School, Germantown, Tenn.
• Rachel Nard, Bryant High School, Bryant, Ark.
• B. J. Osterberger, Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts, Harrison, Ark.
• Sarah Peil, Collierville High School, Collierville, Tenn.
• Alan Pinter, Southside High School, Fort Smith, Ark.
• Hannah Pinter, Fayetteville High School, Fayetteville, Ark.
• Wesley Prewett, Russellville High School, Russellville, Ark.
• Isaac Robson, Bentonville High School, Bentonville, Ark.
• Maria Rossetti, Fayetteville High School, Fayetteville, Ark.
• Katherine Sargent, Lake Hamilton High School, Hot Springs, Ark.
• Jacob Schluns, Centennial High School, Frisco, Texas
• Adam Schoelz, Rock Bridge Senior High School, Columbia, Mo.
• Carter Smith, Little Rock Central High School, Little Rock, Ark.
• Karam Sra, Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts, Cherokee Village, Ark.
• Christine Tan, Fayetteville High School, Fayetteville, Ark.
• Abby Terlouw, Bentonville High School, Bentonville, Ark.
• Kathryn Theriot, White Hall High School, White Hall, Ark.
• Jason Townsley, Rogers Heritage High School, Rogers, Ark.
• Jillian Tyler, Jessieville High School, Hot Springs Village, Ark.
• Kainen Utt, Park Hill High School, Kansas City, Mo.
• Wesley Wells, Charleston High School, Charleston, Ark.
• Alexander Wolf, home-schooled, Fayetteville, Ark.