Jefferson Scholars Foundation Awards $7.65 Million in Academic Aid

May 13, 2008 — The Jefferson Scholars Foundation has awarded scholarships to 33 outstanding high school seniors and fellowships to eight graduate students entering the University of Virginia this coming fall. This year's Jefferson Scholars — 11 in-state and 20 out-of-state, one from Malaysia and one from China — were selected from over 1,000 nominees. The Jefferson Fellows were chosen from a field of applicants nominated by their departments in colleges and universities across the nation.

Both Jefferson Scholarships and Graduate Fellowships cover the full cost of attending the University, including tuition and fees, room, board, books and other expenses.

"We are delighted with this year's class," said James H. Wright, president of the Jefferson Scholars Foundation. "These young men and women embody excellence in leadership, scholarship and citizenship and possess the potential to provide the next generation of leadership to the University, the nation and the world."

The Jefferson Scholars were chosen from an outstanding field of applicants who excelled in a wide range of endeavors both in and outside the classroom. The majority served on student councils and participated in varsity athletics; 14 have been active in theater and music; individuals within the group achieved a total of 16 perfect SAT scores. One is an amateur cartographer; two started their own businesses; another created a multischool language training program for elementary school students. The group includes a torchbearer for the 2008 Olympics and a founder of an environmental protection group.

"The entering class holds promise in all fields of endeavor," said Wright, "By any measure, Jefferson Scholars excel as individuals and as contributing members of our society."

The new class of Graduate Fellows, receiving stipends for tuition and research that range from $100,000 to $250.000, will be studying at the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and at the Darden Graduate School of Business. "These talented individuals exhibited not only excellence in academics, but also a keen spirit of inquiry and a willingness to communicate their knowledge," said Wright. "Spirited conversation among great thinkers is a critical component of the fellows' contribution to the University. These outstanding graduate students embrace the opportunity to share what they know with scholars in other disciplines in order that knowledge may advance on all fronts."

They join 27 other Fellows currently working in departments and schools across the University.

The 28-year-old, not-for-profit Jefferson Scholars Foundation serves the University of Virginia by identifying, attracting and nurturing individuals of extraordinary intellectual range and depth who possess the highest qualities of leadership, scholarship, and citizenship. The foundation currently supports 128 undergraduate students and 33 graduate students.

The 33 new Jefferson Scholars, with high schools and hometowns, are:

Hannah Miller Barefoot, North Carolina School for the Arts, Winston-Salem, N.C.
Elizabeth Stratford Bowles, Washington International School, Washington, D.C.
Kirsti Anne Campbell, John Handley High School, Winchester, Va.
Richard David Cates Jr., Kennett High School, Landenburg, Pa.
Audra June Delauder, St. Paul High School, St. Paul, Va.
Wayne Lee Dell, Pensacola High School, Pensacola, Fla.
John Mark DiGrazia, St. Christopher's School, Midlothian, Va.
Thomas Alexander Eschenroeder Jr., Trinity Episcopal High School, Richmond, Va.
Tyler Stephen Frankenberg, Archbishop Moeller High School, Milford, Ohio
Laura Karen Hansen, Pittsford Mendon High School, Pittsford, N.Y.
Elizabeth Tyler Harris, St. Catherine's School, Richmond, Va.
Martha Pemberton Heath, St. Andrew's School, Charlotte, N.C.
Mary Olivia Hutton, Berwick Academy, Madbury, N.H.
Kaitlin Murphy Kelley, The Westminster Schools, Atlanta, Ga.
Jin Yoo Kim, The International School of Kuala Lumpur, Ampang, Malaysia
Mary Catherine Kinniburgh, Langley High School, McLean, Va.
Joseph Michael Koes, E.C. Glass High School, Lynchburg, Va.
Garrett Browne Lyons III, Tower Hill School, Wilmington, Del.
Maria Malas, Charleston Catholic High School, Charleston, W.Va.
Karoline Evin McMullen, Hawken School, Chesterland, Ohio
Paul Jonathan Michel, Monticello High School, Charlottesville, Va.
Yixiao Min, Beijing Chaoyang Foreign Language School, Beijing, China
Hannah Marie Moody, Harvard-Westlake School, Culver City, Calif.
Emma Elizabeth Ying Murphy, Glenelg Country School, Ellicott City, Md.
Emily Ann Pearce, Lafayette High School, Williamsburg, Va.
Matthew Magaldi Pesesky, Leonia High School, Leonia, N.J.
Dagney Devlin Pruner, The Awty International School, Houston, Texas
Megan Elizabeth Raymond, Episcopal School of Dallas, Dallas, Texas
Matthew William Savarese, Rye High School, Rye, N.Y.
Kelly Michael Snow, West Springfield High School, Springfield, Va.
Semen Yakov Svirnovskiy, Mary Institute St. Louis Country Day School, Chesterfield, Mo.
Benjamin Lees Wallace, The Charter School of Wilmington, Hockessin, Del.
Christiana Grace White, Vail Mountain School, Edwards, Colo.
 
The eight new Jefferson Fellows, with previous universities attended, majors and hometowns, are:

Bill Dirienzo, University of Wisconsin, astronomy, Franklin, Wisc.
Laura Goldblatt, Wesleyan College, English, Princeton, N.J.
Jameson Graber, Washington & Lee University, mathematics, Arlington, Texas
Jenifer Guimond, Duke University (B.A.)/Naval Post Graduate School (M.A.), business administration, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
Mary Hicks, University of Iowa, history, Iowa City, Iowa.
Ray Lamas, United States Naval Academy (B.S.)/Naval War Academy (M.A.), business administration, Erie, Pa.
Lindsay O'Connor, Tulane University, English, Peachtree City, Ga.
Hal Reeves, Princeton University/University of Chicago/American University, classics, Brookville, Fla.

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