UC Names Top Winners in Prestigious Scholarship Competition Date: June 15, 2000 By: Dawn Fuller Phone: (513) 556-1823 Archive: General News It's the scholarship competition that draws students from around the nation to the University of Cincinnati. Now six young leaders of that competition have been named Cincinnatus Scholars and each will receive awards of up to $60,000 for full UC tuition, room and board, and books. Every student in the competition is a winner and receives a minimum of $1,500 per year in scholarship awards. Two of the six top winners were named Cincinnatus Presidential Scholars because they are from Greater Cincinnati. The two students will have the added honor of an introduction at the UC Presidential Ball Oct. 21. Here are the six recipients of the $60,000 awards: Presidential Scholars Kendra McMullen, Lawrenceburg High School, Lawrenceburg, Indiana, previously served as class president and president of the Sunshine Society at Lawrenceburg High School and was a member of the Key Club and tennis team. McMullen was active in community service, providing swimming lessons for children and participating in activities with her church youth group. She will be studying in the McMicken College of Arts and Sciences. Aaron Ziegel, Miamisburg High School, Miamisburg, Ohio, was class valedictorian and treasurer of the National Honor Society. Active in the marching band and principal clarinet for the Dayton Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, Ziegel plans to major in piano performance at the College-Conservatory of Music. Other Top Cincinnatus Winners Samantha Johnson, Lynchburg-Clay High School, Lynchburg, Ohio, was president of student council her senior year and was vice president of student council during her junior year of high school. Johnson was a member of the girls' volleyball, basketball, softball and track teams and was active in church missions for Lynchburg United Methodist Church where she s president of the youth group. Johnson plans to major in fine arts at the College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning. Joshua Kaufman, New London High School, New London, Ohio, played trumpet in his jazz, pep, marching and concert bands, sang in the show choir, and was a member of the school s track team and academic challenge team. A Boy Scout and Eagle Scout, he attends Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church and was recently named Youth of the Year by the Knights of Columbus. Kaufman plans to major in computer engineering. Kelsey McKelfresh, Rocky Mountain High School, Fort Collins, Colorado, was president of the National Honor Society and was active in chorus and theater. McKelfresh also is a member of the Our Saviors Lutheran Church youth band and is presently touring with the group to share music and to perform community service. She will major in musical theater at the College-Conservatory of Music. Ryan Lobello, Warren Township High School, Gurnee, Illinois, played bass trombone in the all-state orchestra, all-district band and jazz band. A class officer at his school, he was on a committee to expand school relationships with the community. Lobello was active in his high school theater department as well as in community theater. He will major in architecture at the College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning. The fourth annual Cincinnatus Scholarship competition brought 1,500 high school seniors to campus last February, as they competed for more than $11 million in scholarship awards. Students were assessed by their academic and leadership abilities as well as their commitment to community service. The service-learning aspect of their education will continue at the University of Cincinnati as part of their Cincinnatus experience. All scholarship winners must perform 30 hours of community service each year. The scholarship competition is named in the spirit of service after the Roman statesman Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus, who led Rome to victory during a battle in 458 B.C., then refused the opportunity to continue his reign and instead returned home to his farm.