Top Scholarship Winners Choose UC for Prestigious Programs, Co-op and Location, Location, Location!

The incoming freshman class claims the highest number of full-ride scholarships from a unique campus competition at the University of Cincinnati. Fourteen students have been awarded a full, four-year $80,000 Cincinnatus scholarship to pay for tuition, room and board, books and fees after coming to campus last winter to compete in a day of essay and leadership exercises.

Cincinnatus awards students beyond their academics, recognizing their commitment to service. Each Cincinnatus awardee performs 30 hours of community service per academic year as part of this scholarship commitment.

The 2008 full Cincinnatus awardees listed UC’s top-ranked programs, cooperative education (which was founded at UC) and the warm welcome they received during their program visits as the top reasons why UC was their top choice to go to college.

UC is highlighted in the Princeton Review guidebook, The Best 366 Colleges: 2008 Edition. Here are some of the nation’s highest achieving students with more on why they chose UC:

Ariel Cheung, Maumee, Ohio – The 17-year-old graduate of Maumee High School is joining the University Honors Program for academically talented students and plans to major in the journalism program in the McMicken College of Arts & Sciences (A&S). She has claimed honors for her writing and singing talents. During her senior year in high school, among her many extracurricular activities, she served as senior class president of Student Council, vice president of her high school’s National Honor Society, president of the Spanish Club and president of the Drama Club. She was also a high-school Select Singer and a member of the Debate Team. Her service activities include volunteering as a tutor for the state’s Ohio Reads program, as well as a camp counselor at a theatre camp. Cheung says she’s looking forward to “everything” as she looks ahead to college, and says she selected UC because of the university’s “modern approach to education. Their co-op program is unlike any other in the state of Ohio, and the journalism opportunities make the University of Cincinnati shine,” she says.

Stephan Dober, Berea, Ohio – The 18-year-old graduate, National Merit Scholarship finalist and valedictorian of Benedictine High School is majoring in architecture in UC’s top-ranked College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning (DAAP), and he is joining the University Honors program for academically talented students. Dober participated with the cross-country team and track during high school, as well as the Academic Challenge, National Honor Society, Key Club, SADD and Student Council. Dober’s service included mentoring autistic teenagers and he is a recipient of the Young Citizen Award from his home city of Berea. “I am looking forward to studying architecture at UC and making new friends,” says Dober.

Julianna Fadare, Dayton, Ohio – The 18-year-old graduate and valedictorian of Stivers School for the Arts is majoring in pre-pharmacy in the McMicken College of Arts and Sciences (A&S) and is joining the University Honors Program for academically talented students. Her high-school activities included membership in the Tri-M Music Honor Society, National Honor Society, the Dayton Philharmonic Youth Orchestra and the Stivers Philharmonic Orchestra, where she was principle violist in both orchestras. She was a member of the National Society of Black Engineers Try-Math-A-lon Team and her school’s Tigers Who Care program, which educates elementary school children about drug and alcohol prevention through puppet shows. Fadare’s service also included tutoring at her neighborhood community center and volunteering at a homeless shelter. “As I prepare for college, I am looking forward to meeting new people and engaging in new experiences,” she says.

Nathaniel Hammitt, Madeira, Ohio – The 19-year-old graduate of Madeira High School is joining the University Honors program for academically talented students and plans to major in architecture in UC’s top-ranked College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning (DAAP). “UC has one of the top architecture programs in the nation, and when I found out that I was accepted into DAAP, I really wanted to pursue that path,” he says. “Plus, UC offers an extensive co-op program, and I hope that I will be able to take advantage of that and travel all over the world, gaining insight and experience into the field of architecture.” The National Honor Society member was class president all four years of high school and played football, basketball and baseball for his high school teams. He’s a recipient of the Cincinnati Hills Academic Excellence Award and the Ohio Federation of Women’s Club’s Excellence Award for his essay, “How Does One Become a Leader?” His community service activities included participating in several Relay For Life fundraisers for the American Cancer Society and attending the overnight Unified for Unifat at Moeller High School this year, an event to support children of Uganda. Hammitt says he’s looking forward to meeting new friends and getting involved on campus and is interested in exploring some of UC’s student religious organizations including the Navigators and Campus Crusade for Christ.

Emily Hautman, Green Township, Ohio – The 18-year-old salutatorian of Mother of Mercy High School plans to major in biology/pre-medicine in UC’s McMicken College of Arts and Sciences (A&S) and is joining the University Honors Program for academically talented students. She has gained acceptance into UC’s Connections Dual Admissions Program, which guarantees admission into the UC College of Medicine on completion of her bachelor’s degree at UC. “I want to practice pediatric medicine and have already taken steps toward that career goal through participating in the ExSEL class at UC’s College of Medicine last summer and doing research in the lab of Dr. Chip Vorhees at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center this summer,” she says. Her many high-school activities included membership on Mercy High School’s Academic Team and Mercy’s Junior Engineering Technical Society (JETS) team, as well as participating in high-school theater and serving as a four-year executive board member of Mercy Works, her high-school service club. Hautman won the Science Student of the Year Award her freshman, junior and senior years in high school and is one of the 2007 recipients of the YMCA Character Awards, honoring Cincinnati youth for their honesty, caring, respect and responsibility. She’s also a recipient of the Cappie Awards for Best Female Critic for her show reviews that were published in the Cincinnati Enquirer. Hautman’s service activities included tutoring at a neighborhood women’s center and working as a program assistant at Girl Scout Camp. An education at UC is a Hautman family tradition. Emily's mother, Angela, earned a bachelor's degree in graphic design from UC and Emily's father, Dan, graduated from UC with a bachelor's degree in chemistry. Her sister, Alyssa, is a university level Cincinnatus scholar and is entering her third year as a civil engineering major.

Megan Hoehne, Minster, Ohio – The 18-year-old graduate of Fort Loramie Local High School is joining the University Honors program and plans to major in nursing. She says she became interested in attending UC after hearing about the “incredible reviews about the nursing program.” Hoehne was vice president of her senior class and was class president her freshman and junior years in high school. In addition to her many high school activities, including membership in the National Honor Society, she played basketball and softball through all four of her years in high school. Her service activities included volunteering at Wilson Memorial Hospital and working as a 4-H camp counselor. Hoehne says she’s looking forward to focusing her studies on a specific goal. “I’m also looking forward to the social aspects of college, such as meeting new people, especially my roommates, cheering for the UC athletic teams, expanding my independence and exploring everything that UC has to offer!”

Alex Huron, West Chester, Ohio – The 17-year-old graduate of St. Xavier High School is entering UC’s Carl H. Lindner Honors-PLUS Program in the College of Business and plans to major in marketing and finance. “I was told by a friend about the program and all its advantages, and when I applied and interviewed, I was so impressed with how people oriented they were and how much they focused on the student,” Huron says. He adds that there are still adventures to be found by attending college close to home. “I’ve always loved the city of Cincinnati, and there are parts of Cincinnati that I haven’t seen or been to, so I think going to UC will also help me get to know my city much better,” he says. Huron was on his varsity ice hockey team through all four years of high school and spent three years on the varsity lacrosse team. He also was editor of his school paper, The Blue Print, belonged to the ping pong club and was active in a community action program which involved tutoring at a boys and girls club. Huron’s service also included working as a summer counselor at Woodland Lakes Christian Camp. Huron is joining the University Honors Program for academically talented students.

Graham Raabe, Glendale, Ohio – The 18-year-old graduate of Princeton High School is a National Merit Commended Student and is entering UC’s Carl H. Lindner Honors-PLUS Program in the College of Business, which has interested him since his junior year in high school. “It combines all of the best attributes about the College of Business into one program,” he says. The educational experience is designed for highly motivated individuals with superior academic ability and demonstrated leadership skills. Raabe also cites UC’s “unparalleled co-op program and great opportunity for networking” among his reasons to attend UC. He was a varsity water polo player in high school and played football and basketball for Princeton during his freshman year. He was also a member of the National Honor Society and the National German Honor Society. The Eagle Scout’s service activities included volunteering as a mentor at Sharonville Elementary School and fundraising for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and Pasta for Pennies.

Samantha Rhodes, Mt. Orab, Ohio – The 17-year-old graduate of Western Brown High School plans to major in political science and English in the McMicken College of Arts and Sciences (A&S) and is joining the University Honors Program for academically talented students. “The academic prestige that UC holds is well known, and I believe UC will offer me the opportunities to be successful,” Rhodes says. She earned academic letters in English, Spanish, math and history and was a member of the National Honor Society, Student Council, Mock Trial team and Pep Club. She was honored as Female Athlete of the Year by her high school and the four-time Triple Crown Athlete participated in cross country, track and academic team. Her service activities included working as a peer tutor and working along with the state highway patrol to educate high-school students about the importance of wearing seat belts.

Mark Schutte, Mason, Ohio – The 18-year-old St. Xavier High School graduate is the last of three brothers to go to UC. Mark, middle brother Ben, a fourth-year graphic design major, and oldest brother Kyle will all attend UC together for one quarter before Kyle graduates in December in accounting and management. Mark plans to join the University Honors Program for academically talented students and major in civil/environmental engineering. UC became his top choice not only because of the scholarship but also because of the co-op opportunities in engineering. He was also pursuing a university with the student organization, Engineers Without Borders, which has an active chapter at UC. The student organization works to improve the quality of life in developing countries through sustainable engineering projects. His dedication to service led him on a four-week mission trip in Peru last summer as well as volunteer work for Big Brothers/Big Sisters and a project to renovate homes in Sedamsville. He was a peer math tutor, a tutor for Winton Place Elementary and was a St. Susanna Life youth group leader. Schutte’s the recipient of his high school’s prestigious Dr. Charles Farrell Leadership Award, an honor for Christian leadership. Schutte was a member of the National Honor Society and is a commended National Merit finalist. He was also active in band, playing trumpet in marching band, jazz band and wind ensemble. Mark Schutte was field commander of his high school marching band his senior year and received the outstanding senior award in marching band. In addition to his Bearcat brothers, Schutte’s parents are UC alums. His mother, Kathryn, earned a bachelor’s degree in social work and his father, Lawrence, earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering.

Maurice Tompkins, Central Islip. N.Y. – The 18-year-old graduate of Islip High School plans to double major in jazz studies and music education through UC’s internationally renowned College-Conservatory of Music. “I heard about UC from a friend at the New York Summer Music Festival. I researched the school and found that it had one of the best conservatories in the country,” he says. Tompkins is an accomplished cellist, trombonist and vocalist, and plans to join the University Honors Program for academically talented students. The National Achievement Scholar belonged to the National Honor Society, the Tri-M Music Honor Society, Foreign Language Honor Society and a number of musical activities including marching band, concert band, swing choir, jazz band and wind ensemble. His service activities included organizing canned food drives. “I am looking forward to being able to play music for hours and hours with other people who love it as much as I do,” Tompkins says, as he looks ahead to studying at UC. “I am definitely looking forward to performing with the jazz faculty and learning as much as I can from them. Music is an applied science, and the previous generation has to lend a hand in teaching and molding its next generation,” he says.

Janel Wichmann, Burlington, Ky. – The 18-year-old graduate of Conner Senior High School was valedictorian of her senior class and a Kentucky Governor’s Scholar. The finance major is entering UC’s Carl H. Lindner Honors-PLUS Program in the College of Business. She also plans to join the University Honors Program for academically talented students. Wichmann was a student representative on the Boone County Board of Education and served with the Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council and the Boone County Sheriff’s Youth Leadership Academy. She was a member of the National Honor Society, the Leadership League, the French Club, the Men & Women of Conner and also played volleyball. Her volunteer activities included service in Gabon along the African equator and serving as a peer tutor and mentor at an elementary school. She is a recipient of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Peace & Justice Award and the Commonwealth Academic Achievement Award. “I’m looking forward to the whole college experience – taking classes, going to UC sporting events and living on campus,” she says. “I really love the campus and environment. I knew I wanted to go to a big school, but UC, unlike other big schools, isn’t too overwhelming. The academic programs are very strong. UC had a little bit of everything that I was looking for in a school,” she says.

Jordan Woods, Covington, Ky. – The 18-year-old National Merit Commended Student is a graduate of Calvary Christian High School and is pursuing a major in neuroscience in the McMicken College of Arts & Sciences (A&S). “It’s a new major at UC, and it seemed like an interesting path to take while being pre-med,” she says. “UC is in a familiar area, since it’s right over the river from Covington. Cincinnati is a great place to live.” Woods is joining the University Honors Program for academically talented students and says she’s looking forward to attending the University Honors Retreat Sept. 18-19. Woods was student body president at her high school and played varsity basketball and varsity softball. She has traveled to Chicago, Mexico and the Appalachian region of Kentucky for service activities and is also a soup kitchen volunteer.

Gregory Zoller, White Oak (Cincinnati), Ohio – The 18-year-old National Merit Commended Student is a graduate of La Salle High School. He’s starting out at UC’s Center for Exploratory Studies in the McMicken College of Arts and Sciences (A&S), which provides advising and other resources for undecided students choosing a major. Zoller will be joining the University Honors Program for academically talented students and was a member of his high-school National Honor Society. He was editor of his high-school newspaper and co-organized Shantytown, an event to raise awareness about homelessness. His other service commitments included participating in an event to raise awareness about the embattled Darfur region in Sudan, and he participated in the Mayerson Foundation Urban Plunge – a week-long service trip – in which he worked alongside students from other Cincinnati schools to volunteer primarily in Over-the-Rhine. He was involved in art and drama in high school. “I look forward to exploring new subjects as I decide what I intend to do with my life, and I look forward to finding out everything the University of Cincinnati has to offer,” he says.

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