Five outstanding West Virginia high school seniors were named today (May 30) as West Virginia University Foundation Scholars.
Winners of WVU ’s top academic award, valued at more than $45,000 over a four-year period, receive all educational and living expenses, plus a stipend for study abroad, internships or other enriching educational experiences.
The members of the 2002-03 Class of WVU Foundation Scholars are: Jason Gianola of Cross Lanes, Hillary Homburg of Charleston, Brent Hardman of Parkersburg, Ashley Jenkins of Newburg and Matthew Miller of Charleston.
The new scholars were introduced this morning by Gov. Bob Wise, WVU President David C. Hardesty Jr. and WVU Foundation President and CEO F . Duke Perry at a special ceremony in the Governor’s Reception Room at the State Capitol.
“These are five of the best and brightest students in West Virginia,”said Hardesty.”They have achieved nothing less than excellence in their studies, while pursuing challenging hobbies, holding demanding part-time jobs, devoting themselves to community service, and helping their family members. Students such as these are the state’s most valuable resource.”
At the ceremony, Wise commended the students for their accomplishments as high school students and wished them similar success in college and their chosen careers.
“The students we are honoring today are both dreamers and doers,”said Wise.”With the encouragement of their families, they have dreamed of a future without limits, and they have begun the hard work of turning their dreams into reality. West Virginia’s future lies in the dreams of students such as these, who have the desire to serve their fellow citizens, the intelligence to formulate new solutions to problems, and the diligence to get the job done.”
Eighty state high school students have received WVU ’s most selective scholarship since the program began in 1987.
“The WVU Foundation is proud to sponsor this unique scholarship program,”Perry said.”Raising funds for scholarships is central to the mission of the Foundation. We believe that our investment in students is, indeed, an investment in the future of our state and nation.”
The Foundation Scholar award, the keystone of the WVU Scholars Program, is restricted
to West Virginia resident high school seniors who have demonstrated outstanding academic performance and exhibited unique leadership skills. Fifteen students were awarded the Neil S. Bucklew Scholarship several weeks ago (another four-year award valued at more than $20,000) and interviewed on the Morgantown campus in March. From those 15, these five were awarded the Foundation Scholarship.
Here are brief glimpses of activities and achievements of WVU ’s newest award recipients:
Jason Anthony Gianola is the son of John and Lynne Gianola of Cross Lanes, Kanawha County
This”sandwich artist”has big plans for the future. As a two-year employee at his hometown Subway restaurant, Jason Gianola has the right attitude about life and success.
Although most would scoff at his minimum wage job, Gianola insists that a job is not always about making the most money, but about performing interesting work with people you like. Hes had the opportunity to see how a business works from behind the scenes and plans to incorporate the strengths into his own business someday.
A future finance major at WVU , Gianola hopes to be a chief financial officer of a global company one day. He owes his success to parents who instilled in him a good work ethic and taught him to be well-rounded.
He hopes to bring his work ethic and persistence in pursuing goals to WVU when he starts school in the fall.
WVU made a great impression on Gianola when he visited the University.”Not only are the people friendly, but they are people you can relate to and they make you want to get to know them better,”he commented.
As a student at Nitro High School, Gianola has participated in many extracurricular activities and leadership roles, including serving as president of the Key Club and Mu Alpha Theta and vice president of the Drama Club. Ranked first in his class and a member of the National Honors Society, Gianola won a Bausch and Lomb Science Award in 2001 and attended Mountaineer Boys State and the West Virginia Governors Honors Academy.
Conquering challenges has become his forte. Diving into as many honors courses as he could, many friends and teachers asked why he is so hard on himself, to which Gianola replied, in Robert Frosts words,”Two roads diverged in a wood, and I took the one less traveled by. And that has made all the difference.”
Gianola thinks WVU has a lot to offer.”No matter what you decide to study, WVU has more to offer than a lot of schools,”he said.
“I come from a family that has about 20 WVU graduates,”said Gianola.”They have always given back to the school and the school has continued to give back to them.
“Winning the Foundation Scholarship is a great way to carry on that tradition,”he concluded. Back To Top
Brent Steven Hardman is the son of Steven and Teresa Hardman of Parkersburg, Wood County
Unlike many of his classmates, Brent Hardman doesnt mind family chores. In fact, he enjoys being the lone handyman in a house of the technically impaired.
In the Hardman household, he has the important task of fixing just about anything and everythingfrom electric guitars to wood furniture.”I actually like it,”Hardman explained on his scholarship application.
This National Merit finalist and National Honor Society member realizes the importance of being a role model for his siblings. While his main duty is chauffeuring them to various events and activities, he understands that his No. 1 responsibility is providing a good example for his younger brother and sister.”Setting an example for others to follow is one of the strongest tools for showing a child which way to take: a good road or a bad one,”wrote Hardman.
He got his first real look at WVU when he participated in Governors Honors Academy (GHA).”I got a great feel for the campus and I loved it,”he said.”The students have so much pride in their school.”
GHA also gave him the perfect chance to experience college lifeclass, dormitories, time management and even doing laundry.”WVU is perfect for me,”he said.
As a student at Parkersburg Catholic High School, Hardman served as junior class president, a DARE Program role model and blood drive coordinator. He is a member of the varsity tennis team, captain of the varsity soccer team and has won several awards from his participation in the Odyssey of the Mind competition, Math Field Day and Social Studies Fair. He has also volunteered at a YMCA summer youth camp and St. Josephs Hospital and served as a Big Buddy Volunteer.
Hardman doesnt like to be bored and in his spare time likes keep busy with random projectshes currently working on a family history book for his grandfather. He also enjoys watching baseball games and playing hockey and soccer.
Hardman is thrilled about receiving a Foundation Scholarship.”Its a great honor to know youve been recognized as one of the top five high school students in the state,”he said.”They take care of you here and want to see you succeed.”
Hardman plans to study engineering at WVU , but his goal is to work as a patent attorney for a law firm. Back To Top
Hillary Homburg is the daughter of John and Kay Homburg of Charleston, Kanawha County
Hillary Homburg has been coming to WVU football games since she was 4-years-old.”Its a family tradition,”she said.”My grandfather and father both attended WVU .”
Now its Homburgs turn.
“There was no other choice for me,”said Homburg of her college decision.”I love the campusthe facilities, the activities and the spaciousness.”She sees WVU as a place to excel both socially and academically.
Homburg says that being a graceful dancer and musician has given her the opportunity to develop her leadership style. Serving as president of the 2001-02 Capital High School dance company has been one of the most challenging and important leadership roles of her young life so far.
Patience, understanding and friendship are several of the qualities that Homburg has developed while leading the dance troupe.”I feel that by always giving 100 percent, knowing my routines and being respectful to choreographers and my fellow dancers, I set the standard for new members to follow,”she wrote in her application essay.
Homburg has excelled creatively and academically. Both a member of the National Honors Society and International Thespian Society, she has defined her leadership style as a trombone player in the West Virginia Youth Symphony Orchestra and Capital High School Marching Band. She was accepted to the West Virginia Scholars Academy, named to Whos Who of American High School Students and has published a pamphlet entitled”Women in the West Virginia LegislatureA History.”In her spare time Homburg likes to read mystery novels and watch old musicals from the 1940s and 50s.
The most influential people in Homburgs life have been her parents.”Weve always been close and they let me choose my own path and have supported me no matter what my decision.”
Homburg plans to volunteer at West Virginia HealthRite, a non-profit clinic, during the summer of 2002, offering her help as a filer, pill counter and receptionist. In fall 2002, she will study both biology and chemistry at WVU .
Her career goal includes medical school, where she plans to become an ophthalmologist serving rural communities in West Virginia.
“I have always been interested in ophthalmology because I have worn glasses since I was very young,”explained Homburg.”Ive always wanted to know how everything workedhow the doctor couldmake me see.”Back To Top
Ashley Renee Jenkins is the daughter of Ralph and Rhonda Jenkins of Newburg, Preston County
While at Preston High, Ashley Jenkins has discovered a talent for conducting,
filing papers, writing poetry, fixing instruments, dancing, making copies and playing piano and clarinet.
As drum major of her high school marching band, Jenkins has had to learn a little bit of everything. This member of the National Honor Society and National Merit finalist is the glue of the marching band and an exceptional”jack of all trades.”Jenkins won the Fred J. Miller Outstanding Achievement Award and received best drum major award at the West Virginia Forest Festival for her efforts as conductor and student leader of the band.
Jenkins plans to audition for the Pride of West Virginia Mountaineer Marching Band on clarinet for the upcoming fall football season.”WVU has a wonderful music program and Id love to be a member of such an excellent organization,”she said.
Receiving the Foundation Scholarship will give Jenkins the opportunity to focus on her studies and spend more time with her family.”I can devote more time to my education and giving back to the community,”said Jenkins.
When not involved in her school and marching band endeavors, Jenkins has uses her free time to offer her assistance as pianist for the Birds Creek United Methodist Church, choreographer for the West Preston Middle School majorettes and tutor at her school guidance office.
Jenkins owes a lot her success to her parents and dance and piano instructors who taught her to be focused and dedicated.”Ive been taking piano lessons since I was in the first grade,”said Jenkins.”I learned from my church pianist and I love to hear her playshes been very influential.”
Jenkins was a Math Field Day and National Geographic Geo Challenge participant, member of the chess, theology and poetry clubs and member of the student council.
Jenkins plans to study music at WVU in the fall, but hasnt completely decided on a major. She wants to find a career in which she can use a wide range of talents.
“I want to keep an open mind,”Jenkins said about her studies.”WVU has a wide variety of study options and I want to look around and form new opinions.
In her spare time, Jenkins loves to draw, read science fiction, write, play piano and dance.
“College is going to be a big change,”said Jenkins.”I wanted to be close to home so Ill never feel cut off and I can always go home to recoup from my studies.”Back To Top
Matthew Ryan Miller is the son of Rebecca Jones and Michael Miller of Charleston, Kanawha County
As an Eagle Scout and 10-year member of Boy Scouts, Matthew Miller has acquired more skills than most 18-year olds. As assistant Scoutmaster and member of the Order of the Arrow, Miller is a member of the Native American dance and chant team, has collected items for food drives and has backpacked through New Mexico.
In addition, Miller is a National Merit semifinalist, student body president and letterman on the Charleston Catholic High School swim team. He represented his school at Mountaineer Boys State and as an intern for Attorney General McGraw at the Consumer Protection Division Miller, a National Honor Society member, also fires up the CCHS fans for games as the schools leprechaun mascot at various sporting events. Miller takes pride in being Charleston Catholics first mascot.”Prior to a couple of years ago, my school didnt have a mascot,”said Miller.
With his prior experience as his high school leprechaun mascot, Miller feels hes ready to set his goals high and tryout for Mountaineer when he comes to WVU .”Its something that really interests me,”said Miller.
Miller hopes to bring his leadership and work ethic when he comes to campus in the fall. His ability to work with people combined with his rigorous high school curriculum and study skills have well prepared him for college life.
So far, Miller has been impressed with WVU and the campus.”I identify strongly with WVU as a West Virginian,”said Miller.”I believe I can excel here.”
He is a member of the Service Club, Model United Nations, Appalachian Service Project, Pep Club and Spanish Club.
Miller has intentions of running for the House of Delegates while pursuing a political science degree at WVU and hopes to attend the WVU School of Law.
“I have a lot of ideas about helping the state and its the best way to help people and stick with what I lovelaw and politics.”Back To Top