Accomplishments

• The Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy (IMSA) recently recognized its 51 semifinalists in the 2008 National Merit Scholarship Program. More than 1.4 million seniors in nearly 21,000 U.S. high schools entered the 2008 competition by taking the qualifying exam in 2006 their junior year. National semifinalists include less than one percent of each state’s seniors. Semifinalists from throughout the nation will now try to advance to the finalist level of the competition. Approximately 8,200 finalists eventually will receive merit scholarships for college undergraduate study. Merit scholars will be announced in the spring of 2008.

Semifinalists include:

Naperville: David Bai, Li-Yan (David) Chang, Sherry Yu, Jessica Dong, Zexi Fang, Adam Novak, Joseph Ou, Michael Paik, Gaurav Singh, Evelyn Wang
Woodridge: Lorraine Cho and Ryan Wang

• The National Achievement Scholarship Program has announced the names of more than 1,600 Black American high school seniors who have been designated Semifinalists in the 44th annual Achievement Scholarship competition. These students will have the opportunity to continue in the competition for about 800 scholarships worth over $2.5 million to be awarded next spring.

Bolingbrook High School: Jessica Jones
Naperville Central High School: Julie Pelligrino
Naperville North High School: Chelsea Johnson and Steven Simeon
Neuqua Valley High School: Cortney Charleston

Scholarships available

• Murray State University alumnus, the late Jeffrey Clarke of Pecatonica, Ill., in memory of his late wife Sallie and out of his love for MSU, established the Jeffrey J. and Sallie Clarke Endowed Scholarship. This endowment will provide multiple yearly scholarships for full-time Illinois students attending MSU, whether coming to MSU directly out of high school or transferring from a community college or other higher education institution.

The scholarship will be available beginning in the fall 2008 semester. For more information on the Jeffrey J. and Sallie Clarke Endowed Scholarship and other endowments, contact the MSU scholarship office at (270) 809-3225 or by e-mail at scholarship.office@murraystate.edu.

• The College of DuPage International Education office and Study Abroad Scholarship committee are inviting C.O.D. students to apply for spring merit-based scholarships of up to $1,500. Study abroad scholarships, awarded to students three times a year, can be used to fund summer and semester-long trips sponsored by C.O.D., including those offered through the college’s Field Studies program and partnering consortiums.

Applications for spring semester 2007 are currently available at the International Education office, Berg Instructional Center, Room 3116. Completed applications must be submitted to the International Education office by Friday, Oct. 20. For more information about the C.O.D. Study Abroad program and scholarships call (630) 942-3078.