Learning briefs 5/13

Area student elected fraternity commander

Tim Robert, a junior chemical engineering major at the University of Missouri-Rolla, has been elected commander of the Sigma Nu Fraternity and was recently selected for membership in three honor societies: Phi Kappa Phi, Omega Chi Epsilon and Order of Omega.

Robert is a 2000 graduate of Notre Dame Regional High School and is the son of Richard and Linda Robert of Cape Girardeau.

Two area students earn scholarships, awards

Katherine Mirgeaux of Scott City and Megan Glastetter of East Prairie, Mo., have been awarded President's Scholarships and Missouri Leadership awards to attend Southeast Missouri State University for the 2003-2004 academic year.

The President's Scholarship is awarded to high school seniors who rank at least in the upper 20 percent of their high school class or have achieved a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 after six semesters and achieved an ACT score of 24 or score of 1110 on the SAT.

The scholarships also are awarded to students who are class valedictorians and achieve an ACT score of 21 or SAT score of 990, and to National Merit scholars.

The scholarship is worth $1,500 per academic year for up to four consecutive years.

The Missouri Leadership Award is a one-year award of $500 to be applied toward residence hall fees and designed for Missouri students who have demonstrated leadership and scholarship. Students receiving the scholarship must have achieved a 3.0 grade point average.

Mirgeaux, the daughter of Jim and Terry Mirgeaux of Scott City, will graduate from Scott City High School.

Glastetter, the daughter of Cathy and Scott Downing of East Prairie and Fred Glastetter of Oran, Mo., will graduate from New Madrid County Central High School.

Central student awarded regents' scholarship

Lauren Sulser of Cape Girardeau has been awarded a Regents' Scholarship to attend Southeast Missouri State University for the 2003-2004 academic year.

The scholarship is awarded to high school seniors who have achieved an ACT score of 27 or a SAT score of 1220. Students also must have a high school grade point average of 3.5 or graduate in the top 10 percent of their class.

High school valedictorians who have an ACT score of 25 or SAT score of 1140 also are eligible, as are National Merit and National Achievement semifinalists.

The award covers incidental fees for up to 32 credit hours per academic year for up to four consecutive years.

Sulser, the daughter of Patrick and Susan Sulser of Cape Girardeau, will graduate from Cape Girardeau Central High School.

Governor's scholarship goes to area student

Christina Hendricks of Advance, Mo., was awarded the Governor's Scholarship, the most prestigious academic honor awarded to beginning freshmen who have been accepted by Southeast Missouri State University for the 2003-2004 academic year.

Missouri residents qualify for the scholarship if they are valedictorian of their high school class after six semesters, have achieved an ACT score of 30 or SAT score of 1340, or if they rank in the upper 3 percent of their high school class after six semesters and have achieved an ACT score of 31 or SAT score of 1380, or have been recognized as a National Merit or National Achievement finalist.

Hendricks, the daughter of Randall and Patricia Hendricks of Advance, will graduate from Advance High School.

ROTC cadet earns award for excellence

Thomas McCausland, son of James and Janet McCausland of Cape Girardeau, recently received the Fighting Mules Excellence Award at Central Missouri State University's ROTC Honors Day in Warrensburg, Mo.

The award, which includes a $100 scholarship, is presented annually to an ROTC cadet for overall ROTC performance, school officials said.

Jackson senior awarded three scholarships

Kyle William Strickland, a senior at Jackson High School, has received three scholarships from the University of Missouri-Rolla: the Curator's Scholarship, the UMR Excellence Scholarship and the Alumni Endowment Scholarship.

He was also awarded the Missouri Higher Education Academic Bright Flight scholarship for scoring a 30 or higher on the ACT, and a scholarship from the Jackson Optimist Club.

He is the son of John and Molly Strickland and the grandson of Hazel Propst of Jackson. He plans to major in bio-chemical engineering.

Area woman to graduate with master's in writing

Jessica McCuan, a 1996 graduate of Jackson High School, will graduate this month with a master's of fine arts degree in writing from Columbia University in New York, where she was a recipient of a Hertog Fellowship and university writing scholarship.

Her emphasis was on non-fiction writing and while at Columbia she contributed to books titled Fast Food Nation and The Courage to be Rich.

McCuan is presently employed as a reporter for INC magazine in New York. Her articles have appeared in Conde Nast publications, the Wall Street Journal, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the Palo Alto Weekly and the Southeast Missourian.

She is the daughter of Richard and Kathy McCuan of Jackson.

Kelly student receives presidential scholarship

Julia Vetter, a student at Kelly High School, recently received a Presidential Scholarship at St. Louis University.

Students were selected from more than 650 applicants from across the country. To qualify, students must score a 30 or higher on the ACT and achieve a 3.85 grade point average.

Vetter has been accepted into the medical scholars program, where she will pursue a degree in medicine.

Area student wins national science award

Hannah Showmaker, a student at Charleston Middle School in Charleston, Mo., was recently named a United States National Award Winner in Science.

Showmaker is the daughter of Tom and Teresa Showmaker and the granddaughter of Mrs. E.J. Showmaker of Cape Girardeau, and the late Mr. Showmaker.

Jansen named All-American Scholar

Ben Jansen of Scott City has been named an All-American Scholar.

He was nominated by counselor LaDonna Pratt at Scott City High School, and will appear in the All-American Scholar Yearbook, which is published nationally.

He is the son of Bernard and Doris Jansen, and the grandson of Margaret Moore of Cape Girardeau and Rita Jansen of Kelso, Mo.

Kelly senior awarded corporation's scholarship

Cargill Inc. has awarded a $1,000 scholarship to Major Burger, a senior at Kelly High School who plans to study biochemistry at St. Louis University next fall.

Burger's scholarship is one of 350 that Cargill awards each year through the community scholarship program. The program supports students living in or near communities where Cargill has a presence and the sons and daughters of Cargill employees.

Scholarships are administered through the National FFA Organization.

Southeast student to assist at summer camp

Cotton Boll Area Council is pleased to announce that Beth Crouch, a student at Southeast Missouri State University, has been selected to serve as unit assistant for Camp Latonka Summer Staff 2003.

Crouch is the daughter of Ben and Tricia Crouch of St. Peters, Mo.

The summer camp season runs from June 15 to July 26 and is available for girls ages 7 to 17. For more information, contact the council office toll free (888) 780-8373.

Hogan receives research funding for study

BATON ROUGE, La. -- Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society, recently named Cape Girardeau native Jessica Hogan, a recipient of research funding through the society's Grants-in-Aid of Research Program.

A third-year graduate student, Hogan received $400 in support of her study of the regulation of genes in adipocytes by a family of transcription factors called signal transducers and activators of transcription.

Less than 25 percent of the more than 700 applicants from 18 countries received funding this year.

Hogan received her undergraduate degree from Southeast Missouri State University, and a master's degree from Middle Tennessee State University in May 2000.

She is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in biochemistry under the direction of biological sciences

Saupe to attend fine arts academy this summer

Amber Nichole Saupe, a student at Jackson High School, was recently selected to participate in the Missouri Fine Arts Academy on the campus of Southwest Missouri State University.

Nearly 200 visual and performing artists from throughout the state will attend the academy this summer, which is sponsored by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and the Missouri General Assembly.

Saupe is the daughter of Rick Saupe and Thomas and Berla Strong.

-- From staff reports