SWU News:

March 23, 2004

Southern Wesleyan selects ‘Future Leaders’

No peeking Dr. Bob McDonald, far left, leads the Future Leaders participants in teambuilding exercises as part of Southern Wesleyan University’s annual Future Leaders Scholarship weekend. Blindfolded are Laura Fipps of Liberty, left, and Leah Beaver of Kernersville, N.C., right.

Students competed for more than $674,000 in scholarship funds during Southern Wesleyan University’s annual Future Leader weekend.

Students who have been accepted for admission to Southern Wesleyan University and who meet certain academic criteria are eligible to compete.

“It is obvious that these students are prepared to succeed in the college academic setting. More importantly, each of the participants has demonstrated how they have already taken steps to become leaders in their schools, churches and communities,” said Chad Peters, Southern Wesleyan’s director of admissions. “I look forward to this upcoming fall when many of these students will become students at Southern Wesleyan University where they will have a positive impact on our campus family.”

Future Leader participants were students have been accepted to attend Southern Wesleyan University and have a SAT score of 1000 or higher, or ACT score of 21 or higher and a high school cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher on a 4.0 scale. The 31 eligible students participated in a welcome dinner at Bryant Lodge on Friday evening, where they met each other and were introduced to former Future Leader scholars. After dinner, Dr. Bob McDonald, Southern Wesleyan’s head of the Social Sciences division, led teambuilding exercises.

Saturday morning marked the start of a series of interviews for the participants, with questions coming from seven judges. In the afternoon, the students toured the campus, attended a double header SWU Lady Warriors softball game and took a bus tour of the surrounding area.

Saturday night, the participants attended an awards banquet with family and friends and the recipients of the Future Leader Scholarships were announced. The five recipients of the $10,000 Future Leader Scholarship awards were Sean Gasperson of High Point, N.C.; Laura Fipps of Liberty; Davey Blackburn of Northport, Ala.; Heidi Lane of Richmond Hill, Ga.; and Lyle Denton of Pisgah Forest, N.C. The 10 recipients of the one-time $1,000 Future Leader Finalist awards were Jessica Smith of New Berlin, Wis.; Kaylie Green of Campobello; Jeremy Hines of Central; Charlie Greer of Easley; Jared Mull of Brevard, N.C.; Hannah Dawalt of Asheboro, N.C.; Amanda Link of Seneca; Kristie Rhodes of Pelzer; Jennifer Holliday of Liberty; and Eric Cole of Westminster.

The Goizueta Foundation Scholars Fund for Minority Scholarships Recipient was Ray Turner of Conyers, Ga. This scholarship is provided to a minority of Hispanic/Latino, Asian American, African American, or Native American ethnicity who has been accepted for admission at Southern Wesleyan University. For consideration, the participant must have a 3.2 GPA or higher and a SAT score of 1100 or higher, or ACT score of 23 or higher, with a record of community service. Turner participated in an interview process on Saturday afternoon with The Goizueta Foundation panel of judges. He was awarded a $12,000 scholarship over a period of four years.

Academic Honor Scholarships were also awarded. All of the students attending the weekend met the qualifications for receiving these awards, totaling more than $460,000 during a four-year period. Participants for the weekend and recipients of the Academic Honor Scholarships, in addition to those mentioned above, included Jillian Hodges of Rockingham; Amanda Cody of Pickens; Detra Chappell of Pickens; Leah Beaver of Kernersville, N.C.; Ruth Owens of Clemson; Eric Gaddis of Dallas, N.C.; Heather Everhart of Winston Salem, N.C.; Jennie Fairchild of Athens, Penn.; Christina Webb of Mancherter, Tenn.; Andrew Morton of Lexington, N.C.; Jennifer McGinnis of Gastonia, N.C.; Kelly Maney of Gastonia, N.C.; Katherine Bowyer of Central; Mark Wilburn of Randleman, N.C.; Ansley Junkins of Anderson; and Laurel Bascom of Warrenton, Va.