Fifteen high school juniors in West Virginia are still in the running for a full scholarship to West Virginia Wesleyan with the MVB Bank West Virginia Scholar Program.
For the fifth year, a four year scholarship to West Virginia Wesleyan College in Buckhannon valued at $125,000 is on the line. It will cover tuition, fees and room and board.
The second place prize is a four year, $5,000 scholarship to West Virginia Wesleyan. The third place prize is a four year, $2,500 scholarship.
The following 15 semi-finalists were announced on Tuesday’s MetroNews Talkline:
1. Johnna Akers – Shinnston, WV
2. Ronald Beale II – Scott Depot, WV
3. Kensey Bergdorf – Evans, WV
4. Cayla Collett – Elkins, WV
5. Cheyanne Conrath – Petersburg,WV
6. Amanda Dawson – Sistersville, WV
7. Sarah Fizer – Martinsburg, WV
8. Rachel Fulks – Bridgeport, WV
9. David Hannan – St. Albans, WV
10. Dahlton Kittle – Bridgeport, WV
11. Nathan Machel – Scott Depot, WV
12. David Maxwell – Buckhannon, WV
13. Kathryn Robinson – Renick, WV
14. Jacob Smith – Arthurdale, WV
15. William Wasson, Martinsburg, WV
The semi-finalists will now go through an interview and review process before the finalists for the West Virginia Scholar Program are announced on May 27th.
Online voting on the finalists will run from May 28th to June 9th with the winners being announced during the West Virginia Scholar Award Luncheon on June 12th.
West Virginia Wesleyan Director of Admission John Waltz says the semi-finalists represent the best of the best.
“All of the applicants were so tremendous and their grades were really great, so we had to really try our best to evaluate all the different things that they did, all the leadership things they were involved in, services they provided to others,” Waltz said of the evaluation process.
“These are students who are performing artists, athletes, involved in community service and leadership, involved in their church and Boy Scouts, all kinds of different things.”
In addition to MVB Bank, West Virginia Wesleyan and MetroNews, the other sponsors are Brickstreet Insurance, Friends of Coal, the West Virginia Forestry Association and the West Virginia Education Association.