Twelve incoming first-year students have been chosen as the newest members of the Ingram Scholarship Program. The 12 are among nearly 900 high school seniors who applied for the prestigious program.
Members of the new class are Sarah Brickman of Sarasota, Fla.; Alexandra Ding of Edina, Minn.; Macy Early of Lexington, Ky.; Leah Everist of Asheville, N.C.; Nicholas Gupta of Gulf Breeze, Fla.; Emily Meffert of Louisville, Ky.; Abigail Morgan of Cincinnati, Ohio; John O’Malley of Garden City, N.Y.; Nichole Smith of Lithonia, Ga.; Kathryn Stouffer of Dallas, Texas; Scott Urbis of Brownsville, Texas; and Katy Wyszynski of Dallas, Texas.
They will join the approximately 200 Vanderbilt students and alumni who have been awarded the Ingram Scholarship since 1994. From that first class of four undergraduates and two incoming freshmen, the program has grown to include approximately 50 Ingram Scholars attending the university at the same time.
The program was conceived in 1993 by E. Bronson Ingram, president of the Vanderbilt University Board of Trust from 1991 until his death in 1995, as a way to encourage students to combine a professional career with a commitment to community service.
Ingram Scholars are required not only to volunteer for community service but also to design and implement projects that address significant community needs. The program encourages Ingram Scholars to work with established organizations to create projects that become self-sustaining. Each scholar participates in community service projects at least 20 hours each month.
Ingram Scholars receive a minimum of full-tuition and a stipend for a summer project. In cases of demonstrated need, additional financial aid may be provided.