By JOSH MOODY
Kearney Hub Staff Writer
KEARNEY — Jasmine Beringer, Nicole Kent and Samuel Rosenau are recipients of Omaha World-Herald/Kearney Hub scholarships at the University of Nebraska at Kearney.
Beringer, Kent and Rosenau were selected from a pool of 82 applicants, 40 of whom were invited to visit the UNK campus as part of applying.
Students are required to submit a paper application, essay and reference letter. Top applicants then are invited to UNK for on-campus interviews.
“Once here, they go through a series of interviews, participate in a simulated class and write an essay. We work to get to know each of the students and consider all the factors as we make decisions,” UNK Honors Program Director John Falconer said.
Falconer said the Omaha World-Herald/Kearney Hub scholarship attracts the best students from across Nebraska.
“We get the best of Nebraska high school seniors each year. Not only are they academically excellent, but these students have state athletics championships, perform in All-State music, compete in state speech and volunteer in their communities. They are phenomenal, and every year they humble the staff as we work through the process,” Falconer said.
Beringer attends Aquinas High School, Kent attends Dundy County-Stratton Public Schools and Rosenau attends Blair High School.
All three students placed at or near the top of their classes. Kent scored a 34 on the ACT, and Beringer and Rosenau each scored 31.
According to 2014-15 data from ACT Inc., the national average composite score for the ACT is 21.
Falconer said students must be in the top 5 percent of national ACT scores to qualify for the scholarship.
The scholarship provides for tuition and fees, books and room costs for the duration of the recipient’s college career.
According to Mary Sommers, UNK Financial Aid director, the scholarship is valued at about $70,000.
“It is prestigious because of the rigors of the application and academic expectations of the students who receive it. Additionally it is the largest scholarship we provide,” Sommers said.
Omaha World-Herald/Kearney Hub scholarships have been awarded since 1985 to 71 honor students from across Nebraska.
Though other applicants didn’t make the final cut for the Omaha World-Herald/Kearney Hub Scholarship, Falconer said that those students didn’t leave empty-handed.
“I would also point out that all of the students interviewed were tremendous, and we were able to offer each of them full tuition and housing scholarships. This process, sponsored by Omaha World-Herald/Kearney Hub, is a tremendous opportunity for great students and UNK to get to know each other, and we are grateful that we are able to offer each of them financial support at UNK.”
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