14 Awarded Prestigious Terry Scholarships

A diverse group of 14 incoming freshmen will receive esteemed Terry Foundation Scholarships for the 2009-2010 academic year.

The new group brings the total number of Terry Scholars at UT Dallas to 48. The award covers tuition, student fees, textbooks, on-campus housing and other miscellaneous expenses.

The eight women and six men enrolled for the fall semester were selected based on an assortment of factors, including leadership, character, academic distinction and financial need. Beneficiaries also must be graduates from Texas high schools.

The recipients and their high schools, hometowns and intended majors are:

• Rebecca Atman, Arlington High School, Arlington, physics.
• Sasha Burrowes, Wanda R Smith High School, Keene, neuroscience.
• Patrick Foster, Sachse High School, Sachse, computer engineering.
• Mashhood Ghassemi, Dr. Justin Wakeland High School, Frisco, undeclared.
• Faatima Halipoto, Richland Collegiate High School, Richardson, computer science.
• Sana Mahmood, McKinney Boyd High School, McKinney, history.
• Rebekah Mallette, Lewisville High School, Lewisville, business administration.
• Travis McDonald, Trinity High School, Bedford, computer science.
• Derek Nguyen, Irving High School, Irving, chemistry.
• Rayanah Pilgram, Uvalde High School, Uvalde, molecular biology.
• Brett Shonebarger, Chisum High School, Paris, speech-language pathology.
• Paul Slaughter, home-schooled, Frisco, business administration.
• Chelsea Swan, Science and Engineering Magnet Townview, Dallas, mathematical sciences.
• Matthew Waguespack, Canyon High School, Canyon, arts and technology.

The Houston-based Terry Foundation is the largest private provider of merit-based scholarships in Texas. The foundation will give the University a total $800,000 in scholarship money this year.

Blythe Torres directs the program for UT Dallas. The University’s awardees include two high school valedictorians. Eight graduated in the top 5 percent of their high school graduating classes, and the group’s average SAT score is 1305.

“I look forward to working with this bright, diverse group of scholars next year. They will join current Terry Scholars who are becoming widely recognized on campus through their academic achievements, as well as their significant campus involvement including leadership responsibilities and community service,” said Torres.

The award typically covers four years.

Candidate nominations came through UT Dallas’ Office of Undergraduate Education, headed by Dr. Michael Coleman, associate provost and dean of undergraduate education. Once the students were selected to apply for the scholarship, they were reviewed by the foundation’s board of directors and interviewed by a panel consisting of Terry alumni, current Terry Scholars and directors of the foundation.

“We are honored that the Terry family invited us to be a part of their program a few years ago and proud of all the students have accomplished in this short period of time,” said Coleman. “The Terry Scholars Program extends our opportunity to provide financial support for the best high school graduates Texas has to offer. These students come to campus with a long history of scholarship and leadership in their home high schools and communities and take an active role in shaping the future of our university.”

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