Editor's Note: This is the second in a series of three
articles profiling Eastern Michigan University's Presidential
Scholars.
The Presidential Scholarship is a four-year award that
pays 30 credit hours (15 per semester) per year of in-state
tuition, housing, food allowance and mandatory fees.
Students who receive scholarships must live in University
residence halls the first two years of the award, complete
at least 15 credit hours per semester and maintain a 3.5
GPA.
Scholarship recipients are selected during EMU's annual
Presidential Scholarship Competition. Awards are based
on a competitive exam. To compete, high school seniors
must have either a 3.7 GPA or a 3.5 to 3.69 GPA with a
minimum 25 ACT or 1,150 SAT score. Each scholarship winner
also must complete a successful interview.
This year, 15 students were found deserving of the honor.
Profiles of the second five are provided below.
Rowland Creswell (Perrysburg, Ohio)
For Rowland Creswell, Eastern Michigan has thus far been
the perfect fit.
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Creswell |
"The reason I had applied to EMU in the first place was
because of something one of my high school English teachers
said to me," said Creswell, a 3.82 GPA student. "I went
to a college fair at a local college and picked up some
brochures. My teacher told me to look at the schools that
had a homey feel because you don't want to go somewhere
you will be homesick. EMU definitely had that comfortable
feeling for me."
Creswell's high school activities included band, where
he was a percussion player, and treasurer and secretary
for the National Honor Society. Although he wasn't involved
in many activities in high school, he has already thought
about joining a fraternity and one of the residence hall's
intramural football or soccer leagues.
When Creswell found out he won the scholarship, his sister
played a trick on him.
"Susan Anderson (assistant director of University Honors
College) called when I was at work and, when I got home,
my sister made up this story about how I didn't get it," he
said. "Eventually,
she told she was kidding and to call Sue back. When I found
out, I was ecstatic."
Although he had his eye on two local colleges near his
hometown in Ohio, Creswell had his sights set on EMU the
whole time.
"Some of my best friends go here and, when I took the
campus tour, I was happy because it is a great place," said
Creswell. "EMU is close enough to Ohio, but far enough
away."
Like the other Presidential Scholarship winners, receiving
the award has changed Creswell's life.
"My biggest pay-off from all of my hard work in high school
was having the opportunity to start fresh when I graduate
from college," he said. "I don't have to worry about paying
back student loans."
Ed Gardner (Dearborn Heights, Mich.)
Ed Gardner probably will never forget where he was and
what he was doing when he found out he won the Presidential
Scholarship.
"I was at a swim meet and I had just won a race when my
dad yelled from the stands that I also had won the scholarship," said
Gardner, a 3.54 GPA student. "I was so happy that I was
rejoicing on the pool deck, shouting."
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Gardner |
Gardner's parents also were incredibly happy that he was
awarded the scholarship. He has three siblings and this
took a huge financial burden off his parents.
"Without this, I would have to pay for college on my own
and I probably wouldn't have come to EMU," he said. "Most
likely, I would have gone to the University of Michigan-Dearborn,
but it would have been a completely different experience."
Along with the rest of the Presidential Scholarship winners,
Gardner is a part of the University's Honors College.
"I have met some good friends in the Honors College and
a couple of my classes are phenomenal," said Gardner. "Although
I am not sure what my major is yet, one of my professors
has gotten me interested in history. He is one of the most
compelling teachers that I have ever had."
In high school, Gardner also was one of those students
that was very involved. He was on the varsity swimming
team, the male lead in five theatre productions and founder
and president of S.O.U.L (Bible study and Christian fellowship),
among others.
Looking back on high school, Gardner had a hard time choosing
one favorite high school memory that stands out in his
mind.
"In one of my English classes, my teacher let us out early," he
said. "A bunch of my friends and I hung out in the courtyard,
which was one of the last times we all were together."
Danielle Patterson (New Hudson, Mich.)
For many students, going from being home-schooled to a
large university may be a little bit of a culture shock,
but not for Danielle Patterson.
"I was home-schooled from kindergarten until high school
and eventually started taking over my own education," said
Patterson. "Coming to EMU wasn't a huge adjustment at all.
I love it here because my friends are always around."
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Patterson |
Patterson didn't think she would be one of the
lucky scholarship winners. And then she got the phone call.
"They said that I would receive a phone call by Tuesday
or Wednesday night and they didn't call until 8 p.m.," she
said. "I was in the living room when they called, and had
just told my friends that I didn't get it. But when I found
out, I was shocked. My six siblings and I were freaking
out."
This scholarship definitely has had a lasting effect on
her.
"My mom was very emotional when we found out and I'm just
relieved because I would have had to work during college," said
Patterson. "I have more time to focus on school now."
For now, Patterson is undeclared major. But, she
has an interest in musical theatre and history.
"My senior year of high school, I was in 'Godspell' and
I love to sing," said Patterson. "Right now, I also have
an amazing history teacher. He teaches it in such a way
that grabs my attention."
As funny as it may sound, the trees on campus are one
of the reasons she chose Eastern Michigan.
"I was thinking of attending Wayne State University, too,
because it is arguably just as good of a school," said
Patterson. "It was a hard decision to make between two
equally good schools and I didn't want to commute. But,
I have always like the greenery outside and I liked the
look of EMU's campus."
For now, Patterson is happy with her choice and has plenty
of time to decide her major.
Marc Aust (West Bloomfield, Mich.)
Coming to Eastern Michigan University was a bit of an
adjustment for Marc Aust.
"Up until two years ago, I lived in Germany all of my
life and I was a little confused about the whole college
thing," said Aust, a 3.88 GPA student. "School was free
in Germany, so I chose EMU without knowing much about it."
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Aust |
Aust's passion in life is music, which is why he chose
a double major.
"Because music is my passion, I didn't want to base my
whole life around it," he said. "I chose marketing as a
fall-back in case a career in music doesn't work out.
I would like to combine my majors to do something like
managing a cultural institution of some sort."
Although American and European colleges are like night
and day, he loves living here thus far.
"Everyone has been really nice and I love the campus.
It is beautiful," said Aust. "Studying from a European
perspective compared to an American perspective is huge.
Everyone here is so studious."
Like most of the other scholarship winners, Aust also
missed the phone call with the good news.
"I missed the call and was freaking out because the number
I was supposed to call back had been disconnected," he
said. "They finally called back and I cried a little. My
family celebrated the news by opening a bottle of champagne."
His favorite memory from high school stems from, what
else, music.
"I was in choir and we got the opportunity to travel on
choir tours throughout Europe and went to New York City
in the spring," he said. " We won the international competition."
The first semester has flown by for Aust, but he is still
looking forward to becoming involved with theatre.
Tiffany Crosby (Holland, Ohio)
Like many of the Presidential Scholarship winners, receiving
the scholarship helped Tiffany Crosby make her college
choice.
"I got the call at 11:30 p.m. saying I had received the
scholarship," said Crosby, a 4.27 GPA student. "I was so
ecstatic that I held the phone away from my ear and was
jumping on the couch."
She also is very humble about receiving the gift because
it has taken a huge financial burden off her shoulder.
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Crosby |
"I am very grateful for this gift and, without it, I probably
would have had to go somewhere else," said Crosby. "I love
Eastern Michigan. It's small, but not too small and the
campus is very pretty. The people here have been great
as well."
While many freshmen dabble in different classes to decide
a major, Crosby already has that decision made. She has
chosen biochemistry toxicology.
"I have always been interested in science," she said. "The
notion of discovering things really interests me. I would
love to get my foot in the door to do research at drug
companies."
In high school, she also was one of those students involved
in an array of different activities. Crosby participated
in school musicals, student government, the dance team,
Mock Trial and debate.
In her short time at EMU, she has joined a sorority — Alpha
Gamma Delta — that participates in many philanthropic projects.
She also is in involved in Model United Nations and Mock
Trial.
Taking a walk down memory lane brought back many good
times for Crosby.
"My senior year, we 'decked the halls' in our hallway
under the stairwell," she said. "We made a huge fort with
desks and other things from the school. The teachers loved
it, but the administrators made us take the fort down."
Crosby can't wait to enjoy the rest of her time at EMU
and make new memories as fun or better than those from
high school.
