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Carmichaels students received full academic scholarship to Seton Hill

By Steve Barrett for The 5 min read
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Carmichaels Area High School senior Madison Wilson looked stunned one recent afternoon when her class was abruptly interrupted by a group of people who were there to give her a surprise that would change her life forever.

As she looked up from her textbook, she was surprised to see her parents, grandmother and brother standing in the front of the class, holding balloons and roses. And as she tried to soak in what was happening, she noticed there was one other person in the crowd: a representative from Seton Hill University in Greensburg who was holding a very large check.

It took just a few more seconds for Wilson to realize what was happening. In her utter delight and surprise, she was being formally presented with a full-tuition, four-year scholarship totaling $124,000 to the university.

Krista Lonigro, special events coordinator and senior admissions counselor at Seton Hill University, presented the check to Wilson during her afternoon science class. As her classmates and teacher, Kevin Willis, applauded, Wilson hugged her parents Michael and Kristi Wilson, her grandmother Barb McLaughlin and her brother Kaleb as she fought back tears of joy.

“I didn’t expect this to happen like this,” she said as a smile beamed across her face. “I am very honored. This is a great scholarship. A lot of deserving students applied for it. I am so happy.”

Madison Wilson will study biology in the Division of Natural and Health Sciences at the university. She said she plans to obtain a degree in molecular biology and a Ph.D. in genetics, and she intends to pursue a career researching childhood genetic disorders.

She thanked Lonigro and Seton Hill for the scholarship and then recognized her family, her teachers and the school district for inspiring and supporting her to achieve her academic goals.

After presenting the check, Lonigro said the scholarship was well-deserved.

“We are very excited to have Madison coming to Seton Hill University,” she said. “She was one of six recipients awarded with the scholarship, and she is the only student in the Division of Natural Health Sciences at the university to receive a full scholarship. It is the most prestigious scholarship Seton Hill University offers, and she is very deserving of it.”

In 2007, Seton Hill created the Seton Scholars Program to recognize outstanding academic achievement by incoming freshmen in the traditional undergraduate program at the university. Seton Scholars receive full tuition scholarships that are renewable for four years of study and are valued at more than $120,000 each.

Scholarships are awarded annually by each of the university’s academic divisions: Humanities, visual and performing arts, natural and health sciences, education and social sciences. For the 2015-2016 academic year, Seton Hill will award six full-tuition scholarships, one from each academic division.

Selection criteria for Seton Scholars in Seton Hill’s Division of Natural and Health Sciences include a combined SAT score of 1350 or higher, a high school grade point average of 3.5 or higher, honors or advanced placement coursework pertinent to the major, demonstration of leadership or community service, a letter of recommendation that addresses the student’s ability to excel in the field of study and an essay written by the student describing his or her decision to major in the field chosen.

Majors in this division include biochemistry, biology, chemistry, computer science, dietetics, forensic science, mathematics and medical technology. Programs in the division include pre-med, pre-osteopathic medicine and physician assistant.

Following the surprise presentation, Madison Wilson’s family members said they were very proud of her academic accomplishments.

“She was accepted at seven different schools and was offered full scholarships by Seton Hill University and Westminster College,” said her mother, Kristi Wilson. “She has worked so hard throughout her school years, and we are very proud of her and all of her achievements and accomplishments.”

Her brother Kaleb, a sophomore at the school, agreed, adding that he and her family were “super excited for her.”

In addition to her academic studies, Madison Wilson has certainly kept herself busy in other initiatives at the high school. She is vice president of National Honor Society and a member of Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD), the newspaper staff, World Affairs Council, Academic League and debate team.

She also volunteers for the American Cancer Society, is a junior volunteer at Southwest Regional Medical Center and is a teen counselor at St. Hugh Roman Catholic Church.

January, she was named Girl of the Month by Carmichaels Area Women’s Civic Club.

Lisa Zdravecky, Carmichaels Area Junior-Senior High School principal, also attended the presentation. Zdravecky said Madison Wilson was truly deserving of the scholarship.

“Madison is an excellent student and this is a great opportunity for her,” she said. “She is a great representative for other students to follow, and this honor shows that hard work truly pays off. It is wonderful to see one of our students be recognized for their academic achievements.”

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