UNC, Duke Announce Winners of Robertson Scholarships

Fifty top high school seniors, including students from China, St. Kitts and the Philippines, have been chosen for the Robertson Scholars' Class of 2011, Duke University President Richard H. Brodhead and Chancellor James Moeser of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have announced.

The Robertson Scholars Program is an innovative merit scholarship program at UNC-Chapel Hill and Duke. About half of the scholars enroll at Duke and about half at UNC. All the students take courses at both schools and spend a semester in residence at the other campus.

Robertson Scholars attending Duke receive full tuition, while UNC-Chapel Hill scholars receive full tuition, living expenses and a stipend. All scholars receive laptop computers and summer funding for community service research and travel in the United States and abroad.

The scholars are chosen for academic excellence, collaborative spirit, leadership ability, commitment to community and behavior grounded in strong ethical principles.

This year, 21 students have been awarded the scholarship at Duke and 22 at UNC. In addition, seven students were offered the scholarship by both schools and have the option to decide whether to be a Robertson Scholar at UNC or Duke.

The winners, who hail from 22 states and three foreign countries, have until May 1 to accept the scholarship. The universities expect to enroll 36 Robertson Scholars in the fall.

"The Robertson Scholars Program has brought an array of talented students to our campuses. It has enabled them to pursue their dreams, expand their horizons and, in the process, benefited both campus communities," Moeser said. "We congratulate this year's finalists on their selection and look forward to welcoming them in the fall."

Robertson Scholars come together for special seminars taught by faculty of both universities, research projects and service-learning programs. The program runs a free express bus between the two campuses and offers grants to faculty and students at each university to support joint programs.

"The Robertson Scholars exemplify what we hope students will do with their college years -- take advantage of every opportunity to expand their minds and then take that knowledge and apply it to real-world problems," Brodhead said. "We are proud of what previous classes have accomplished, and are eager to welcome the new scholars and see the imaginative ways they use their learning for the greater good."

Julian and Josie Robertson of New York founded the Robertson program in June 2000 with a $24 million endowment gift.

In 2005, the Robertsons established a separate scholarship opportunity for deserving students from New Zealand, where the couple resides for part of each year. The student chosen for the scholarship this year is Natalie Crimp of Christchurch, New Zealand, who plans to attend Duke.

"Over the year I have been inspired by the young people I meet through our selection process. This year is no exception," said Eric Mlyn, director of the Robertson program. "They are bright, passionate and eager, and will make meaningful contributions to every community they touch."

The Robertson Scholars winners were chosen from more than 20,000 applicants to UNC-Chapel Hill and more than 19,000 applicants to Duke. After a selection process that included application review and phone interviews, committees at both universities invited 100 finalists to Durham and Chapel Hill for interviews March 29-April 1.

There is no independent application process, though students can complete a form to express their interest in the scholarship and provide additional information about their leadership and service involvement.

Winners at Duke University:

China

Daijing Linn, Gizhou, Guiyang No. 9 High School

Colorado

Alicia Grae Solow-Niederman, Englewood, Cherry Creek High School; Meryl Danielle Colton, Longmont, Alexander Dawson School

Georgia

Abhishek Jonathan Bose-Kolanu, Jonesboro, Woodward Academy

Connecticut

Leah Rachel Milbauer, Greenwich, Greenwich High School

Illinois

Christopher David Edelman, Deerfield, Deerfield High School

Massachusetts

Rebecca Elizabeth Agostino, Andover, Phillips Academy

Maryland

Nicholas Emerson Bruns, Bethesda, Saint Albans; Zachary Paul Tracer, Potomac, Richard Montgomery High School

Missouri

Robert Benjamin Schaaf, Saint Joseph, Central High School

Montana

Rylee Kate Sommers-Flanagan, Missoula, Hellgate High School

New Jersey

Carissa Maria Mueller, Kinnelon, Kinnelon High School; Timothy Scott Thomson, Morristown, Delbarton School

Ohio

Madeleine Gardner Bruml, Gates Mills, Hawken School; Harrison Sahng-Hoon Lee, Cincinnati, Saint Xavier High School; Nikhil Taneja, Cincinnati, Indian Hill High School

The Philippines

Kyeongho Lee, Manila, The International School of Manila

St Kitts and Nevis

Khalea Ross Robinson, Washington Archibald High School

Texas

Laurie Elise Seidel, Addison, Greenhill School

West Virginia

Lauren Elizabeth Linn, Clear Fork, Westside High School

Wisconsin

Christina Maria Costantini, Milwaukee, University School of Milwaukee

Winners at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill:

Colorado

Paul Jeffrey Hiatt, Loveland, Loveland High School

Florida

Robyn Nicole Levine, Miami, Miami Palmetto Senior High School; Martine Rae Powers, Miami, Coral Reef Senior High School; Sofia Wilson, Fort Lauderdale, St. Thomas Aquinas High School

Georgia

Alexis Christine Dennis, Marietta, Alan C. Pope High School; David Joseph Mulcahy, Atlanta, Marist School

Kansas

Aishlinn Nora O'Connor, Shawnee Mission, Shawnee Mission East High School

Minnesota

Charles Samuel Sellew, St. Paul, St. Paul Academy and Summit School

Missouri

Christopher J. Clayman, Ballwin, Lafayette High School; Elizabeth Jane Deane, St. Louis, Ladue Horton Watkins High School

North Carolina

Joseph Ethan Glaser-Reich, Charlotte, Charlotte Latin School; Amanda Michelle Johnson, Clayton, North Carolina School of Science and Math; Alexander Carlson Kilkka, Charlotte, South Mecklenburg High School; Matthew Shelton Price, Raleigh, William G Enloe High School

New Jersey

Michelle Marie Dominguez, Edison, Bishop George Ahr High School; Rushanh Doshi, Randolph, Randolph High School

New York

Eric Emilio-Gerrit Butter, Binghamton, Seton Catholic Central High School; Cara Ann Mones, Floral Park, Floral Park Memorial High School

Tennessee

Zackary Junis Jackson, Knoxville, Beardon High School; Sarah Kristen Touse, Chattanooga, Girls Preparatory School

Texas

Allison Anne Hayes, Dallas, The Hockaday School

West Virginia

Alexander Coburn Janes, Fairmount, Fairmount Senior High School

Winners at both universities:

Alabama

Joy Christina Lampkin, Homewood, Homewood High School; Marc Bernard Loeffke, Auburn, Auburn High School

Arizona

Bing Han, Tucson, Catalina Foothills High School

Georgia

Andrew Hollar, Suwanee, South Forsyth High School

Missouri

Avital Brena Ludomirsky, St Louis, Clayton High School

Tennessee

David Thomas Tao, Chattanooga, McCallie School

Virginia

Michael Alexander Spruiell, Virginia Beach, Cape Henry Collegiate School