ORAU awards five $1,200 scholarships

Oak Ridge Associated Universities has awarded five $1,200 William G. Pollard Scholarships for undergraduate studies during the 2012-2013 academic year.

The scholarship recipients are Julie Davis, Krista Marie Ellis, Carolyn Huppmann, Eric Meissner, and Austin Scircle, an ORAU press release said.

The release said ORAU awards these scholarships each year to ORAU employees’ children who display exceptional achievements in their high school or undergraduate studies. Each applicant must submit official transcripts from all high schools and colleges attended, three references, and a 500-word essay describing the student’s professional and personal interests.

Here is more information on the winners:

Julia Davis, daughter of Mark and Elaine Davis of Oak Ridge, currently attends Carson Newman College, where she has a 4.0 grade point average. She is a member of the Carson Newman Student Ambassador Association and the Bonner Scholarship Program.

Davis is pursuing a double major in religion and social entrepreneurship with a minor in human services. Her goal is to one day establish orphanages in underdeveloped countries around the world.

An aspiring artist, Davis recently had a piece selected for display during the Dogwood Arts Festival and has had several pieces selected for shows at the Knoxville Museum of Art.

Krista Marie Ellis, the daughter of Ann and Edward Smith of Stafford, Va., and Vincent Ellis, also of Stafford Va., is receiving the Pollard Scholarship for a second consecutive year.

She attends Longwood University in Farmville, Va., and is pursuing a double major in chemistry and biology. Her goal is a career in the medical field, and she is considering a specialization in dermatology.

She is a member of the Pre-Health Professions Club, Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society, and was selected for Longwood’s Honors College. Ellis also was admitted to Ambassadors, which gives incoming students tours of the college campus, and Beta Beta Beta, a biological honors society.

Carolyn Huppmann is the daughter of John and Pamela Huppmann of Knoxville and a recent graduate of Hardin Valley Academy. She was on the Honor Roll throughout high school, became a member of the National Honors Society in 2011, and was instrumental in establishing her school’s recycling program.

She is the student volunteer coordinator for ORAU’s Employees’ Club Program and has coordinated many events such as Lunch with Santa and the annual Easter Egg Hunt.

Huppmann plans to attend Tennessee Technology University, where she will study sustainable agriculture. After graduating from college, Huppmann hopes to own her own farm and use it as an example of a sustainable environment.

Eric Meissner, the son of Terry and Sandy Meissner of Cedar City, Utah, is a 2012 graduate from Canyon View High School, and he plans to attend Utah State University to pursue a degree in nuclear engineering.

Among other activities, Meissner is the stage manager for his high school’s productions and the public relations representative for his school’s chapter of Skills USA. He is a member of the Iron County Community Emergency Response Team, where he has learned how to help his community during a disaster through activities such as medical triage, first aid care, incident command, and search and rescue.

Meissner has also performed activities critical to the success of Advanced Disaster Life Support classes by working as a logistics technician for Infinite Contingency Group Inc. and  for Emergency Services Consultants Inc.

Austin Scircle, son of Sherry and John Scircle of Powell, recently graduated from Powell High School and is currently the president of the Arrive Alive Club, a safe driving club at his high school.

He has also had many leadership roles with the Boy Scouts of America, including assistant scoutmaster for his Boy Scout Troop and vice president of his scouting Venture Crew. He has been a member of the Beta Club, a community service organization, for three years.

After high school, Scircle plans to attend Wofford College, where he has been awarded the Benjamin Wofford Scholarship, and he will study chemistry. Through his interest in chemistry, Scircle hopes to continue on to medical school and one day become a surgeon.

The William G. Pollard Scholarship Awards are presented in honor of ORAU’s founder as recognition of his dedication to science and education. A University of Tennessee physics professor, Pollard founded the Oak Ridge Institute of Nuclear Studies, which later became ORAU, to link the valuable scientific resources developed in Oak Ridge as part of the Manhattan Project with regional universities.