The Johnson Scholarship Program

New VoicesIntroducing the Class of 2014

washington and Lee University

Leadership is a central

concept at Washington

and Lee University, and

we have a strong record

of alumni who exemplify

that ideal—among them,

Supreme Court Justice Lewis

Powell ’29, ’31L, Sen. John

Warner ’49, journalist Roger

Mudd ’50, writer Tom Wolfe

’51, Nobel prize winner Dr.

Joseph Goldstein ’62, and

FCC Commissioner Meredith

Attwell Baker ’90.

The University’s Johnson

Scholarship Program fo-

cuses on developing young

leaders, and it offers full fi-

nancial support to students

who demonstrate excep-

tional personal promise,

regardless of their ability

to afford tuition and other

expenses.

This year, W&L welcomes

34 Johnson Scholars to the

campus and all the passions

and perspectives they bring.

Their voices will elevate

classroom discussion,

enrich community life and

heighten the University’s

sense of what is possible.

They have a lot on their

minds, as you will see on

the following pages. W&L

welcomes them into the on-

going campus conversation

about leadership and the

well-established W&L tradi-

tion of serving others as

engaged citizens in a global

and diverse society.

the johnson scholarship program 2010 On Leadership

students who have the intellect to excel and the selflessness to care

should have the opportunity to lead.

Emmy DiGiovanniFather Ryan High SchoolFranklin, Tenn.

Katie DriestNorth Mecklenburg Senior High School Davidson, N.C.

I chaired a committee at Boys Nation

charged with considering bills

related to ethics and administration.

I began poorly, attempting to

influence decisions brought before

the committee. I soon discovered

that leadership is not about personal

recognition, but about hearing and

understanding the voice of the

people you serve.

Robert GerboUniversity High SchoolMorgantown, W.Va.

A leader is someone who wishes to

improve his or her surroundings,

finds a way to do so and then calls

for others to help. Our founding

fathers believed that when called

upon to build the New Order for the

Ages, citizens would gladly put away

their petty trivialities and cooperate

to improve their nation.

Thomas GroesbeckKalamazoo Central High SchoolKalamazoo, Mich.

As someone who sometimes says too

much, I am impressed by President

Calvin Coolidge’s style of speech, or

lack thereof. With “Silent Cal” in

mind, I learned that a few words can

go a long way. Simplicity really can

be the best option.

After watching young girls struggle

with eating disorders, I sought to

proactively find a way to prevent

these destructive attitudes. By

researching and understanding the

underlying influences that result in

the mindset of eating disorders, I

used that knowledge to organize a

workshop for pre-teen Girl Scouts to

raise self-esteem so they will not fall

victim to an eating disorder.

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“The Johnson Scholarship is built around the emblematic theme of

leadership and integrity. It is what has defined

Washington and Lee. It is our legacy and our past.

It will be our future.”

On Leadership

Washington and Lee President Ken Ruscio is a W&L

alumnus and distinguished scholar in the study of democratic

theory and public policy. Throughout his career, Dr. Ruscio has

held various positions at W&L, including dean of freshmen;

professor of politics; and associate dean of the Williams School

of Commerce, Ecnomics, and Politics.

I helped co-found a non-profit

organization, Playing For Others, and

I’ve seen it grow from a group of 15

passionate teens to 75 inspired

volunteers changing lives of children

with disabilities and their families,

while raising $65,000 for local

charities.

I learned about leadership by

running in circles. A teammate told

me, “All you have to do is remember

the four Ps—one for each lap of the

race: Push, Pace, Position and Pray.”

For me, running is the great

metaphor of my leadership ability,

because I get out of it what I put into

it. Successful running requires focus,

dedication and rest—as does

successful leading.

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I have known a great leader for four years. He is not a general, an emperor, a president or a revolutionary, but just an or-dinary man—our bandleader. Year after year, he has a way of seeing greatness in everyone and bringing it to the surface.

Douglas HilbertWhippany Park High SchoolWhippany, N.J.

Emily HudsonMyers Park High SchoolCharlotte, N.C.

Annelise MadisonNorris High SchoolRoca, Neb.

John Adams was a great leader not

only because he served others and

championed the cause of indepen-

dence, but because he was willing to

take great personal risks. After the

Boston Massacre, he risked his

reputation and legal career in order

to act on his belief that everyone has

the right to legal counsel and a fair

trial. This cemented his reputation as

an honorable man and an advocate

of justice and liberty.Mark SowinskiBishop McGuinness Catholic High SchoolGreensboro, N.C.

ThroughouT iTs hisTory, Washington and Lee Univer-

sity has been shaped and advanced in its mission by

generous gifts. The school’s first major endowment,

George Washington’s 1796 donation of James River

Canal stock, valued at $20,000, was the largest gift to

any educational institution at that time. The Johnson

gift of $100 million in 2007, endowing scholarships,

faculty positions, and programming with a focus on

leadership, affirms the University’s historic values and

extends its reach farther and wider than ever before.

Beyond funding The scholarships, the $100 million John-

son gift supports a number of initiatives that further

W&L’s commitment to leadership education. The funds

endow two new professorships, both with an empha-

sis on leadership; establish a series of lectures and

symposia designed to enrich campus dialogue and illu-

minate contemporary questions and issues in leader-

ship; and fund a summer program supporting 30 rising

seniors annually in pursuing internships or projects

that allow them to explore leadership and to develop

their own potential.

heirs To a long TradiTion of leadership, the Johnson schol-

ars follow in the footsteps of the many W&L graduates

among the top ranks of business, journalism, medicine,

public service, and almost every other field. Twenty-sev-

en have served in the U.S. Senate, 67 have served in the

U.S. House, and 31 have served as governors. Four have

served as Supreme Court justices and seven have been

American Bar Association presidents. Forty-six have

gone on to become college or university presidents.

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The Johnson Program has a definite impact on how and what I teach. Although my courses focus mainly on entrepreneurship, I emphasize the role leadership, integrity, ethics, and honor play in successfully launching a new business venture. After all, our goal is to inspire our students to accomplish great things as they repre-sent the next generation of great leaders to graduate from our University.

Jeff Shay, the Rupert H. Johnson Jr. Professor in Entrepreneurship and Leadership

On Service and Self

Campbell BurrBethesda Chevy Chase High SchoolChevy Chase, Md.

Hillary CooperHomeschooled Greenwood, S.C.

Working as a counselor at the

Vineyard International Camp,

coaching a swim team, and

volunteering at my church have given

me numerous opportunities to

befriend and mentor children from

many different walks of life. Knowing

how important my mentors have

been to me, I take great pride in the

relationships I have built with

children in need and the positive

impact I have made in their lives.Erin DenglerRocky Mount Academy Rocky Mount, N.C.

For five years I made a weekly trip to

the Elinor Martin Residence, a home

for single mothers and their babies.

While the moms met with a social

worker, I took care of the babies.

Most of the moms were about my

age, but they seemed older because

they had a completely different set of

responsibilities and pressures. I

imagine it would have been easy for

them to fall into despair. But it is

hope, not despair, that permeates

the residence.

Monica DevlinBronxville High SchoolBronxville, N.Y.

I was elected student government

president, but I didn’t get there

overnight. Prior to my victory, I lost

three student government elections. I

decided to become more aware of

the makeup of my school, to take an

interest in other people’s priorities

and broaden my group of friends.

Opening a book is like ripping open a

birthday present that has been

wrapped inside 10 boxes. The seeker

keeps tearing and ripping and

shredding, only to find that what she

really wants is out of reach. While

those who have not experienced the

quest might not understand, the

work is worth the effort.

Garrett KollerOklahoma School of Science and MathSand Springs, Okla.

In middle school, I went on a mission

trip to Birmingham, Ala. It was there

that I not only realized the obstacles

that many people had to overcome,

but I also rediscovered myself. I

learned that being like my peers, for

the sake of acceptance, wasn’t

necessarily a good thing. I refuse to

be an average person living an

average life and doing average things.

Having been colorblind, I’ve never had

any other frame of reference for color

than I do now. My ability to see

differently reveals a unique facet of

whatever I look at. If we all had the

same perceptions and opinions on

everything, wouldn’t that be infinitely

more bleak and bland than looking at

the world with only two colors instead

of your ideal three?

Jordan KearnsWest Jessamine High SchoolNicholasville, Ky.

6

A girl in my chemistry class asked me

to tutor her for an upcoming

midterm. We met three days a week

to study the periodic table, balance

chemical equations and work on

chemical formulas. The weeks of

intense work led to a 98 percent on

the exam. This was the moment of

our triumph.

Alina PankovaThe Miller SchoolSevastopol, Ukraine

I have always been small for my age,

and because of my appearance,

people seemed to treat me like a

baby, always assuming that I was

gentle, meek and quiet. When I was

participating in school activities,

such as volleyball, newspaper and

student government, I felt the need

to surpass everyone’s expectations

and prove myself. Because of my

attitude and drive, my friends started

calling me Mighty Min.Ji Hyun MinThe Miller School Seongnami-Si, Republic of Korea

As a young patient, I took a gamble

with my health by choosing not to

address my scoliosis. I was angry

and resentful of doctors who should

have diagnosed my condition years

earlier. My visits to the hospital

allowed me to meet many physi-

cians, all with different approaches.

The things I’ve learned from them

have shaped my idea of the kind of

doctor I would like to become—spe-

cifically to understand the difference

between treating a patient and

treating a disease.

Ellie StoopsVisitation AcademySt. Louis, Missouri

Philip DishuckHoly Spirit High SchoolTuscaloosa, Ala.

I’m a swimmer, not a cyclist, and 17

was much too old for bicycle

accidents to be a weekly occurrence.

But I was biking only to improve my

swimming, and my balance has

improved over time. My experiences

on a bike translate easily to all areas

of my life and remind me that even

when things go horribly wrong in the

beginning, with perseverance, any

obstacle can be overcome.

Joseph LiuSpruce Creek High School Ormond Beach, Fla.

The basic premise of weightlifting is

to take a ridiculous, dangerous

amount of weight that the human

body was not built to handle, pick it

up and heave it directly over your

head in a stunningly precarious

position. But perhaps there is some

insight to be found in the dusty

corners of the weight room: life will

treat me the same way that iron

does. Both will always be pushing

against me, testing me, judging me.

Crawford RhyneGaston Day School Gastonia, N.C.

I have never been the most patient of

individuals, a characteristic that

perpetuated my voracious reading

habit. I’m impatient to find out what

will happen on that next page, in the

next chapter. As a preteen, this

quality caused me many late nights,

unable to turn off the bedside lamp

and close the covers on the latest

novel.

The Johnson Lecture Series brings national and international leaders in business, politics, sci-ence, art and the humanities to discuss issues of importance to the nation, to the world and to the students who will lead it. The series has hosted prize-winning writers, experts on the economy, prominent public servants, successful entrepre-neurs, and actors. In the years ahead, the fund will grow and become an important source for campus enrichment that will allow W&L to con-tribute to national debates about fundamental issues in leadership and integrity.

Johnson Program Director and Associate Provost Bob Strong has taught at W&L since 1989, serving as politics department

head for 16 years. His research focuses on the presidency and modern

American foreign policy, and his published work includes books on

Richard Nixon and Jimmy Carter.

On World Issues

There is widespread controversy over

stem cell research, particularly the

use of human embryonic stem cells,

but new methods have been found to

harvest stem cells without killing

human embryos. Although ethical

questions always must be asked, the

potential benefit stem cells will have

on treating human disease make

them one of the greatest scientific

advancements of the 20th century.Clark GairingCanterbury School of FloridaSt. Petersburg, Fla.

One of the peculiar faculties of man

is his inability to tell the absolute

truth. For whatever reason, he insists

on warping it to fit his opinions. Until

we reach a consensus to determine

the exact nature of truth and humans

can be unbiased in its execution, we

shall continue to add a small part of

ourselves to every fact with which we

come in contact.

Ryan DohertyMorristown-Hamblen High SchoolMorristown, Tenn.

Despite the dystopian ending, 1984,

by George Orwell, is one of my

favorite books. The book sparked

my interest in politics. The

description of a massive, unstop-

pable government that tirelessly

observes its subjects showed the

danger of exchanging rights (such as

privacy) for security. It made me

realize that we engage the system,

or our own voices will be excluded

from government.Zain RazaEdmond Memorial High SchoolEdmond, Okla

Although there are laws that say

people of all abilities were created

equal, that doesn’t mean that they

were treated with dignity. At a post

office with not even a ramp, I went

with my mother and other people

who used wheelchairs to protest.

This was the start of my informal

education, the one teaching me to be

a responsible citizen.

Maureen NalepaShaler Area High SchoolPittsburgh, Pa.

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overall, The class of 2014 includes 32 class or student body

presidents or vice presidents, 55 publication editors,

189 varsity team captains, 29 Eagle Scouts or Gold Award

Recipients, 82 students with significant community service

experience, 42 with significant international experience,

and 44 who are the first in their families to attend college.

The class also includes pilots, black belts, entrepreneurs,

musicians, congressional pages and debate champions.

8

I spent hours doing research on the

regenerative abilities of Zebrafish

and on the effect of electromagnetic

fields on C. elegans in the hopes of

shining a light on the mysteries

surrounding stem cells. I presented

my work at the Intel International

Science and Engineering Fair, where I

became quite excited for the future

of science, engineering and

medicine. I want to play a role in

helping find solutions for global

health problems and create a better

world through a healthy, ordered

global community.

Alvin ThomasNiles North High SchoolSkokie, Ill.

“ In its first three years, the Johnson Scholarship Program has had enormous impact. W&L grants assist 46 percent of our first-year students. The Johnson program draws worldwide attention because it seeks in its recipients the characteristics held dear by this community: scholarship, leadership, integrity and civility.”

William Hartog, Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid

Because I live in a place with such a

large Jewish population, I don’t

expect to come across prejudice

about my own religion. I believe my

religion is beautiful and I love to

teach others about it. My sister and I

invite friends over for Hanukkah to

play dreidel and eat latkes. It has

become a yearly tradition. I can’t get

rid of all the prejudice in the world,

but I can do my best to learn from

other people.Samantha RosierCoral Glades High SchoolCoral Springs, Fla.

Darby ShulerRichland Northeast High School Columbia, S.C.

The high school graduation rate for

South Carolina is between 55 and 60

percent, and the academic patterns

leading up to the high dropout rate

begin as early as elementary school.

My mother and I started an

after-school reading club to help

alleviate the situation. Our

generation is responsible for

improving the lives of Americans

living in poverty—ensuring

education is the first step.

I fear America is in great danger of

losing its understanding of the

beauty and necessity of fine arts,

particularly classical music. It took

me 14 years for its value to sink in,

but now I appreciate the beautiful

way in which instrumental music

portrays emotions, opinions and

stories.

Haley SmithAsheville High School Asheville, N.C.

There are serious inequities in the

U.S. educational system. Usually the

most disadvantaged students are the

focus, and the solution is to get

everyone to at least a basic level,

which is the philosophy of the No

Child Left Behind Act. Unfortunately,

advanced classes are often the first

to go in budget cuts, and the

potential of America’s talented

students is crippled.Vincent KimCranbrook Kingswood SchoolGrand Blanc, Mich.

Today’s high school education is

based on an outdated system, where

for 12 years students are taught to

regurgitate information. Colleges

teach students to think, and if high

school is preparation for college,

then it makes sense for high schools

to recognize creativity.

Daniel HsuPlano East Senior High SchoolRichardson, Texas

Society as a whole needs to begin

placing a greater value on learning if

any institutional changes are to be

truly effective. The American model

has some positive attributes, and I

believe people should think carefully

before pronouncing it dead.

Lorraine SimonisMercersburg AcademyPhiladelphia, Pa.

Everyone hears about the public

schools that do not have enough

books and that have disintegrating

ceiling tiles, poor water quality and

serious asbestos problems. I am not

a blind optimist who refuses to

acknowledge the problems in our

nation’s public schools, but I would

like to show the critics the energy in

one of my Advanced Placement

classes, where enthusiasm for

learning is crucial. For those willing

to make the effort, the opportunities

for education and extracurricular

enrichment are plentiful.

Victoria Van NattenTowson High SchoolTowson, Md.

While there are a number of

disparities in the American school

system, the system as a whole is not

ineffectual. An individual’s role is the

most important determinant of his or

her success. There are countless

students who do succeed, even in

less than optimal learning

environments, because they chose to

take advantage of what is available

to them.Katie HintzWeymouth High SchoolEast Weymouth, Mass.

9

of The 2,177 applicanTs for The johnson scholarship, 210 were

selected as finalists on the basis of their potential to

contribute to the intellectual and civic life of the Washington

and Lee community and to the world at large. Factors weighed

included academic record, writing samples, teacher refer-

ences, and records of leadership, citizenship, and involvement

in non-academic activities. The finalists were invited to

campus for interviews with faculty, student leaders, and

administrators; their selection was truly a group effort.

Our entire community welcomes them to W&L.

My high school doesn’t have the

resources to offer AP, honors or

advanced courses. But I have

compensated for this through hard

work, determination and the right

attitude. The journey has given me

a strong appreciation for the few

remarkable teachers I have had

and the knowledge that hard work

produces results and accomplish-

ments.Katie JarrellLiberty High SchoolDry Creek, W.Va.

On Learning

Johnson Opportunity Grants10

Christine Balistreri ’11 was a medical intern at the Wichanzao Clinic in Peru, where she assisted local doctors while

gaining an understanding of health care systems in developing nations.

“On a normal day, I head directly to the clinic, where my

duties fluctuate from being a nurse, a dental assistant, a

pharmacy assistant or an aide in the office. I typically

spend half my time in triage, where I take the patients’

personal information, including family history, medical

history, immunizations, address, age, pulse, blood

pressure, temperature, height and weight—all in

Spanish. The other half of my time I spend assisting

Angel, the dentist, upstairs. This happens to be one of

my favorite parts of the morning. Working side by side

with him has been the best way for me to feel at ease

while practicing my Spanish and to impart upon him

basic medical vocabulary in English that he needs to

learn for his upcoming conference in the U.S.”

Francis Cullo ’11 conducted ethnographic research in Africa in the Gambia.

“Each of the students in Berefet worked on their own,

individual ethnographic research project. I studied the

way children think about, and view, their home and their

village—particularly how they represented those views in

drawings of their compounds. Most Gambians, and all of

the villagers in Berefet, live in extended-family

arrangements where several homes lie behind one

fence-line. There are kitchens, bathrooms, trees and

shady spots shared among the family. I was most

surprised by how willing the Gambian people were to

help. From our amazing language instructors to the

villagers themselves, everyone was willing to help in any

way they could, even if they did not understand what I

was asking. People were eager to welcome me into their

homes to share a meal or a glass of ataaya (tea), even on

visits unrelated to my project.”

In 2010, 12 rising juniors and seniors received Johnson Opportunity Grants to support internships and independent research projects all across the country and around the world. The projects covered a wide range of topics—observing heart surgery, human rights in Ireland, refugee education in Israel, ethnography in Gambia and sustainable development in Costa Rica. Here are excerpts from the students’ final reports, and you can see all the project profiles at go.wlu.edu/dayinthelife.

11

Michael Kuntz ’11 observed heart surgeries and conducted medical research at the Texas Heart Institute at St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital, in Houston, where he worked under the direction of Dr. Jim Livesay ’69.

“The unpredictability of life here makes each day

interesting. One morning, I came in expecting to

watch a bypass surgery and ended up watching a

heart transplant—easily one of the most fascinating

surgeries I have seen. With the patient heartless on

the table, the surgeon used the donor heart to

quickly review heart anatomy with the room’s

students. The coronary arteries were perfectly

visible wrapping around the outside; the donor

heart looked beautiful. Another day I expected to

leave by 6:30 p.m. I was still in the OR at 11 p.m. A

patient had come in with an esophageal perforation,

and stomach contents were filling their chest,

requiring immediate surgery.”

Amanda Micossi ’11 spent the summer as a volunteer with the Refu-

gee Status Determination team at the African Refugee Development Center, an Israeli non-

governmental organization located in Tel Aviv.

“My day starts at 8 a.m. I roll out of bed and

immediately turn on the fan, since there’s no air

conditioning and the temperature hasn’t gotten below

90 degrees since I arrived. I hurry out my door and

walk to a shelter run by my organization. As far as I

can tell, everyone in this particular shelter is from

Eritrea, a troubled nation in Eastern Africa. I arrive and

meet Mirkonan, a 19-year-old refugee recovering from

a brain surgery that left him half-paralyzed. Together,

we go to a physical therapy session, where I learn the

exercises as Mirkonan does them so we can practice

later at the shelter.”

Annie Smith ’11 interned in the marketing and advertising division of designer brand Kate Spade New York.

“Throughout the day, I work with style editors to help

choose the most appropriate clothing, shoes or

accessories that will complement their themed photo

spreads. I collect these samples, pack them up and get

them ready to be picked up by a messenger. In a typical

day, I will send and receive about 30 sample requests. I

keep track of all these samples by recording them in the

Fashion GPS system. Between sample requests and

meetings, I spend a significant amount of time research-

ing the areas in Florida, Naples, Miami, Ft. Lauderdale,

Palm Beach and Tampa, where Kate Spade has wholesale

and retail markets. I use residents’ letters to the editor, as

well as articles from local newspapers, magazines and

blogs to garner a deeper insight into the Florida consumer

mindset beyond demographic and quantitative

information. My research helps the marketing team

understand the nuances of the lifestyles by market.”

hisTory

The ninth-oldest school in the country, Washington and Lee University recognizes and embodies the direct contributions of two of the most influential figures in American history. George Washington’s 1796 gift of James River Canal stock ensured the fledgling school’s survival; Robert E. Lee’s presidency, 1865–70, brought innovation and national recognition to the school.

sTudenTs

Undergraduate—1,759 students from 49 states (85 percent from outside Virginia), representing citizenship in 50 countries Ratio of men to women is 50:50 Ethnic minorities: 11 percent

The School of Law—400 students

faculTy

Of the 182 undergraduate faculty members, 95 percent hold doctorates or terminal degrees. The student-faculty ratio is 9:1. The average class size is 16. Twenty-two percent of classes have fewer than 10 students, 90 percent have fewer than 25 students, and 97 percent have fewer than 30 students.

disTincTive feaTures

Honor System—entirely student-run; based on the fundamental principle that students attending Washington and Lee will not lie, cheat, steal, or otherwise violate community trust.

Curriculum—W&L is the only leading liberal arts college to have a nationally accredited journalism program or a nationally accredited business school, and it is one of the few offering an engineering program.

Speaking tradition—as a matter of civility and mutual consideration, members of the W&L community say “hello” to one another—whether passing on the historic Colonnade on the way to class or meeting in the dining hall of the new Elrod Commons.

Academic calendar—12-12-4: two 12-week terms; one four- week spring term to allow for focused study, research, travel, or internships.

financial aid, scholarships

W&L will spend more than $29 million on aid in 2010-11; 46 percent of first-year students receive grant assistance from W&L.

need-based aid

To ensure that a W&L education is available for all deserving students regardless of their financial background, all admitted students applying for financial aid by the relevant deadline (see go.wlu.edu/datesanddownloads) will have their institutionally determined financial need fully met with grants, not loans.

johnson scholars

The prestigious new Johnson Scholarship Program provides awards of at least tuition, room, and board for up to 44 students in each class on the basis of academic achievement and leadership potential. More information about the Johnson Scholarship Program and the other components of the Johnson Program in Leadership and Integrity is available at go.wlu.edu/johnson_scholars.

conTacT us

Washington and Lee University Office of Admissions Lexington, VA 24450-2116 admissions@wlu.edu www.wlu.edu (540) 458-8710(540) 458-8062 fax

The Johnson Scholarship Program has drawn wide-spread attention to Washington and Lee from the world’s top student leaders. The 6,627 students who applied for admission represented 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and 93 countries. In its academic record, citizenship and leadership experience, the 472-member class of 2014 is among W&L’s most accomplished—thus far.

— the class of 2014 —

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In compliance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and all other applicable non-discrimination laws, Washington and Lee University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, veteran’s status, or genetic information in its educational programs and activities, admissions, and with regard to employment. Inquiries may be directed to the Provost, June Aprille, Washington Hall, (540) 458-8418, who is designated by the University to coordinate compliance efforts and carry out its responsibilities under Title IX, as well as those under Section 504 and other applicable non-discrimination laws. Inquiries may also be directed to the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education.

W&L 2010