News Release

68 students awarded prestigious
James M. Johnston scholarships

CHAPEL HILL — The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill recently honored 54 freshmen and 14 nursing students with its most prestigious need-based merit awards, the annual James M. Johnston Scholarships. The freshmen scholarships are renewable for three more years of study.

All students with financial need are considered for Johnston Scholarships, but merit determines the winners. Stipends vary among recipients according to need and cover all expenses.

UNC awarded $550,102 to freshmen, $40,350 to undergraduate nursing students and $72,000 to new graduate nursing students, for a total of $662,452 in new Johnston Scholarships this year. Awards for all new and returning Johnston Scholars totaled more than $1.9 million.

Johnston Scholars have numerous opportunities to widen their intellectual horizons and grow personally and socially. Each is assigned a faculty mentor who organizes extracurricular learning opportunities and offers friendship, guidance and support.

"More than a mere scholarship award, it provides enrichment opportunities that have an enduring impact on the lives of the recipients," said Dr. Dan Thornton, associate director for the Office of Scholarship and Student Aid.

The scholars suggest topics for Johnston seminars, taught each semester by Carolina faculty or distinguished visitors and offered for academic credit. Scholars are given preference for enrollment in the seminars. The scholars also plan and execute an annual spring issues forum.

The awards are funded each year by the Johnston Trust of Chevy Chase, Md., founded by the late James M. Johnston, an Orange County native and UNC student (1912-15) who established a successful investment banking firm in Washington, D.C., and owned the Washington Senators baseball team in the 1960s.

The trust’s latest contributions for the scholarships count toward the Carolina First campaign goal of $2 billion. Carolina First is a comprehensive, multi-year, private fund-raising campaign to support Carolina’s vision of becoming the nation’s leading public university. Among its goals is the creation of 1,000 new scholarships and fellowships for students.

"The Johnston awards program is one of the most distinguished scholarship programs at the University," Thornton said. "It really is the perfect embodiment of the University’s dual mission of access and excellence, as it provides the necessary financial support to these scholars while recognizing and encouraging their academic achievements."

Undergraduates entering the UNC School of Nursing as juniors and graduate nursing students are eligible for Johnston Nursing Awards, a special focus of the Johnston program. Winners are included in most of the Johnston program’s special events, and a senior award is given annually for the most outstanding nursing student.

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NOTE: Listed below by North Carolina county, and by state for out-of-state students, are 53 of the freshmen 2005-06 Johnston Scholars. One in-state undergraduate student did not provide information. Twelve Johnston Nursing Scholars are listed at the end. One undergraduate and one graduate nursing scholar did not provide information. Asterisks denote students listed in more than one location. For more information, call the UNC Office of Scholarships and Student Aid at (919) 962-4168.

Alamance
Tamryn LaShea Fowler of Graham; daughter of Tony and Diane Fowler; graduate of Graham High School.
Lytonya Rene Fowler of Graham; daughter of Tony and Diane Fowler; graduate of Graham High School.
Deborah Anne Zimmerman of Burlington; daughter of Rick and Carol Erb; graduate of Walter M. Williams High School.

Anson
Drew Elizabeth Eddins of Morven; daughter of Andrew and Elizabeth Eddins; graduate of Chesterfield Senior High School.

Buncombe
Lizette Alicia Lopez of Asheville; daughter of Liliana Lopez; graduate of A.C. Reynolds High School.

Burke
Benjamin Joseph Johnson of Valdese; son of Anne Johnson; graduate of East Burke High School.

Catawba
Julie Teresa Mikus of Conover; daughter of Dr. Kevin P. and Linda L. Mikus; graduate of Newton Conover High School.

Cherokee
Dalan Christopher Loudermilk of Murphy; son of Bruce and Kimberly Loudermilk; graduate of Murphy High School.

Cumberland
Lina Monet Jones; daughter of Lyndon and Linda Jones; graduate of Seventy-First High School.
Mia Ashanti Lord of Fayetteville; daughter of Omega Rhone; graduate of Cape Fear High School.

Durham
*Andrew Tanner Huggins of Lumberton; son of Thomas A. Huggins and Carmen S. Lentz; graduate of N.C. School of Science and Mathematics in Durham.

Forsyth
*Rebecca Ann Adkins of High Point; daughter of Eddie and Mary Adkins of Winston-Salem; graduate of High Point Central High School.
Jamie Lowe Hester of Belews Creek; daughter of James A. and Sheila Hester; graduate of R.J. Reynolds High School.

Graham
*Alonzo Jonathan Hafele of Robbinsville; son of David Purtle of Peoria, Ill., and Linn Hafele of Robbinsville; graduate of Robbinsville High School.
Stephanie Nicole James of Robbinsville; daughter of Terry and Marilyn James; graduate of Robbinsville High School.

Guilford
*Rebecca Ann Adkins of High Point; daughter of Eddie and Mary Adkins of Winston-Salem; graduate of High Point Central High School.
Sunjin Jamie Park; son of Young and Youngheh Park; graduate of Western Guilford High School.

Haywood
Elizabeth Ann Overcash of Waynesville; daughter of Brenda Moody; graduate of Tuscola High School.

Henderson
Bethany Jean Phillis of Hendersonville; daughter of James and Susan Phillis; graduate of Hendersonville High School.

Jackson
Laura Elizabeth Lumb of Cullowhee; daughter of Roger and Paula Lumb; graduate of Smoky Mountain High School.

Lenoir
Meghan Tatiana Scott of Kinston; daughter of Robert and Scarlett Scott; graduate of Arendell Parrott Academy.

Martin
Korsica Shante’ Lassiter of Williamston; daughter of Timothy and Tracy Williams; graduate of Williamston High School.

Mecklenburg
*Andrew Stewart Daub of Huntersville; son of Erich M. Daub of Stone Mountain, Ga., and Hope A. Daub of Huntersville; graduate of North Mecklenburg High School.
Dominic Miles Ruiz-Esparza of Huntersville; son of Michael and Shyla Ruiz-Esparza; home-schooled.
Quentin Michael Ruiz-Esparza of Huntersville; son of Michael and Shyla Ruiz-Esparza; home-schooled.
Denghang Shi of Charlotte; son of Jian Xin Shi and Xiumin Zheng; graduate of Independence High School.

Onslow
John Joseph Weis of Jacksonville; son of John and Ann Weis; graduate of Northside High School.

Pitt
Jacinta Darnae Jones of Bethel; daughter of Elvis Darnell and Cathy Gail Lee Jones; graduate of North Pitt High School.
Stephanie Zina Kujawski of Greenville; daughter of George and Zina Kujawski; graduate of Junius H. Rose High School.

Randolph
Casey Alan Cox of Ramseur; son of Ricky and Robin Cox; graduate of Eastern Randolph High School.

Robeson
*Andrew Tanner Huggins of Lumberton; son of Thomas Alan Huggins and Carmen S. Lentz; graduate of N.C. School of Science and Mathematics in Durham.

Wake
Katherine Bitting Cox of Cary; daughter of Greg Cox and Laura Thiel of Raleigh; graduate of Raleigh Charter High School.
Seth Austin Ingersoll of Raleigh; son of Shaun Ingersoll and Deborah Martin; graduate of Friendship Christian School.
Sarah Kay Lee of Cary; daughter of Kwan Suk and Lan Won Lee; graduate of W.G. Enloe High School.
Kristen Marie Scheckelhoff of Cary; daughter of Ronald and Mary Anne Scheckelhoff; graduate of W.G. Enloe High School.

Connecticut
David Robert Fox of West Hartford; son of Lawrence Fox and Mary Andrews; graduate of Conrad High School.

Florida
Leah Renee Gibson of Orlando; daughter of George Barry and Mary A. Gibson; graduate of Winter Park High School.
Catherine Leigh Hickey of Naples; daughter of Patrick M. and Linda P. Hickey; graduate of Barron Collier High School.

Georgia
*Andrew Stuart Daub of Huntersville, N.C.; son of Erich M. Daub of Stone Mountain and Hope A. Daub of Huntersville, N.C.; graduate of North Mecklenburg High School in Huntersville.
Andrew John Liu of Macon; son of Cheng Liu and Chung Wu; graduate of Central High School.

Illinois
*Alonzo Jonathan Hafele of Robbinsville, N.C.; son of David Purtle of Peoria and Linn Hafele of Robbinsville, N.C.; graduate of Robbinsville High School.

Louisiana
Callie Bryn Jamar of Shreveport; daughter of the late Jim E. Jamar and Linda Jamar; graduate of Caddo Parish Magnet High School.

Massachusetts
Ruby Gale Woodside of Natick; daughter of James Woodside and Holly Worthington; graduate of Walnut Hill School.

Maryland
Matthew Neil Dubyoski of Catonsville; son of James and Mary Dubyoski; graduate of Loyola High School.

Missouri
Courtney Ann Potter of Maryland Heights; daughter of Seth and Nancy Potter; graduate of Westminster Christian Academy.

New York
Shane Brandon Cohen of Bellmore; son of Bruce and Robin Cohen; graduate of John F. Kennedy High School.

Pennsylvania
Hannah Hang Yin of Pittsburgh; daughter of Ming Yun and Fengling Li; graduate of Mount Lebanon High School.

South Carolina
Kavita Rao Koppa of Columbia; daughter of Murali and Rekha Koppa; graduate of Irmo High School.
Robin Elaine Muller of Summerville; daughter of Paul and Leslie Muller; graduate of Academic Magnet High School.
Chuan Zhang of Sumter; son of Da and Maling Zhang; graduate of South Carolina Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics.

Texas
Kayla Carrick of Austin; daughter of William Carrick of Briarcliff and Dana Carrick; graduate of Westlake High School.

Virginia
Jacob W. Bartel of Chesapeake; son of William R. Bartel Jr. and Isobel S. Bartel; graduate of Great Bridge High School.
Keosha Meka-Benyanka Jenkins of Yorktown; daughter of Gary Jenkins of Hampton and Helen Jenkins; graduate of Phoebus High School.
Robert Philip Hudgens of Alexandria; son of Capt. Robert Kent Hudgens of Naples, Italy, and Janet Hudgens of Alexandria; graduate of Episcopal High School.
Katherine Elizabeth Kunigelis of Wise; daughter of Stan C. and Brenda G. Kunigelis; graduate of J.J. Kelly High School.
Anna Hyun Lee of Fairfax; daughter of Brian Nishimura Lee of Alexandria and Kimberly Yeon Lee; graduate of W.T. Woodson High School.

Germany
Daniel Keith Parker of Wiesbaden, Germany; son of Robert P.
and Mary E. Parker; graduate of General H.H. Arnold High School.

Guilford
*Molly Beal of Greensboro; daughter of Harley Beal of Elizabethtown, Ky., and Judith Prizio of Greensboro.

Mecklenburg
Brooke Gayle Winchester of Matthews; daughter of Chuck and Carol Winchester.

Wake
Elizabeth Ellen Howard of Fuquay-Varina; daughter of Mark and Margaret Howard.

Florida
Lesley Ann Diaz of Tampa; daughter of Richard and Karen Diaz.

Kentucky
*Molly Beal of Greensboro, N.C.; daughter of Harley Beal of Elizabethtown and Judith Prizio of Greensboro.

Alamance
Dana Baldauf Irons of Burlington; graduate of the University of Virginia.

Cleveland
Eric Wayne Parker of Mooresboro; graduate of UNC-Greensboro.

Durham
Danica Marie Glass of Durham; graduate of the University of Florida.
Elizabeth Owusu-Ofori of Durham; graduate of UNC-Greensboro.
Lorena Kathleen Whalan of Durham; graduate of James Madison University.

Harnett
Danielle Nicole Gatton Collins of Lillington; graduate of UNC-Charlotte.

Orange
Jennifer Ann Finn of Hillsborough; graduate of Midland College.

Wake
Evaron R. Sigmon of Raleigh; graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill.

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Scholarships and Student Aid contact: Dr. Dan Thornton, (919) 962-4168, dan_thornton@unc.edu

News Services contacts: Print, L.J. Toler (919) 962-8589; broadcast, Karen Moon, (919) 962-8595