Athens, Ga. – Nineteen Georgia high school seniors were recently honored as 2007 Promising Scholars for their outstanding academic achievements by the Center for Undergraduate Research Opportunities (CURO) at the University of Georgia.
The students were invited to UGA to attend the annual undergraduate research symposium, held in April, which showcased more than 125 student presenters representing all academic disciplines. During a recognition ceremony, each Promising Scholar received a certificate and a $250 stipend. They also were given an opportunity to spend the day with current UGA students who participate in CURO’s Apprentice Program.
“The Promising Scholars Program is an integral part of the CURO Symposium and provides a premier academic recruitment event at UGA,” said Pamela Kleiber, associate director of UGA’s Honors Program, which administers CURO. “It gives these top students a perspective on the value-added benefits of research as part of the undergraduate experience at UGA.”
This is the third consecutive year that CURO has recognized some of the top high school scholars in the state.
“Promising Scholars are the type of students we want in the CURO Apprentice Program. They are bright, motivated and eager to explore the unknown shoulder-to-shoulder with faculty,” said David S. Williams, director of UGA’s Honors Program.”We expect the Promising Scholars program to grow in visibility and stature over the coming years.Many CURO apprentices have gone on to successfully compete for major scholarships like the Goldwater and Merage awards and for the top tier graduate and professional programs in the country.”
One of the highlights of the tour Promising Scholar Marcus Hines received from current UGA student Edmond Fomunung was visiting the laboratory where Fomunung is investigating a cure for malaria. Fomunung, a junior cellular biology and French major, is a former CURO apprentice who has conducted research since his freshman year.
“I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to UGA, and the CURO symposium was helpful in presenting me with a look into what opportunities are available for me to research,” said Hines, a senior at Albany High School. “My favorite memory would have to be visiting the lab with Edmond. Seeing what he studies and how he does his observations made me even more excited about coming to UGA.”
Promising Scholar Amanda Castleberry, a senior at Forsyth Central High School, said she enjoyed talking with the CURO students about their current projects. “I cannot wait to be in the same league with these students next year,” she said. “Hopefully, I will have the opportunity to make an impact, not only in my academic career, but in the field of science and medicine.”
The 2007 Promising Scholars are:
Name, Hometown, High School
Amanda Castleberry, Cumming, Forsyth Central High School
Katie Cuadrado, Atlanta, Marist School
Suzanne Davis, Albany, Deerfield-Windsor School
Opeoluwa Fawole, Lawrenceville, Grayson High School
Lucy Fu, Athens, Athens Academy
Marcus Hines, Albany, Albany High School
Jackie Lastra, Marietta, Sprayberry High School
Steven Lau, Duluth, Duluth High School
Jasmine Mathis, Statesboro, Statesboro High School
David Mitchell, Fayetteville ,Sandy Creek High School
Nicole Nation, Lilburn, Parkview High School
Muktha Natrajan, Martinez, Lakeside High School
Aalok Sanjanwala, Cumming, South Forsyth High School
Mili Shah, Martinez, Lakeside High School
Giridhar Subramanian, Marietta, Lassiter High School
Brian Watts, Douglasville, Chapel Hill High School
Chenzi Xu, Athens Athens, Academy
Candice Yip, Alpharetta, Chattahoochee High School
Sheena Zhang, Athens, Cedar Shoals High School