2003 Lombardi Scholars Announced

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 1, 2003
Contact: Sheila Dickison or Jeanna Mastrodicasa (352-392-1519)

The University of Florida is pleased to announce the selection of eight additional participants in the Lombardi Scholars Program. Each year, eight students who exemplify John V. Lombardi's commitment to academic excellence, community service, leadership, and public responsibility are selected as recipients of this prestigious award program.

Florida high schools nominated one student, and winners were selected from 176 nominees and 17 semi-finalists. Sheila Dickison, Director of the Honors Program, said that the committee was very impressed with the exceptionally high quality of all the nominees, which made choosing the winners a very difficult task

Lombardi Scholars will receive a substantial scholarship for four years of study at UF; they will also be matched with a faculty mentor in their field and will receive support for several overseas study and internship experiences. Students in the first year of the program spend six weeks participating in an overseas study program in Merida, the capital of the Yucatan in Mexico during the summer before they begin at UF. All the students will participate in the Honors Program at the University of Florida.

The eight new Lombardi Scholars are:

Chloe Dames: A student at Chipley High School, Dames participates in a dual-enrollment program at Chipola Junior College. She is a member of her high school's marching, concert, and jazz bands, where she serves as lieutenant, drill assistant, librarian, and saxophone section leader for the band. In addition, Dames is the Representative At-Large for the Student Council, president of the Spanish Club, and a member of the National Honor Society. As math team captain, she has participated in many math competitions throughout high school, earning numerous awards for excellence in mathematics. For more than four years, she has been an active member of the Key Club, volunteering countless hours in community service. She has been named a National Achievement Scholar. Chloe plans to major in Physics or Engineering.

Vaughn Edelson: A native of Miami Shores, Edelson attends Miami Country Day School where she has been a member of the Varsity Cheerleading, Soccer, and Track teams for four years, and was captain of all three teams. She is a member of Key Club, vice-president of the National Honor Society, editor of her school’s literary magazine and co-editor of the yearbook. For her many activities and very strong academics her classmates voted her “Best All-Around.” Edelson has been very active in her high school chapter of Operation Smile, participated in the Kids Sanctuary Project and was chosen to be part of a medical mission to Romania for OpSmile. She is a National Merit Scholar and plans to major in international relations.

Taylor Gilliland: A native of Sarasota, Gilliland will graduate from the Math and Science Technology Research Institute at Sarasota High School. He describes himself as more comfortable in the rigid plastic seat of his graphite-colored sea-touring kayak than behind a desk in a classroom. He has taken numerous Advanced Placement and Honors courses at Sarasota High School, and has conducted a shark immunology research project at the Mote Marine Laboratory and led the STAR Program for youth civic engagement. He was appointed to the regional Storm Water Environmental Utility Advisory Board (SEUAC) that advises the Sarasota County Board of Commissioners on issues related to storm water. He was also appointed to a subcommittee that deals with water quality for the county. He plans to major in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Omar Ishaq: A student in the International Baccalaureate program at Rutherford High School in Panama City, his parents are originally from Pakistan and he has five siblings. Ishaq attended Harvard Summer School in 2002 and studied Cell Biology and Psychology. He is the president of the ISLAM Club as well as a member of the Beta Club, Mu Alpha Theta, National Honor Society, Inter-Club Council, Student Government, and International Thespian Society. He also volunteers at the local Boys and Girls Club, where he is currently working on building a library for the children and tutoring fellow students. He plans to double major in Biology and Biochemistry and attend medical school.

Raechel Steckley: An honors student in the International Baccalaureate program at Suncoast Community High School, Steckley is also enrolled in the Math, Science and Engineering Magnet. She was named "Most Notable Student in M.S.E" in 2002, and is president of Key Club and a member of the National Honor Society. She is a National Merit Commended Student and an AP Scholar with Distinction. Throughout her high school career, she has participated in Varsity Swimming, Varsity Bowling, and Junior Varsity Softball. Outside of school, she enjoys tutoring and volunteering with children at environmental camps. Steckley considers her greatest achievement to be the founding the Annual Cystic Fibrosis Charity Event in Palm Beach County. She plans to major in Biology or Chemistry and eventually do an MD/PhD degree.

Jeffrey Swindling: Swindling is a student in the International Baccalaureate Program at Stanton College Preparatory School in Jacksonville. He first became involved with Boy Scouts when he was 5, and Swindling advanced through the ranks to become an Eagle Scout with 81 merit badges and 11 Eagle palms. Currently active as an Assistant Scoutmaster of Troop 182 in Jacksonville, he continues to mentor and provide leadership to many young Scouts. The Scouting program also aided him in finding his true passion¾numismatics. Jeff is active nationally with the American Numismatic Association, the world's largest numismatic organization. He serves as a District Delegate for all Young Numismatists in Florida and Puerto Rico, as well as the National Volunteer charged with assisting with Boy and Girl Scout Coin Collecting Merit Badge Clinics at ANA conventions. He plans to major in Pharmacy.

Joseph P. Wilson: Wilson attends Lake Brantley High School and has conducted Computer Vision research for the past 3 years. Wilson competed in the 2002 International Science and Engineering Fair and placed first at the 2002 Florida State Science and Engineering Fair. The sole representative of the United States, Wilson was selected to compete in the 2003 Taiwan International Science Fair, in which he received second place in Computer Science. An AP Scholar with Distinction, Joseph serves as the president of Psi Eta (The Science Honorary), captain of the Science Bowl team, vice- president of the National Honor Society, and Assistant Coordinator (and founding member) of the History Club. Chosen as an Olympic Torchbearer for the 2002 Winter Olympic Games, Wilson is a four-year volunteer for the Rainbows program, a program for children coping with parental death or divorce. A martial arts lover at heart, Joseph has engaged in Kung Fu for the past four years. He plans to major in Mathematics and Biomedical Engineering.

Jeffrey Wong: Born in the small suburb of San Ramon, California, Wong moved to South Florida in 1992 where he attends Western High School in Ft. Lauderdale. The impact of Hurricane Andrew led to Wong’s interest in community disaster services. Through the American Red Cross, he has become a certified disaster services volunteer and HIV/AIDS instructor, teaching peer prevention in area schools and organizations. Wong has spent more than two years working on a project grant-funded by the National Institutes of Health to explore T-cell receptors and their applications for cancer and cardiovascular disease. In addition, he has helped to found an elementary mathematics tutoring program and helped manage an ecological awareness effort through a local museum. Wong is the co-founder and vice-president of Red Cross Club, vice-president of Mu Alpha Theta, treasurer and district liaison of National Honor Society, editor of the school newspaper, and chair of the Guidance Advisory Board's Human Relations Council. He plans to major in Microbiology and Cell Science and eventually do an MD/PhD.

These eight new students will join Todre Allen, Jennifer Bonds, Casey Furman, David Kennedy, Michael Lane, Robert Mack, Ryan Smith, and Trang Tran as students in the John V. Lombardi Scholars Program. The second year Lombardi Scholars will be traveling to Greece this summer.

EIGHT STUDENTS ACCEPT LOMBARDI SCHOLARSHIP

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 2, 2003
Contact: Sheila Dickison or Jeanna Mastrodicasa (352-392-1519)

(GAINESVILLE, Fla.)--The University of Florida is pleased to announce the selection of eight additional participants in the Lombardi Scholars Program. Each year, eight students who exemplify John V. Lombardi's commitment to academic excellence, community service, leadership, and public responsibility are selected as recipients of this prestigious award program. Eight students have accepted this scholarship beginning the 2003-2004 academic year and will be traveling to Mexico at the end of June as part of the program.

Lombardi Scholars will receive a substantial scholarship for four years of study at UF; they will also be matched with a faculty mentor in their field and will receive support for several overseas study and internship experiences. Florida high schools nominated one student, and winners were selected from 176 nominees and 17 semi-finalists.

Students in the first year of the program spend six weeks participating in an overseas study program in Merida, the capital of the Yucatan in Mexico during the summer before they begin at UF. All the students will participate in the Honors Program at the University of Florida.

The eight Lombardi Scholars who have accepted the scholarship beginning with the 2003-2004 academic year are:

Taylor Gilliland: A native of Sarasota, Gilliland graduated from the Math and Science Technology Research Institute at Sarasota High School. He describes himself as more comfortable in the rigid plastic seat of his graphite-colored sea-touring kayak than behind a desk in a classroom. He has taken numerous Advanced Placement and Honors courses at Sarasota High School, and has conducted a shark immunology research project at the Mote Marine Laboratory and led the STAR Program for youth civic engagement. He was appointed to the regional Storm Water Environmental Utility Advisory Board (SEUAC) that advises the Sarasota County Board of Commissioners on issues related to storm water. He was also appointed to a subcommittee that dealt with water quality for the county. He plans to major in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Omar Ishaq: A graduate of the International Baccalaureate program at Rutherford High School in Panama City, Ishaq’s parents are originally from Pakistan and he has five siblings. Ishaq attended Harvard Summer School in 2002 and studied Cell Biology and Psychology. He was the president of the ISLAM Club as well as a member of the Beta Club, Mu Alpha Theta, National Honor Society, Inter-Club Council, Student Government, and International Thespian Society. He also volunteered at the local Boys and Girls Club, where he was working on building a library for the children and tutoring fellow students. He plans to double major in biology and biochemistry and attend medical school.

Karly Jacobsen: A graduate of Nease High School in St. Augustine, Jacobsen was in the PACE Program in middle school and the International Bacclaureate program in high school. She played point-guard on the basketball team and ran cross-country for her high school, in addition to participating in Youth Leadership Jacksonville within the community. She was a co-founder of the Baccalauriettes, an support and service club for female students in the IB program at Nease High School. A National Merit Scholar and a Sunshine State Scholars Regional Scholar for math and science, Jacobsen has volunteered many hours at Habitat for Humanity. She plans to study biomedical engineering and mathematics.

Raechel Steckley: An honors graduate in the International Baccalaureate program at Suncoast Community High School, Steckley was also enrolled in the Math, Science and Engineering Magnet. She was named "Most Notable Student in M.S.E" in 2002, and was president of Key Club and a member of the National Honor Society. She is a National Merit Commended Student and an AP Scholar with Distinction. Throughout her high school career, she participated in Varsity Swimming, Varsity Bowling, and Junior Varsity Softball. Outside of school, she enjoys tutoring and volunteering with children at environmental camps. Steckley considers her greatest achievement to be the founding the Annual Cystic Fibrosis Charity Event in Palm Beach County. She plans to major in biology or chemistry and eventually do an MD/PhD degree.

Jeffrey Swindling: Swindling is a graduate of the International Baccalaureate Program at Stanton College Preparatory School in Jacksonville. He first became involved with Boy Scouts when he was 5, and Swindling advanced through the ranks to become an Eagle Scout with 81 merit badges and 11 Eagle palms. Currently active as an Assistant Scoutmaster of Troop 182 in Jacksonville, he continues to mentor and provide leadership to many young Scouts. The Scouting program also aided him in finding his true passion¾numismatics. Jeff is active nationally with the American Numismatic Association, the world's largest numismatic organization. He serves as a District Delegate for all Young Numismatists in Florida and Puerto Rico, as well as the National Volunteer charged with assisting with Boy and Girl Scout Coin Collecting Merit Badge Clinics at ANA conventions. He plans to major in pharmacy.

Hunter Williams: A graduate of Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Williams began his college education early by completing twelve classes between fifth and ninth grades at a local community college. He went on to take thirteen AP classes during high school, including Physics C as a junior. He was active in school activities, his church's youth organization, 4-H and politics. On a church mission trip to an orphanage in Honduras, he served as the group's translator. He has served as a page in the Florida Senate, lobbied for agriculture in Tallahassee and Washington, D.C., served as Speaker of the House at Florida 4-H Legislature, worked on a congressional campaign, drafted a bill that is currently in the Florida Legislature, and has been invited to shadow the President of the Florida Senate. Academically, he was a National Merit Scholar, an AP Scholar with Distinction, and the recipient of a Yale Book Award, among others. Williams has competed successfully in several public speaking competitions, is proficient in Spanish and is beginning to learn Chinese. He plans to major in international economics and East Asian languages and literatures to prepare for a career in international business or public service.

Joseph P. Wilson: Wilson graduated from Lake Brantley High School and has conducted Computer Vision research for the past 3 years. Wilson competed in the 2002 International Science and Engineering Fair and placed first at the 2002 Florida State Science and Engineering Fair. The sole representative of the United States, Wilson was selected to compete in the 2003 Taiwan International Science Fair, in which he received second place in Computer Science. An AP Scholar with Distinction, Joseph serves as the president of Psi Eta (The Science Honorary), captain of the Science Bowl team, vice- president of the National Honor Society, and Assistant Coordinator (and founding member) of the History Club. Chosen as an Olympic Torchbearer for the 2002 Winter Olympic Games, Wilson has been a four-year volunteer for the Rainbows program, a program for children coping with parental death or divorce. A martial arts lover at heart, Joseph has engaged in Kung Fu for the past four years. He plans to major in mathematics and biomedical engineering.

Jeffrey Wong: Born in the small suburb of San Ramon, California, Wong moved to South Florida in 1992 where he graduated from Western High School in Ft. Lauderdale. The impact of Hurricane Andrew led to Wong’s interest in community disaster services. Through the American Red Cross, he has become a certified disaster services volunteer and HIV/AIDS instructor, teaching peer prevention in area schools and organizations. Wong has spent more than two years working on a project grant-funded by the National Institutes of Health to explore T-cell receptors and their applications for cancer and cardiovascular disease. In addition, he helped to found an elementary mathematics tutoring program and helped manage an ecological awareness effort through a local museum. Wong is the co-founder and vice-president of Red Cross Club, vice-president of Mu Alpha Theta, treasurer and district liaison of National Honor Society, editor of the school newspaper, and chair of the Guidance Advisory Board's Human Relations Council in high school. He plans to major in microbiology and cell science and eventually do an MD/PhD.

These eight new students will join Todre Allen, Jennifer Bonds, Casey Furman, David Kennedy, Michael Lane, Robert Mack, Ryan Smith, and Trang Tran as students in the John V. Lombardi Scholars Program. The second year Lombardi Scholars will be traveling to Greece this summer with a two-and-a-half week program organized by Dr. Barbara Barletta in the Department of Art History.