May 23, 2005


LOMBARDI SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM REACHES FOUR-YEAR MILESTONE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts: Dr. Sheila Dickison or Dr. Jeanna Mastrodicasa (352-392-1519)

(GAINESVILLE, Fla. (May 23, 2005)--The University of Florida is pleased to announce eight incoming freshmen who will participate in the Lombardi Scholars Program. This year marks the fourth year of the program and the full 32 student participants designated by the 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. These eight students have accepted this scholarship beginning the 2005-2006 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.

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 with Dr. Allan Burns. All the students will participate in the Honors Program at the University of Florida.

The eight Lombardi Scholars who have accepted the John V. Lombardi scholarship beginning with the 2005-2006 academic year are:

Alexia Ash: A senior at Winter Springs High School, Ash has been recognized as both an AP Scholar and a National Merit Finalist. Born in England, she devotes most of her life to the WSHS Debate Team, of which she is Vice President and Public Forum Captain. She will be attending Debate Nationals in June, and is ranked first in her district for Public Forum Debate. Outside of academics and Debate, Ash presides over the WSHS Young Democrats, and has played first-string singles for the Varsity Tennis Team for four years. She also tutors in all levels of math and English. Ash participated in the D.A.R.E. High School Role Model Program, giving her the opportunity to educate fifth graders on the opportunities available to responsible students, and was named the Daughters of the American Revolution Good Citizen for 2005. Ash intends to major in mathematics.

Megan Donahue: Ranked first in her class at West Shore Junior/Senior High School in Melbourne, Donahue has been recognized as an AP Scholar with Distinction and a National Merit Commended Scholar. She is editor in chief of the school's Crown Award newspaper, The Roar, and a section editor of the Crown Award yearbook, Arcadia, and has been elected as the district student representative for nine counties in east-central Florida to the Florida Scholastic Press Association, where she also serves on the executive board. She has been a participant in Odyssey of the Mind for eleven years and active in Future Problem Solving for seven years. Donahue plans to double major in French and Biology and go to medical school.

Jake Gipson: Gipson ranks number two in Niceville High School's International Baccalaureate Program. He leads his senior Group IV project, part of a local collection for a global biodiversity initiative directed from Japan. As a result of his role in the project, he received a Fulbright Memorial scholarship to travel to Japan for cultural and scientific exchange. He has performed extensive independent research and participated in various internship programs, specifically the selective High School Apprenticeship Program at Eglin Air Force Base. He established the Student Project Management Organization, a team that assists in the planning and execution of local events. He has been involved in Boy Scouts since he was five, and as an Eagle Scout he aids his troop as a Junior Assistant Scout Master and has led many high adventure treks. He plans to major in industrial and systems engineering and later earn a master's degree in operations analysis.

Jeremy Grossman: Grossman is a senior at Cypress Bay High School in Weston, where he ranks first in his class. Grossman has been a standout performer in Cypress Bay Show Choir, Singers, Chamber Choir, Men's Ensemble, and Men's Choir, which have all garnered Superior Ratings at the District and State level of competition. He has also participated in Florida All-State Choir, Broward All-County Choir, University of Miami Honor Choir and BCC Festival of Voices. Grossman has also been involved with the Cypress Bay Drama program, performing as a Student Revolutionary in Les Miserables and as Patrick Martin in Little Shop of Horrors. He plans to major in English and history.

Christopher J. Matthews: A resident of Tarpon Springs, Florida, Matthews is valedictorian at East Lake High School and an AP Scholar with Honor. Fluent in Spanish, Matthews serves as Vice President of the National Honor Society and a member of the Spanish National Honor Society, Academic Team, Television News Team, and Model United Nations. In the community, he is a hospital volunteer, assists homeless pets, and organizes collection drives for the underprivileged. For the past six years Matthews has been involved in training and competition with his border collies in the canine sports of agility, where dogs demonstrate versatility by following cues from their handlers through a timed obstacle course, and flyball. He competes in local and national tournaments and has had a national television appearance. Matthews intends to study biochemistry and molecular biology.

Anna Prusa: Prusa is a senior at the Dreyfoos School of the Arts in West Palm Beach, where her emphasis is music. An Advanced Placement Scholar and National Merit Finalist, she has played the piano for twelve years and she also plays the clarinet. During the past five summers she has participated in West Palm Beach's ocean lifeguard program for those under age 18, and competed in the Junior Regional Lifeguarding Championships held each year; she has earned professional lifeguard certification. Prusa is also involved with the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life. Prusa intends to study history and political science.

Gloria Tavera: Tavera is a senior at Lake Mary High School in Central Florida, where she is a National Hispanic Scholar as well as an Orlando Sentinel Academic All-Star and AP Scholar. At Lake Mary, she is editor in-chief of Essence, the school's award winning literary magazine, which received the highest award from Colombia University's board of review. She is also highly involved in her competitive school band where she plays the oboe and percussion. She has participated in the National Aeronautics Space Administration's Summer High School Apprenticeship Research Program (NASA SHARP), where she worked with environmental scientists to track the migratory patterns of endangered sea turtles. Currently, she is a teen movie reviewer for the Orlando Sentinel. As president of Spanish Club, member of Mu Alpha Theta, and both National and Spanish Honor Societies, she plans to study neuroscience, pursuing a career in medical research.

Vu-Anh Thai: He is a senior in the International Baccalaureate Program at Land O' Lakes High School, and plays competitive tennis and is a volunteer coach for Hillsborough Community College in Tampa. Born in Saigon, Vietnam, Thai immigrated to the United States when he was three years old. Thai also serves Lead Counselor and Advisory Board Member of the National Conference for Community and Justice (NCCJ) Tampa Bay Region's Anytown, which fights bias, bigotry and racism; to create an America where all individuals are treated with dignity, respect, and understanding. He plans to study civil engineering.

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