Top scholarships awarded at Erskine College

Margaret Vaughan Randall of Greenwood, S.C., a senior at Greenwood High School, has been chosen to receive the Erskine College Presidential Scholarship, a full award covering tuition, room, board and fees.

The Erskine admissions team surprised Randall at her school, where family members, including her parents, Randy and Angie Randall, grandparents, and brother Thomas, a freshman at Greenwood High School, joined in the celebration.

“There were so many wonderful candidates at the competition,” Randall said. “I really didn’t know that I did that well.”

The winner of Erskine’s most prestigious scholarship was selected from among 24 finalists who came to the campus March 2-3 for the competition.

A member of National Honor Society and National Beta Club, Randall is a National Merit Scholar Semifinalist and recently joined the school’s Mock Trial Team. She has participated in her church community as lead singer for a parent-teen ensemble; as director of a children’s choir; and as a member of the worship team and orchestra.

Randall has also served with Isaiah 55 Ministries in Reynosa, Mexico, and has worked with a Brownie troop in the Hispanic community, where, she says, “We met every week, and I really got to know the girls and help them.”

The Presidential Scholarship, awarded for the coming academic year, is named in honor of the 15 presidents who have led Erskine College since the school’s founding in 1839. The scholarship covers tuition, room, board and fees, minus any state, federal and outside scholarships or grants. A $1,000 travel stipend for study abroad is also given to the recipient. The value of the scholarship over four years is approximately $150,000. It is renewable for four years of study, and requires the recipient to maintain an Erskine GPA of 3.0 and to uphold the ideals and standards of Erskine College.

Four other major scholarship award winners, two for the Solomon Scholarship and two for the Wylie Scholarship, were announced following the

competition, and each recipient received a surprise visit from the Erskine admissions team.

Selected to receive the Solomon Scholarship, which covers tuition and is renewable for four years of study, were Rachel Barham of Black Mountain, N.C., and Christina Grey Holbrooks of Mooresville, N.C.

Barham, daughter of Jay and Beth Barham, is a senior at Asheville Christian Academy. A member of Mu Alpha Theta, she has a letter in swimming and has participated in several school musicals. She organized a new year’s youth ball at her church and has served on discipleship teams and in the church youth band. She has volunteered with a ministry serving breakfast to the homeless.

Holbrooks, daughter of Terri and Greg Holbrooks, is a senior at Mooresville Senior High School. Currently president of the National Honor Society, she has served as vice president of the Spanish Honor Society and has received many academic awards. Active in her church and community, she is a leader in her church’s Intentional Faith Youth Group and has worked at a soup kitchen and a Christian mission in her community.

Winners of the Wylie Scholarship, which provides $20,000 and is renewable for four years of study, were Elinor Townsend Griffin of Greenville and Jennifer Karel of Greenwood.

Griffin, who is homeschooled, is the daughter of David and Sharon Griffin. She has been active in church league basketball and has helped to plan

and organize community service projects through Easley Home Educators Key Club. She serves as a music leader in her youth group and has been a vacation Bible school volunteer. She has participated in mission trips to the Appalachian region and to Wales.

Greenwood High School senior Jennifer Karel, daughter of Thomas and Daphne Karel, is a member of the National Honor Society as well as Beta Club, was on the cross country and swim teams, and has played in the jazz and symphonic bands. At her church, she is a member of the worship team and girls’ ensemble. She has worked with missions in Mexico and Peru and volunteered at an area soup kitchen and nursing home.