Spring scholarship winners plan to join Class of 2030

Four high-achieving students who participated in the Spring 2026 Presidential Scholarship competition have been selected for top scholarships at Erskine College.

The competition, held on the Erskine campus March 20, included individual and group interviews with faculty and staff, a team-building activity, and an overnight stay in residence halls.

The Presidential Scholarship is the highest scholarship offered at Erskine, and covers tuition, room and board, and required fees, minus any state, federal, or outside scholarships and grants. The two students selected to receive the scholarship during the spring competition are Isabella Malphrus of Steeles Tavern, Va., and Tristan Ousley of Westminster, S.C.

Reflecting on the moment she found out she’d won, Isabella says, “I felt a wonderful combination of joy, pride, gratitude, honor, and a sense of opportunity all rolled into one wave of emotions.”

A home-schooled student, Isabella is the daughter of the Rev. Patrick and Amanda Malphrus. She is active in her church and community, volunteering with children’s ministry and senior citizen groups and serving the local YMCA as a lifeguard and children’s swim instructor. She volunteers at special-needs camps and works to raise awareness about disabilities. She plans to study political science at Erskine and hopes to pursue postgraduate studies in law.

“I am so honored to have received the Presidential Scholarship to attend Erskine in the fall,” she says. “I am excited to see all that God has in store for me both academically and in relationships through my time at Erskine.”

Tristan was also thrilled to hear that he had won. “I don’t really like surprises, but this is the best possible surprise that could’ve happened,” he says. “I wasn’t even optimistic about winning, but I guess I surprised myself in the end. It made me happy and feel more confident in my abilities.”

The son of Shawn and Katrina Ousley of Westminster, South Carolina, Tristan is a homeschooler and has a wide range of interests outside the classroom. He has been active in high school camps and his church youth group as well as the National Beta Club. He is a piano player and has worked as a lifeguard. He says he “loves animals…fishing, music, history, theology, and apologetics.” With his diverse set of interests, he’s considering majoring in biology or business.

In addition to the Presidential Scholarship, Erskine awards the Luke and Amelia Solomon Scholarship each fall and spring, which covers up to 16 credit hours of tuition per semester and is renewable for a total of four years. This spring’s Solomon Scholarship winners were Eila Adair, a hybrid homeschooler/Oak Grove Christian Academy attendee from Hampstead, North Carolina, and Landon Deleon from Anderson, South Carolina, who attends Belton-Honea Path High School.

Eila has been involved in American Heritage Girls since she was five and recently completed the Stars and Stripes award, which entails a self-designed 100-hour service project that benefits a community nonprofit. “I also enjoy running and ran varsity for the Southeastern Homeschool Cardinals,” Eila says. “Through my church, I have served in the baby pantry and nursery, and during my senior year of high school I’ve gotten the opportunity to volunteer as a middle school girls’ youth leader.”

A rewarding aspect of her high school experience has been taking classes through dual enrollment and earning her associate degree in science through Cape Fear Community College. “I am excited to study at Erskine and meet new friends and professors,” she says.

Like the other winners, Eila is excited about the opportunity that the scholarship creates. “I thank God for opening doors through the Presidential Scholarship Competition to help guide my decision to come to Erskine,” Eila says.

Landon Deleon, the son of Fernando and Deanne Deleon, is a senior at Belton-Honea Path High School.

He grew up in Anderson but attended schools in the city of Belton. He works as a cook and barista at Figs Cafe and Farmacy in Anderson and is part of the youth worship team at his church in Honea Path.

Passionate about music, Landon has participated in the school choir for eight years. He has volunteered for local church vacation Bible school programs as well as school events, including the Special Olympics.

He plans to study history at Erskine College and hopes to become a high school history teacher.

“I am beyond grateful to receive the Solomon Scholarship from Erskine. It is a great honor for me to be able to attend Erskine this fall,” Landon says.

“Erskine has been on my heart since the fall of last year, and I am thankful that God has provided me with this opportunity,” he adds. “I’m extremely excited to begin my Erskine journey and am ready to grow in both faith and knowledge!”