21 students named as prestigious Wells Scholars

In late December, Linda Kapolas eagerly waited for the news while her daughter Nicole was on the phone. She broke into tears when she got the thumbs up that her daughter had been named a 2003 Wells Scholar.\n"I was ecstatic," Nicole said.\nNicole is one of 18 incoming freshmen this year who have been awarded scholarships by the IU Wells Scholar program. Among many other perks, every scholar receives free tuition and fees, and a living stipend for four years of undergraduate work at IU. \nKapolas said though her family would have been able to pay for college without the scholarship, the award makes things a lot easier. She plans to major in viola performance and said while the money somewhat influenced her decision to come to IU, just the experience of being a Wells Scholar was reason enough. \nLawrence Mazur II, another 2003 Wells Scholar, said initially the finance part of the scholarship was the main reason why he would attend IU. However, after researching the rankings of the Kelley School of Business, he became a direct admit to the program, which sealed the deal for Mazur. \n"Being a Wells Scholar makes everything easier because they will help me with studying abroad, job placement and many other things," he said.\nIn addition to the 18 freshmen winners, three IU undergraduates also received the scholarships. They each receive tuition, fees and a stipend for the balance of their education at IU.\nVickie Shamt Ellis said she was "thrilled beyond belief" when her daughter Nola Stephens was chosen for the award. Stephens, a junior, is studying German and linguistics in Fryeburg, Germany for the school year. \nEllis said the nomination process for her daughter was "quite an adventure."\nStudents who are already enrolled in IU-Bloomington can be eligible for the Wells Scholar Program by having completed three semesters at IU, ranking in the top 1 percent in the University's academic programs and being nominated by a faculty member. \nThe nomination process for incoming freshmen is a bit different.\nAccredited high schools in Indiana and selected high schools from other states are allowed to nominate up to two students for the award. In order to be eligible for the award, a student must have a GPA of 3.8 or higher, score at least a 1350 on the SAT or 31 or higher on the ACT. \nThe program "seeks ethnic, cultural, and intellectual diversity among its participants," according to the Wells Scholar Program Web Site. \nHigh school seniors are usually nominated by their high schools by October. Director of the Wells Scholar Program J. Timothy Londergan said each year there are around 500 nominations, but only 50 are invited for a required interview in December. Londergan said the interviews are conducted by a diverse panel of faculty, staff and administrators here on campus.\nThe 18 freshmen and their families were invited for a reception for the new Wells Scholars on Sunday in the Frangipani room of the Indiana Memorial Union.\nThe 21 new Wells Scholars include: Khalil AbuGharbieh, Granger, Ind.; Aaron Cantrell, Indianapolis; M. Brandon DeLeeuw, Louisville, Ky.; Caitlin Dugdale, Indianapolis; Isabel Estevez, Louisville, Ky.; Justin Farlow, Indianapolis; Ryan Funk, Indianapolis; Matthew Gichohi, South Bend; Mark Johnshon, Charlotte, N.C.; Nicole Kapolas, Des Plaines, Ill.; Laura Emmy Malament, Indianapolis; Lawrence Joseph Mazur II, LaPorte, Ind.; Zachariah Overley, Zionsville, Ind.; Camille Rice, Indianapolis; Daniel Stanko, Crown Point, Ind.; Morgan Tilleman, Valparaiso; Laura Wallace, Wyoming, Ohio; Aaron Remenschneider; Nola Marie Stephens and Everett Stuckey Jr. \n-- Contact Nation & World editor Christina Galoozis at cgaloozi@indiana.edu.