Kelly, COAS students receive scholarships

Several IU students have large scholarship checks to cash this fall thanks to their academic success and the philanthropy of others. Sixty students from the Kelley School of Business have received scholarship money from a $5.4 million gift of the Roy F. and Joann Cole Mitte Foundation of Austin, Texas. Thirty-six in-state undergraduates, 14 out-of-state undergraduates, and 10 MBA graduate students received $5,000 per person to be applied to his or her educational expenses. IU will double the fellowship funds to $10,000 for its 10 Mitte graduate fellowships.\nCurrently, the Mitte Foundation is the largest business scholarship program in the nation. According to the Web site, www.mittefoundation.org, the foundation seeks to light a candle against the darkness of poverty and ignorance, with hopes that the glow will strengthen and enrich communities of greatest need and highest potential. \n"Scholars of highest merit are joined with community organizations of highest effectiveness to perpetuate the Mitte family's belief in the American ideals of prosperity and individual freedom," the Web site states of the Foundation's vision.\nThe Mitte Foundation financially supports hundreds of scholarship winners across the country due to the late Roy F. Mitte's business success in insurance and real estate. Five other universities across the country receive Mitte Foundation gifts.\nQuentin Law, a second-year Kelley School MBA recipient, said he was excited and relieved to have received the financial support of the Mitte Foundation. \n"I plan on using the money for tuition and other expenses, such as rent," said Law, who plans on graduating in May.\nIn addition to the Kelley winners, two IU seniors were honored at a reception hosted by the College of Arts and Sciences last week for winning the $20,000 Palmer-Brandon Prize competition for majors in the humanities. \nReligious studies major Laura Ertmer, of Lafayette, Ind., and English major Thade Correa, of Hammond, Ind., have been selected as the winners and each has received $20,000 to be applied to the betterment of his or her educational experiences.\n"Based upon the accomplishments of past recipients, I am confident that Ms. Ertmer and Mr. Correa will put this prize money to excellent use to further not only their own educations, but also make genuine and significant intellectual contributions," COAS Dean Kumble R. Subbaswamy said in a statement. \nErtmer said she is especially optimistic about her future and is grateful for the Palmer-Brandon Prize.\n"I feel honored and the weight of responsibility in fulfilling my expectations and plans," she said. \nErtmer applied for the prize by submitting photographs of her artwork and academic success, while studying Latin American politics and rural development during her junior year in Lima, Peru. \nStudents must be nominated by faculty in order to participate in the competition. \n"I want to thank my religious studies professor Mary Jo Weaver and Melissa Dinverno in the Spanish department for their influence and encouragement," Ertmer said. \nHer words of advice to future competition applicants: "Don't be afraid of showing lots of different talents, and always solicit more recommendations than they suggest."\n-- Contact staff writer David A. Nosko at dnosko@indiana.edu.