Scholars, Fellows join IU music family

The Jacobs School of Music has welcomed a new class of Jacobs Scholars and Fellows for the 2010-11 school year.

Eight students enrolled as freshman are now part of the Scholars group, along with four graduate students represented as Fellows.

All 12 students are honored with the school’s highest scholarship award.

The scholarships are sponsored by the Barbara and David H. Jacobs endowment and IU’s Matching the Promise campaign.

Townsend Plant, director of admissions and financial aid for the music school, said the 12 students are rewarded for their talent with full tuition scholarships for their duration of time at IU.

“Jacobs Scholars and Fellows are chosen among the top undergraduate and graduate applicants to the Jacobs School of Music each year, as recommended by faculty during the application and audition process,” Plant said. “Those selected have distinguished themselves both academically and musically.”

All students are automatically evaluated for these awards when they apply to the
music school. Selected recipients, though small in numbers, range in the areas of music they study and come from all over the world.

New Scholar Kornilios Michailidis, from Greece, came to study at Jacobs after studying in Paris for two years.  Michailidis said he chose to continue his piano studies at a university with a strong international reputation.

“I heard about this University from many people, including a friend of mine and an ex-teacher who is American and strongly recommended this music program,” Michailidis said.

Coming from a family full of musicians, Michailidis said he is thankful to have the merit-based scholarship, without which he would not have been able to study in America.

“I love it even more than I expected,” Michailidis said. “I think it’s one of the best universities I’ve ever seen — particularly the environment, organization, resources and faculty.”

Another freshman, Cornelia Sommer, from Washington, also chose to travel far to continue her musical study at IU.

“I wanted a great music program, which IU has,” Sommer said.

Sommer, who plays the bassoon and plans to double major in math and music, said her scholarship came as a surprise but helped seal the deal with her
college decision.

“I was leaning towards IU anyways, just because I really like the atmosphere of the music school. It seems really cooperative rather than competitive,” Sommer said.