Two county students named Park Scholars
By News-Argus Staff
Published in News on March 14, 2007 1:57 PM
Two area students have been selected as Park Scholars by North Carolina State University for fall 2007. The awards are valued at about $59,000 for in-state residents and $107,000 for out-of-state students.
Nicole Antoinette Mack and Nida Waheed were among 51 recipients and were chosen from more than 1,000 applicants.
Miss Mack, the daughter of Sharon and Cornelius Mack of Goldsboro, is a senior at the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics and plans to major in psychology. She is secretary of the National Society of Black Engineers, a peer college counselor and a member of the Unison step team. She has also been a volunteer tutor at the Boys and Girls Club and Wayne County Public Library.
Miss Waheed, daughter of Waheed Akhtar and Shabana Waheed of Goldsboro, will graduate from Charles B. Aycock High School. She is currently president of the student body, president of the Model United Nations Club and on the varsity soccer team. She is also a volunteer at a free health clinic and involved in the Teen Court Program. She plans to major in chemistry.
The Park Scholarships program pays expenses for four years of study at N.C. State and includes a computer stipend and funds for academic enrichment activities.
"The brightest minds of their generation are among the recipients this year," said Laura Gail Lunsford, director of the Park Scholarships program. "Their profound dedication to improving our communities combined with their extraordinary motivation has merited investment the Park Foundation has made in naming them Park Scholars. As future scientists, public servants, business leaders, or scholars, these young adults show great promise."
The Park Foundation of Ithaca, N.Y., established the scholarships at N.C. State in 1996 with an initial gift to support 25 Park Scholars. The scholarships are named in honor of the late Roy H. Park, a distinguished alumnus of N.C. State and president of the media company Park Communications Inc., a conglomerate of newspapers, television and radio stations.
Selection criteria for the merit-based scholarships includes academic achievement; personal characteristics such as character, integrity and motivation; exceptional leadership potential; and commitment to the betterment of one's community. The scholarships are renewable each year, based on academic achievement and personal conduct.