Taylor Fair, a senior at Sterling High School in Sterling, Kan., and Johannah Borchard, a home-schooled student from Minneola, Kan., were announced winners of the Sterling College Trustee Scholarship based on their efforts in three phases of academic competition held on February 18.

Sterling College hosted Scholars Day, an event designed to offer the Trustee Scholarship – a four year full tuition scholarship to SC - to two outstanding candidates. Prerequisites for entering the competition included having an ACT of 25 or above and a GPA of 3.5 or above.

“Taylor is an award-winning debater, a very talented musician, an excellent actor, and a leader on both the football field and tennis court,” said Sasha Hildebrand, Fair’s admissions counselor. “I don’t think you could ask for a better young man who’ll be a leader, an advocate for all activities, and an exceptional student.”

Fair will pursue a degree in Christian ministries during his time at Sterling.
 
Borchard is involved in choir and theatre. She has participated in productions at the Dodge City Community Theatre and sings in the 4-H choir. Borchard is interested in elementary education or language and literature as a potential major.

The Scholars Day competition consisted of three phases. During the 55-minute essay session, participants wrote an essay worth fifty percent of their final standing. Then the participants interviewed with two SC faculty and a current student regarding servant leadership and faith. The interview session was worth twenty percent of the candidates’ final standing. The remaining thirty percent was derived from a GPA and ACT/SAT calculation.

While other financial assistance is referred to as an award, Dr. Felicia Squires, associate dean of faculty said, “This really is a scholarship in the truest sense of the word because the winners had to prove themselves.”

Traditionally, the College has hosted a similar event. Melissa (Yarrow) Wisner ’09 of Morganville, Kan., and Andrew Wallace ’08 of Winchester, Kan., were the last recipients of the Trustee Scholarship. Though it was discontinued for a few years, this year’s event still drew 34 participants to compete against one another for a chance to receive a covered tuition.

“It was a really good program,” said Squires. “A high number of the students in the competition ended up enrolling. I really don’t know why we stopped doing it.”

Other students who participated include Emily Allen of Hutchinson, Kan., Ashley Aulbach of Haysville, Kan., Kati Bush of Wichita, Kan., Hannah Fortna of Gurley, Neb., Joshua Hoover of Elbing, Kan., Catherine Huck of Scott City, Kan., Kylee Ingram of Lyons, Kan., Melissa Jackson of Longford, Kan., Kate Keukelaar of Macedon, N.Y., Joshua Landis of Newton, Kan., Sarah Malerich of Elizabeth, Colo., Danae Massie of Lafayette, Colo., Levi McGee of Eureka, Kan., Jeffery Melton of Goddard, Kan., Flor Parral of Liberal, Kan., Cameron Pratte of Lawrence, Kan., Brooke Pryor of Kansas City, Mo., Lindsey Push of Omaha, Neb., Hayley Ray of Derby, Kan., Rebekah Sobotka of Spencer, Neb., Elaina Spencer of Lyndon, Kan., Kayla Van Nover of Wichita, Kan., Alexis Wetherell of Peoria, Ariz., Lamar Whitson of Blue Rapids, Kan., Megan Yoder of Hutchinson, Kan., Dixie Carpenter of McCall, Idaho, Steven Hoover of Andover, Kan., Mason Houghton of Olathe, Kan.,  Lauren Wade of Rio Rancho, N.M., and Hannah Winter of Amelia, Va.