Auburn University announces nominees for prestigious Rhodes, Marshall and Mitchell scholarships

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Auburn University has announced its student nominees for three of the nation's top postgraduate honors: the Rhodes, Marshall and Mitchell scholarships.

"These students evoke the core values of Auburn University," said Melissa Baumann, assistant provost for undergraduate studies and director of the Honors College. "They have succeeded through hard work in their courses and extracurricular activities and they are men and women of character. We are pleased to nominate them for these prestigious scholarships."

Rhodes Scholarship nominees

Six seniors and two recent graduates will compete for a prestigious Rhodes Scholarship, which gives 32 of the most outstanding young scholars in the country an opportunity to study at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. The scholarship, one of the oldest in the world, is awarded to students with proven intellectual and academic achievement, integrity of character, qualities of leadership and proven respect for their fellow humankind.

Azeem Ahmed of Auburn, Alabama, is an Honors College and 2014 graduate with a major in finance from the Harbert College of Business and sustainability minor. A 2013 Truman Scholar and a 2014 Clinton Global Hunger Leadership Fellow, and a recipient of the President's Medal in the Harbert College of Business, Ahmed served as vice president of Campus Kitchens Project and president of the Committee of 19 while at Auburn. His major professor is Harriet Giles, director of external relations in the College of Human Sciences and managing director of the Auburn University Hunger Solutions Institute.

Richmond Gunter of Camden, Alabama, is a senior majoring in finance in the Harbert College of Business. A member of the Honors College, the Mortar Board and a spring 2014 William J. Samford Scholarship recipient, Gunter currently serves as SGA treasurer. Recently he completed a summer internship on Capitol Hill in the office of U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions. Gunter's major professor is Justin Benefield in the Department of Finance.

Tofey Leon of Mobile, Alabama, is a senior majoring in biomedical sciences in the College of Sciences and Mathematics. A recipient of Auburn's highly competitive Cellular and Molecular Biosciences Undergraduate Summer Research Fellowship, Leon was named the Cliff Hare Award winner, the 2014 SEC Men's Swimming and Diving Male Scholar Athlete of the year and a NCAA Postgraduate Scholar. His major professor is Michael Squillacote in the Department of Chemistry.

Peter Lund of Madison, Wisconsin, is a senior majoring in finance in the Harbert College of Business with a minor in Italian, and member of the Honors College. A National Merit Scholar, Honors College Drummond Scholar, and Auburn University Presidential Scholar, Lund most recently served as a summer intern with HSBC Bank USA in New York. Lund's major professor is Kevin Yost in the Department of Finance.

Tekisha Rice of Bessemer, Alabama, is a senior majoring in human development and family studies in the College of Human Sciences. Rice is a member of the Honors College, a Provost Leadership Undergraduate Scholar, a Charles Barkley Endowed Scholar and current president of Diversity in Honors. Her major professor is Francesca Adler-Baeder in the College of Human Sciences.

David Shuckerow of Chepachet, Rhode Island, is a senior majoring in computer science and software engineering in the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering with a minor in business. A member of the Honors College, Shuckerow is a National Hispanic Scholar, a National Merit Scholar Finalist and a member of the Auburn University Symphonic Band where he plays clarinet. His major professor is Richard Chapman in the Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering.

Alyssa White of Auburn, Alabama, is an Honors College spring 2014 summa cum laude graduate from the College of Liberal Arts with a double major in anthropology and Spanish and a minor in East Asian studies (Japanese). Elected to Phi Beta Kappa, and editor of the Auburn University Journal of Undergraduate Studies, she was a two-time recipient of the university-wide competitive undergraduate research fellowship as well as was recognized the top Auburn undergraduate woman as recipient of the Women's Studies Undergraduate Student Achievement Award. Her major professor is Kristrina Schuler in the Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Social Work.

Patrick Young of Trussville, Alabama, is a senior majoring in biomedical sciences (pre-medicine) in the College of Sciences and Mathematics and member of the Honors College. Young is a three-time Academic Top Tiger, a two-time member of the Southeastern Conference Academic Honor Roll and the football team representative to the Student Athlete Advisory Committee. In addition, he serves as a Younglife Leader at Auburn High School. Young's major professor is Wendi Weimar in the Department of Exercise Science.

Marshall Scholarship nominees

Four students from Auburn University have been nominated for the Marshall Scholarship. The scholarship provides 40 of the most outstanding undergraduates in the country an opportunity to study at any university in the United Kingdom. This award focuses on exceptional academic merit and the potential a student may have to be a world leader and ambassador.

Sanny Omar of Crestwood, Kentucky, is an Honors College senior majoring in aerospace engineering in the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering with minors in business, Spanish and computer science. A member of the AubieSat CubeSat team, Omar is a National Merit Scholar, National AP scholar and the Commonwealth of Kentucky Chess Champion for 2011. His major professor is Jean-Marie Wersinger in the physics department.

Ashton Richardson of New Orleans, Lousiana, is a December 2012 summa cum laude graduate in animal sciences (pre-veterinary medicine). A former Auburn Tiger linebacker, a 2013 FCA Bobby Bowden Award Winner and currently second-year student in the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine, Richardson also serves as President of the Texas A&M Student One Health Association. His major professor at Auburn is Dale Coleman in animal sciences.

Also nominated for the Marshall Scholarship are Azeem Ahmed and Alyssa White.

Mitchell Scholarship nominee

Auburn University is endorsing four students for the Mitchell Scholarship. This award gives 12 students nationwide the opportunity to study in Ireland. The award focuses on scholarship, leadership, commitment to community, and public service.

Lauren Chastain of Birmingham, Alabama, is an Honors College senior majoring in interdisciplinary studies under the Office of the Provost with an emphasis in biology and human development and family studies. A member of the Committee of 19, Chastain is currently serving as president of the Campus Kitchens Project. This past summer Chastain conducted research on the Canary Island of Tenerife as an Atlantis Project Fellow where she shadowed physicians and conducted research on the Spanish health-care system. Her major professor is Kathryn Flynn in the School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences.

Steven Vickers of Mobile, Alabama, is a senior majoring in history in the College of Liberal Arts. Vickers is a current College of Liberal Arts Undergraduate Research Fellow where he is researching the rise of the Green Party in Ireland. Prior to coming to Auburn, he served for six years as a police officer in Mobile. Vickers's major professor is Ralph Kingston in the Department of History.

Also nominated for the Mitchell Scholarship are Tekisha Rice and Ashton Richardson.

"Our students must be endorsed by the university's national prestigious scholarships committee to receive a nomination," said Paul Harris, director of national prestigious scholarships, who worked with the students, along with their faculty mentors, to help prepare them for the application process. "As part of their applications, they were required to submit a personal essay and letters of recommendation which highlighted their scholarly potential and their character and suitability for the award."

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