by TaLeiza Calloway
news@thenewsleaders.com
St. Joseph residents Amanda and Amelia Walz are winners – scholarship winners that is.
The twins are preparing to attend Waldorf College in Forest City, Iowa this fall and thanks to the college’s annual Scholarship Day event, the trip will be a little easier.
In a competition with students from nine states, Amanda Walz was awarded a $2,000 scholarship and free text books for her first semester after participating in the event. Amelia Walz also was awarded free textbooks for her first semester.
The outside hitter and setter are also winners on the volleyball court. The 18-year-old sisters, who attend Apollo High School, will play volleyball for Waldorf.
Both are looking forward to the college experience and are grateful for the assist.
“I was pretty surprised,” Amanda said. “There were a lot of people there.”
The event was open to students who met the following qualifications: a 3.25 GPA, 18 ACT, 860 SAT, or 2.5 GPA with 26 ACT or 1190 SAT.
Students traveled from Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Michigan, Nebraska, South Dakota, South Carolina, Texas and Wisconsin to participate in Scholarship Day. A total of 17 students were interviewed at the event that was held Jan. 14 at the college.
Scholarship Day rewards students for academic excellence. After students interview with judges and write an on-site essay, one student is awarded a full-tuition scholarship, according to a news release from the college. Five more top finishers receive $2,000 scholarships.
Amanda plans to major in biology. She would like to be a pediatrician.
Though Amelia is undecided about her major, she is leaning toward psychology.
“I took an advanced-placement psychology class,” Amelia said. “I thought it was interesting.”
Both agree the small size of the four-year liberal arts campus, the chance to play volleyball and Waldorf College’s proximity to home makes it an ace.
