Last modified: Monday, August 15, 2005
Lake County's Lowe and Pavkovich named Wells Scholars at Indiana University
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
AUG. 15, 2005
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Indiana University President Adam W. Herbert announced that Krystal Lowe of Gary, Ind., and David Pavkovich of Munster, Ind., have been selected as Wells Scholars at IU, two of 19 entering freshmen so honored. They will this fall join more than 300 others who have been named Wells Scholars.
The scholarship, named in honor of the late IU Chancellor Herman B Wells, ranks among the most competitive and prestigious awards offered by any American university. Since its inception in 1990, more than two dozen Wells Scholars have gone on to earn prestigious Rhodes, Truman, Marshall, Soros, Mitchell, Churchill, Fulbright and Goldwater scholarships for advanced study.
Many previous Wells Scholars today contribute to Indiana as residents who are attorneys, doctors, school teachers and business people and even an ordained minister. Others have gone on to clerk for Indiana and U.S. Supreme Court justices, are engaged in international relief and service efforts and are scholars at other renowned educational institutions such as Harvard Business School and Cornell Law School. There are Wells Scholars currently serving in the Armed Forces and other positions in government.
"This program has a spectacular track record for developing future leaders who reflect the example and vision of former IU Chancellor Herman B Wells," Herbert said. "Its impact is reflected in the achievements of past Wells Scholars who have remained in and contributed to the Hoosier state, and by those who represent the university and our state with great distinction both nationally and throughout the world. Since its establishment 16 years ago, IU also has used the Wells Scholars program as a model for other scholarship programs that enable IU to attract to our campuses more of the best students in the state and nation."
To honor Wells, IU created the Wells Scholars Program, which began with fund-raising efforts in 1988 and the appointment of Professor Breon Mitchell as its founding director. In 1990, IU welcomed its first class of Wells Scholars and on June 7, 1992, Wells' 90th birthday, he was officially presented with the Wells Scholars Program as a gift from his many friends and admirers. After his death in the spring of 2000, this community of talented and dedicated young scholars remains as a permanent legacy of his educational vision.
Wells Scholars receive full tuition and course-related fees, as well as a living stipend for four years of undergraduate study on the Bloomington campus of IU.
Wells Scholars are selected for having demonstrated exceptional qualities of character and leadership and distinction both inside and outside of the classroom.
A Hoosier Scholar, Twenty-First Century Scholar and valedictorian of her class, Lowe is the first Wells Scholar from West Side High School, where she was honored with an Award of Excellence from the U.S. Marine Corps. She was the recipient of a National Urban League Scholarship and a Flying J Scholarship.
Lowe served as president of her school's chapter of the National Honor Society, and she competed on West Side's Spell Bowl, Academic Super Bowl and Science Olympiad teams. She was editor-in-chief of her school newspaper; a three-year member of the science club, which she served as treasurer; a two-year member of the French club, which she also served as treasurer; a member of G.U.E.S.S. service club; and a member of the cheerleading team.
Dedicated to community service, she has volunteered more than 100 hours at Methodist North Lake Hospital and has participated in the International Coastal Cleanup. A former participant in the IU Kelley School of Business Junior Executive Institute, Krystal plans to prepare for a career in financial planning with a major in finance.
A National Merit Finalist, Pavkovich is the first Wells Scholar from Munster High School, where he received the Principal's Award for Excellence. Active in speech and debate competition throughout high school, he qualified for the Indiana state tournament all four years and for the National Forensic League national tournament in foreign extemporaneous speaking during his junior and senior years.
In his senior year, Pavkovich was president of his school's speech and debate team, which won the state championship, and a member of the We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution team, which won second in state. He served as vice president of his school's chapter of the National Honor Society, treasurer of the executive council of his class, and a member of the student government. A long-time Boy Scout, he served as senior patrol leader and was named an Eagle Scout.
He was a member of his school's varsity football team, its theatre company and the French club, and he sang in his school and church choirs. Having spent a summer as a research intern in laboratories at Northwestern University Memorial Hospital, he plans to major in biology in preparation for medical school. Pavkovich has been selected to participate in the IU Science and Technology Research Scholars Program.
