Athens County High School Seniors Receive Cutler Scholars Awards

Contact: Ruth Phipps, (740) 593-4266

Editors: A photo of Christine Brose, on left, and Kimberly Guffey is available at: www.ohiou.edu/news/pix/BUSH_CUTLER.JPG

ATHENS, Ohio (May 10, 2000) -- Two Athens County high school seniors, Christine Brose of Athens and Kimberly Guffey of Glouster, have been awarded 2000-01 Bush-Manasseh Cutler Scholars Awards. The four-year undergraduate scholarships provide full tuition and room and board at Ohio University. The scholarships also include a stipend to cover structured summer internships and study or work abroad.

Brose, a senior at Athens High School, serves on the Southeastern Ohio MIRA Team, the Adopt-A-Highway Project and is the publicity director for the Athens High School Spanish Club. Co-president of the National Honor Society, Brose was a National Merit Scholar semifinalist and was included in the 1999 "Who's Who Among American High School Students." She is the daughter of Dr. John and Linda Brose.

A senior at Trimble High School, Guffey has served as president of the National Honor Society and president of Student Council and has been active in varsity sports, playing softball, basketball and volleyball. Guffey was instrumental in launching the first school-community newspaper, the Tri-Town Tribune, where she worked as a reporter and editor. She is the daughter of Karen and the late Virgil Guffey.

Kenner and Margene Bush of Athens are funding the two Cutler Scholars Awards. One of the scholarships is designated for a graduate of Athens High School and the second is designated for a graduating senior from one of the four other high schools in Athens County -- Alexander, Federal Hocking, Nelsonville-York and Trimble.

Kenner Bush, former publisher of The Athens Messenger, has served as a trustee of both Ohio University and the Ohio University Foundation. Margene Bush is a graduate of Ohio University. Both are graduates of Athens High School.

"The Cutler Scholar's Program is destined to play a central role in Ohio University's mission in the years ahead by attracting a core group of outstanding students who demonstrate high potential for leadership," Kenner said. "It is the emphasis upon recognizing, exploring and developing leadership abilities throughout a scholar's undergraduate years that makes this initiative so unique and promising."

Brose and Guffey will join 24 other Cutler Scholars who will attend classes on the Athens campus this fall. Students selected for the Cutler Scholars program must excel in the classroom and at extracurricular activities. In addition to an excellent scholastic record, a student must also show evidence of personal integrity, a breadth of involvement and achievement, physical stamina and the ability to lead and encourage others.

"Cutler Scholars are serious students who exhibit moral strength of character. They are students with the energy and drive to be deeply involved in activities in their schools and their communities," said Charles J. Ping, Ohio University president emeritus and executive director of the Manasseh Cutler Scholars Program.

Students must be nominated to receive the award. High school officials from Alexander, Federal Hocking, Nelsonville-York and Trimble could nominate one candidate for the Athens County award. Athens High School could nominate up to five graduating seniors for the Athens High School award.

An independent selection committee evaluated the nominees based on their involvement in school and community activities, academic achievement, physical ability and evidence of leadership potential.