BAE Student is Finalist for International Scholarships

January 30, 2009

Biological and Agricultural Engineering student, John Casey Jr., also a LSU Honors College student was distinguished as a finalist for two international scholarships, the British Marshall and Rhodes Scholarships. Joining Casey as a finalist for the British Marshall Scholarship is Honors College student, Michael Rea.

Casey is a biological engineering major with a minor in Chinese and a resident of Mandeville, LA. Casey was recognized in 2007-08 as the LSU Most Outstanding Senior and the LSU Honors College Most Outstanding Senior. While attending LSU, he has received the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship in 2007, the Tau Beta Phi Scholarship, Carl Thomas Award from the BAE Department, LSU Study Abroad Scholarship, Top 10 Freshman Award and the Dean’s Award of Academic Distinction.

Dean of the LSU Honors College, Nancy Clark, stated “LSU should be very proud of these students. John and Michael have both worked hard and have taken advantage of all that LSU has to offer. They represent the highest level of achievement and excellence that is possible here at LSU.”

Director of Fellowship Advising at the LSU Honors College, Dr. Drew Arms, reflected on the students’ achievements stating, “John and Michael are outstanding representatives of their academic disciplines and of LSU’s commitment to service. They will be competing with the most outstanding students from the nation’s top universities, and, in being named finalists of these prestigious international fellowships, they show that LSU honors students are among the very best. I’m extremely proud of their efforts.”

The British Marshall Scholarships commemorates the humane ideals of the Marshall Plan and expresses the ongoing gratitude of the British people to their American counterparts. Each year it is awarded to 40 young American scholars to study for a graduate degree in the United Kingdom in any field of study and covers a duration of two years.

The Rhodes Scholarships are awarded each year to 32 scholars from across the nation. Recipients are granted two years of study at the University of Oxford, with the possibility of renewal for a third year. The scholarships are paid by the Rhodes Trustees and cover the scholars’ full educational costs, travel expenses, and a maintenance allowance. The Rhodes Scholarships are the oldest of international fellowships, initiated in 1902 after the death of Cecil Rhodes, and strive to bring outstanding students from many countries around the world to the University of Oxford.

Students who wish to apply for these or similar scholarships and fellowship opportunities or for more information, please contact the LSU Office of Fellowship Advising in the Honors College at fellowships@lsu.edu. More information on the British Marshall and Rhodes Scholarships visit http://www.marshallscholarship.org/ and http://www.rhodesscholar.org/.

Article excerpted from LSU Public Affairs and Media Relations News Release, 225-578-5706, mlavall@lsu.edu

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