November 2003 Stories

Jovick Wins National Honor Merit Award

Willamette sophomore Torey Jovick has been selected by the National Society of Collegiate Scholars (NSCS) to receive the annual Merit Award. The $1,000 scholarship is awarded to 50 new NSCS chapter members from across the nation.

The national Merit Award is presented to a new member who embodies the three values of the NSCS: scholarship, leadership and service. In her application for the award, Jovick said she had to demonstrate how she embodies those values in her everyday life.

“I try to be a role model to others and lead by example,” says Jovick. Last year, she participated in Take a Break, the University’s alternative spring break program. Jovick and other students traveled to Jonestown, Miss., one of the poorest communities in the nation, to repair and paint private homes.

She describes the trip to the predominantly African American community as “awesome. It definitely took me out of my comfort zone, but it also enabled me to expand my perspective by traveling to other places and seeing how other people live.”

This year, she’s mentoring Brenda, an Hispanic 5th grader who recently arrived from Mexico. “Brenda’s learning English and I’m learning Spanish, so we try to help one another,” she says, smiling broadly.

Jovick and two friends are planning to expand their mentoring efforts next semester by designing and teaching a class for elementary children on good nutrition. “Our goal is to give kids some simple, cheap and healthful meals they can make on their own, especially when their parents may not be around,” she says. “The NSCS chapter can buy the food for us, which will enable us to do more with the kids. We’re planning to teach cooking and nutrition and try to dispel some of the myths about so-called healthy foods.”

While the NSCS Merit Scholarship will help pay for Jovick’s tuition, she says the real value comes in “the recognition that there are other things besides sitting and studying that are important. Students should be out there doing community service, being involved and helping others out. The Society and Willamette values those goals and so do I.”

Amy Williams Honored by UPS

Amy Williams, a senior English major, has been selected to receive a $2,750 United Parcel Service (UPS) Scholarship. Williams, who is also the recipient of the Willamette Honors Scholarship, is vice president of the Willamette International Student Association (WISA) and works as an international peer counselor and resident assistant for Tokyo International University of America (TIUA), Willamette University’s international sister institution. In addition, she works at the University’s Writing Center as a writing consultant, as a research assistant in the German Department and as a clerk at the Great Harvest Baking Company in Salem.

Williams has maintained a high level of academic excellence despite her challenging schedule. She says the UPS Scholarship will help her continue her education without having to get “too stressed out.”

“The UPS Scholarship will enable me to shorten my work hours and continue doing all the activities I love,” she says. She insists she’ll continue to work at her multiple jobs because “they’re all really interesting.”

UPS Scholars must be nominated by their schools. Williams was nominated by James Eddy, Willamette’s director of financial aid.

Williams is one of more than 651 UPS Scholars at private colleges and universities across the nation. These scholarships are funded annually by the UPS Educational Endowment Fund. This year, the UPS Educational Endowment Fund distributed $1.7 million for its scholarship program.

When she graduates, Williams plans to go to graduate school and major in English literature. “I’d like to get my doctorate,” she says. “Then I’d like to teach at a university like Willamette.”