A Life Changing Moment
Two seniors both received the Presidential Scholarship from Saint Louis University (SLU)
Mackenzie Murphy received the Presidential Scholarship from SLU.
March 9, 2017
On March 2nd, two Liberty students received a call that forever changed their lives.
Seniors Mackenzie Murphy and Katelyn Bindbeutel both received the Presidential Scholarship from Saint Louis University (SLU), which grants them full tuition to SLU.
Murphy and Bindbeutel had to apply for the scholarship and write an essay about what sets them apart from other scholars and what them as people would be contributing to the university. About 1,000 people applied for the scholarship and then 500 out of the 1,000 received invitations to the interview weekend at SLU.
Both girls had to go through two rounds of interviews with questions regarding leadership, their high school experiences and how they would fit into the Jesuit character of the school. From this about 20-30 students were selected as the finalists in the competition.
They received the call on March 2nd by Mark Nothum their admissions counselor at SLU. Murphy said that she received the call after soccer practice that Thursday.
“After practice, as I was reading the dictation of the voicemail, I caught the words ‘update on the Presidential Scholarship’, and then my phone was ringing and Mark was calling me again. I picked it up and he delivered the exciting news,” Murphy said. Bindbeutel said that she received the call after school too on that Thursday.
The exciting part is not only being given the award but telling other about the award. Bindbeutel and Murphy were both excited to share the news with their loved ones.
“I immediately called my mom after receiving the phone call,” Bindbeutel said. Murphy said that she was with her close friend, Abby Woods, walking after soccer practice and that it was amazing to share her joy with someone that she cares so much about.
Both of the girls said it felt so nice to be given the scholarship and that there was no words to describe the feeling.
“I was on top of the world,” Murphy said. They both stated that it felt really good to be rewarded for all of their hard work
and sacrifices. Bindbeutel said that being awarded the scholarship reaffirmed her belief that everything happens for a reason, and that now she understands why events in the past happened the way they did.
“I’m reassured that everything works out in the end,” Bindbeutel said.
Both girls will be attending Saint Louis University in the fall of 2017. Murphy plans to major in Biology with a focus in Biology Chemistry and Molecular Biology, as she plans on entering the disease research field. Bindbeutel plans on majoring in Health Sciences, Pre-Med, as she is thinking about the possibility of becoming a pediatric neuropsychologist.
“Receiving this scholarship made it possible for me to attend my dream school,” Murphy said as she had already ruled out SLU as an option because of the cost.
“I would also like to add that I have learned that every individual on this earth is endowed with unique talents and traits, which can be used to create a future of our own design,” Bindbeutel said. “If you put forth the effort, the opportunities are endless.”
