Contact: Phil Hearn
STARKVILLE, Miss.--Two Mississippi State senior chemical engineering majors are recipients of $5,000 scholarships from separate organizations serving their professional field.
Lekeith B. Terrell of Brookhaven recently won a yearly renewable scholarship from the American Chemical Society's Scholars Program, while Ashley N. Holt of Decatur, Ala., is receiving a scholarship from the Southwest Chemical Association.
Both are students in the university's Swalm School of Chemical Engineering, which is a part of the Bagley College of Engineering.
Terrell is the first student within the school to receive the award from the 158,000-member ACS. The 12-year-old scholarship program encourages African-American, Hispanic and Native American students to pursue college degrees in the chemical sciences and chemical technology.
"Being selected as an ACS Scholar is a tremendous recognition and motivator, and I want to thank everyone for their recommendations and encouragement," said Terrell, the son of Leo and Alice Terrell.
Terrell serves as secretary for the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers. He also is a member of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, National Society of Black Engineers and Society of Plastics Engineers.
"This award gives him a great opportunity to support his education as a chemical engineering major," said Rebecca Toghiani, an associate professor of chemical engineering.
An MSU Honors Program scholar, Holt serves as president of Omega Chi Epsilon chemical engineering honor society, and as a member of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers and Engineering Ambassadors. She also is a member of Phi Kappa Phi and Golden Key honor societies.
"This scholarship will be a major asset during my final year at Mississippi State," Holt said of the award from the Southwest Chemical Association, a professional society with more than 500 individual members.
The daughter of Timothy and Nina Holt, Ashley also is a Swalm Scholar and participant in MSU's Cooperative Education Program that allows her to alternate semesters between work in a chemical manufacturing facility and campus classes.
"Like many of our students, Ashley has worked very hard during her time at MSU and is most deserving of this award," said Clifford E. George, associate director of the chemical engineering school.
NEWS EDITORS/DIRECTORS: For more information, contact Courtney Thompson at 662-325-0151 or cthompson@engr.msstate.edu.