Two K-State seniors receive Muir Alpha Tau Omega Blue Key Leadership Scholarships

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Source: William Muir, 785-532-6269, billmuir@k-state.edu

Tuesday, May 8, 2007

TWO K-STATE SENIORS RECEIVE MUIR ALPHA TAU OMEGA BLUE KEY LEADERSHIP SCHOLARSHIPS

MANHATTAN -- Two graduating seniors from Kansas State University are recipients of the ninth annual William L. Muir II and John T. Muir Alpha Tau Omega Blue Key Leadership Scholarship.

Justine Sterling, Hardtner, who will receive a bachelor's in agricultural communications and journalism, and Matthew A. Woerman, Topeka, who is earning a bachelor's in mechanical engineering, each received the $1,000 scholarship at the Blue Key Awards reception May 4.

Sterling has been involved with the K-State Student Alumni Board; College of Agriculture Ambassadors; Chimes, the junior honorary; Silver Key, the sophomore honorary; FFA; and Phi Kappa Phi honor society. She also was director of membership for Blue Key, the senior leadership honorary, during the 2006-07 school year.

At the awards reception, Sterling was praised for her Blue Key recruitment efforts, as well as for being "a visionary, loyal, compassionate, caring, relatable, relationship-minded, kind, genuine and respected."

Woerman, a 2006 Udall Scholar, is a member of Blue Key, serving as co-director of Blue Key's Catalyst, a self-development experience, this year. He also has been a member and president of the K-State Student Foundation; vice president of Chimes, the junior honorary; associate justice of the Student Governing Association's Student Review Board; and vice president of his fraternity, Delta Upsilon. He has been a Byrd and National Merit scholar, and a member of Phi Kappa Phi and Phi Eta Sigma honoraries.

At the awards reception, Woerman was praised as the "model of servant leadership" and as committed to the Blue Key motto, "Serving I Live." He also was described by his classmates as intelligent, diverse, realistic and respectful.

The William L. Muir II and John T. Muir Alpha Tau Omega Blue Key Leadership Scholarship is donated by the Muir family through the K-State Alpha Tau Omega Students' Aid Endowment Fund. It was established in 1999 to perpetuate the memory of William "Bill" Lloyd Muir II and John Thomas "Tom" Muir on the K-State campus, and to provide educational opportunities and assistance for upper-level students who possess exemplary attributes in leadership, scholarship, fellowship and character. Bill Muir, who received the Silver Star during World War II, died in May 1943 while serving with the U.S. Army in Italy. Tom Muir, a prominent businessman from Norton and Manhattan, died in February 1990. Both were members of the K-State chapter of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity, and both were members of Blue Key.

The Muir Blue Key scholarships are awarded to qualified students at K-State who are members of Blue Key and attain at least a 3.0 cumulative grade point average. Recipients also must be of good character and have substantially contributed to the quality of student life and outstanding leadership at the university. A scholarship is awarded annually to one male member and one female member of Blue Key.

The recipients are selected by Michael E. Brown, representing the K-State Alpha Tau Omega Endowment Fund; William L. Muir III, representing the Muir family; and Pat J. Bosco, associate vice president for institutional advancement and dean of student life at K-State.