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Media Relations
Kansas State University
9 Anderson Hall
Manhattan, KS 66506
785-532-6415
media@k-state.edu

Information provided by K-State Media Relations, K-State's news service, may be reproduced without permission. The marks and names of Kansas State University are protected trademarks and may not be used in any commercial or private endeavor without the approval of the university.

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

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

NEW K-STATE GRADUATES FROM HOXIE, TECUMSEH RECEIVE 10TH ANNUAL MUIR ATO BLUE KEY SCHOLARSHIPS

MANHATTAN -- Two new graduates of Kansas State University are recipients of the 10th annual William L. Muir II and John T. Muir Alpha Tau Omega Blue Key Leadership Scholarship.

Selected to receive the $1,000 awards were Jenna Kennedy, Hoxie, and Joseph Vossen, Tecumseh.

Kennedy, who just earned a bachelor's degree in microbiology and natural resources and environmental science from K-State, has been involved in various campus activities and programs, including the K-State Proud campaign, Alpha Delta Pi sorority and the University Committee on Religion. She served as an orientation leader and Wildcat Warm-up counselor through K-State's new student services. She also was a member of Quest, the freshman honorary; Silver Key, the sophomore honorary; Chimes, the junior honorary; and Blue Key, the senior honorary, where she was director of recruitment and was responsible for Quest mentoring activities.

In 2007 Kennedy became K-State's 30th winner of the Harry S. Truman Scholarship. Her honors this year include receiving the H.H. Haymaker Award from K-State's Division of Biology and a cancer research award from K-State's Terry C. Johnson Center for Basic Cancer Research. Kennedy's future plans include completing a yearlong fellowship at the Office of Rural Health Policy near Washington, D.C., then going to medical school with the eventual goal of becoming a doctor of infectious disease.

Vossen, who just earned a bachelor's degree in political science, has been active in several campus and student government activities. He was selected as the 2005 outstanding K-State Student Senate intern, was a student senator and served as the Student Governing Association's attorney general. He was co-chair of the K-State Proud campaign; a member of the K-State Student Alumni Board, serving as vice president; recruitment chair of his fraternity, Delta Sigma Phi; was a member of the Union Governing Board; and was a member of Silver Key, the sophomore honorary, and Blue Key, the senior honorary, serving as Quest coordinator. Vossen also was a campus tour guide through K-State new student services and was columnist for the Kansas State Collegian.

A K-State honors list student, Vossen is a member of Phi Beta Kappa and Phi Kappa Phi scholastic honoraries. He also was the recipient of several scholarships, including the Douglas Political Science Scholarship, Peters Blue Key Student Development Scholarship and Wallace Family Memorial Scholarship.

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. The scholarship was established in 1999 to perpetuate the memory of William Lloyd "Bill" 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 Alpha Tau Omega fraternity.

The Muir Blue Key Scholarships are awarded by the K-State Alpha Tau Omega Endowment Fund to qualified students at K-State who are members of Blue Key, have at least a 3.0 cumulative grade point average, are judged to be of good character and sound academic standing, and who have substantially contributed to the quality of student life and outstanding leadership at the university. The scholarship is awarded annually to one female and one male Blue Key member.

The selection committee includes Michael E. Brown, treasurer of the K-State Alpha Tau Omega Endowment Fund; William L. Muir III of the Muir family; and Pat Bosco, K-State associate vice president for institutional advancement and dean of student life.

"We are very pleased to be able to offer these two scholarships to outstanding Blue Key members who are involved in university leadership activities and programs," Bosco said. "Special thanks to the local Alpha Tau Omega Endowment Fund and the Muir family for making this scholarship a reality, and congratulations to both Jenna Kennedy and Joe Vossen on being the 10th-year scholarship recipients."

"My sister Betty and I are extremely proud to have these scholarships named after our uncle and father," said William L. Muir III. "Jenna and Joe are two of K-State's outstanding student leaders, and possess good, all-around qualities that fit the criteria for these scholarships. I know that Dad and Uncle Bill would be proud of them."

"We are extremely proud to have the opportunity to award these scholarships in memory of Tom and Bill Muir to outstanding students like Jenna Kennedy and Joe Vossen," Brown said. "The Muir Family has been involved with Kansas State University and its programs for more than 60 years. Tom and Bill Muir were both members of Alpha Tau Omega and Blue Key. It is very appropriate that we memorialize their lives of service with these scholarships."