UMKC group awards seven for 2017
Jacob Furry, a spring 2017 Monett High School graduate, has been named a University of Missouri-Kansas City Trustees’ Scholar.
When Furry enters the music education program at the UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance in the fall, he will receive a scholarship valued at $60,000 over four years. His award is supported by the UMKC Board of Trustees, the founder of the scholarship program.
Furry graduated in the top two percent of his class. He was a member of the Monett High School Marching Band; vice president of the Monett High School Tri-M Music Honor Society; member of the Monett Chapter of the National Honor Society; and chapter treasurer of Future Business Leaders of America. Furry also was a volunteer for the Annual Golden Age Dinner for senior citizens in Monett and the New Site Baptist Church Praise Team.
In the essay submitted to the Trustees’ Scholars selection committee, Furry said a degree from UMKC will help him contribute to society as an educator by providing him with valuable learning opportunities, and instilling in him the abilities necessary to make a lasting impact on his future students’ lives.
“After graduating from UMKC, I hope to contribute to society by being a music educator that can inspire in students a passion for music and an appreciation for hard work and dedication that they can carry with them throughout their entire lives. My own music teachers have made a profound difference in my life, pushing me to accomplish things that I didn’t think I could do, and one day I hope to be able to make that same difference in the life and education of students of my own.”
The Trustees Scholarship provides educational fees and on-campus room and board for the first two years. In the third and fourth years, the package provides educational fees and $2,000 for room and board. Each Trustees’ Scholar also receives $500 toward books each year.
To qualify as Trustees’ Scholars, students must meet at least two of the following three criteria: score a minimum ACT Composite of 30, rank in the top five percent of the graduating class, or have a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or more in a 17-class core curriculum. Trustees’ Scholars must enroll full time, be seeking an undergraduate degree and commit to living on campus for the first two years.
The UMKC Trustees’ Scholars Program is unique in that it aligns students closely with corporate sponsors, who give students access to their professional knowledge and experience, insight into the inner workings of the company or institution they represent, and a strong mentor relationship throughout the college experience. Students have opportunities to network and find internships or jobs through the Trustees and their connections in the community.