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News Release

Thirteen high school seniors chosen as finalists in Wichita State Distinguished Scholarship Invitational

Jan. 22, 2024
By WSU Strategic Communications

Contact for News Reporters: Lainie Mazzullo-Hart, director of communication, 316-978-3409 or lainie.mazzullo@wichita.edu.

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Wichita State University has selected the top 13 finalists in the 2024 Distinguished Scholarship Invitational (DSI). 

They are:

  • Santiago Carbajal, Reedy High School (Texas)
  • Vatedis Coleman, Wichita High School Southeast
  • Isabel Fulkerson, Salina South High School
  • Daniel Giometti, Plano West High School (Texas)
  • Ameera Gofur, Wichita High School East
  • Evelyn Hrencher, Edmond North High School (Oklahoma)
  • Georgia Loveland, Blue Valley High School
  • Karinton Newton, Summit Christian Academy (Missouri)
  • Abby Rexford, West Jassamine High School (Kentucky)
  • Karaline Scott, Goddard High School
  • Chloe Strecker, Eureka High School (Missouri)
  • Israel Torres-Ayala, Wichita Northeast Magnet
  • Karley Turrietta Forsyth, Wichita Collegiate School

The students competed in DSI on Saturday, Nov. 18, with 547 total students competing. Three of the finalists will be selected as recipients of the Harry Gore Memorial $64,000 scholarship, which are among the largest undergraduate awards in the Midwest.

To be invited to compete in the invitational, students had to have a 27 or higher ACT score, or a 3.5 or higher GPA, or rank in the top 10% of their class. The 13 finalists this year have an average ACT score of 27 and average GPA of 3.91.

Once invited, students completed an application, including essays and competed in an on-campus leadership competition. Finalists came back to campus Thursday, Jan. 18 for final interviews.

The announcement of the Gore Scholars will be at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 1, in the Marcus Welcome Center. All finalists will receive competitive scholarship packages to attend Wichita State in the fall of 2024. 

About Wichita State University

Wichita State University is Kansas' only urban public research university, enrolling more than 23,000 students between its main campus and WSU Tech, including students from every state in the U.S. and more than 100 countries. Wichita State and WSU Tech are recognized for being student centered and innovation driven.

Located in the largest city in the state with one of the highest concentrations in the United States of jobs involving science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), Wichita State University provides uniquely distinctive and innovative pathways of applied learning, applied research and career opportunities for all of our students.

The Innovation Campus, which is a physical extension of the Wichita State University main campus, is one of the nation’s largest and fastest-growing research/innovation parks, encompassing over 120 acres and is home to a number of global companies and organizations.

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