August 15, 2005
Needham wins pre-med scholarship
CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Rachel Brook Needham, a 2003 graduate of Anna-Jonesboro Community High School, is the winner of a generous new pre-med scholarship to Southern Illinois University Carbondale.
Longtime Union County residents Dr. and Mrs. David F. Rendleman established the scholarship specifically to assist talented young people from their home county who are interested in careers in medicine but need financial assistance to do so.
The award provides $1,000 each semester and is renewable for up to four consecutive years, so long as undergraduate recipients maintain B averages and continue majoring in pre-med.
Needham, a junior chemistry major in the SIUC College of Science, plans to begin taking advantage of the scholarship in January.
She strives to maintain a top-notch grade point average and believes in spending her free time helping others.
She’s worked as a volunteer at an area food and clothing pantry, the Stinson Memorial Library in Anna and several regional health clinics.
A commuter student from Jonesboro, she belongs to the SIUC Integrative Neuroscience Laboratory team and works genotyping DNA samples.
She lives with her stepfather and mother, Wade and Cindy Mosley. Her father and stepmother are Neal and Judy Needham of Dongola.
Dr. Rendleman is an SIU alumnus and a graduate of Anna-Jonesboro high school. He practiced general surgery in Southern Illinois most of his life. He is a former member of the SIU Foundation’s Board of Directors.
He and his wife Mary are founding members of the SIU President’s Council.
They established the Dr. David F. and Mrs. Mary G. Rendleman Pre-Med Scholarship through the University’s Foundation.
Cultivating resources and promoting excellence in undergraduate academics are among the goals of Southern at 150: Building Excellence Through Commitment, the long-range plan the University is following as it nears its 150th anniversary in 2019.