June 01, 2006
Wheelden wins SIU Presidential Scholarship
CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Barbara Wheelden of Sparta (1211 Moffat Rd) has won a Presidential Scholarship that will pay for her tuition, fees, room and board at Southern Illinois University Carbondale for each of the next four years.
Worth about $56,000 in all, the grants are the largest awarded to the University's undergraduates.
The late James E. Walker, former president of SIU, set up the Presidential Scholarships in 2001. Each year, they go to 19 Illinois students who have demonstrated leadership qualities and who have at least a 3.75 grade-point average on a 4.0 scale and a minimum ACT composite score of 29.
A graduate of Sparta High School, Wheelden plans to major in civil engineering at SIUC. Her honors include selection as an Illinois State Scholar, the National Honor Society and class valedictorian. She also received a Daughters of the American Revolution Good Citizen Award.
President of the band and vice president of the Science Club, she also played an active role on the math team and in the Scholar Bowl and ran track.
Wheelden is the daughter of Don and Joyce Wheelden.
Strengthening the undergraduate scholarship program is among the goals of Southern at 150: Building Excellence Through Commitment, the blueprint the University is following as it approaches its 150th anniversary in 2019.