June 10, 2008

Four named Pulliam Scholarship winners

by Stacey Vinson

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- The 2008-2009 Roscoe Pulliam Scholarship winners as announced by the Southern Illinois University Alumni Association are: Arika Pavloff of Du Quoin, Amy Phegley of Mt. Carmel, Joshua Piha of Naperville and Amanda Rabideau of Pittsburg.

The Roscoe Pulliam Scholarship Fund awards four, $1,000 scholarship annually to Southern Illinois University Carbondale students. Recipients must be closely related to an SIUC alumnus or alumna who is a current member of the SIU Alumni Association.

Here are brief profiles of the scholarship winners.

Pavloff, the daughter of Angela and Greg Pavloff, is a freshman in elementary education. She transferred to Southern from John A. Logan College, where she made the Vice President’s List and was a member of Phi Theta Kappa. She worked as a math tutor and teacher’s aide, and volunteered as a nursery helper at church. In high school, she was on the National Honor Roll and was a National Student Athlete. She was included in Who’s Who Among American High School Students and served as Student Council secretary at her school.

Phegley, the daughter of Brenda and Terry Phegley, is a senior majoring in kinesiology with a concentration in pre-physical therapy. She is on the Dean’s List and the National Dean’s List and is a member of Alpha Lambda Delta National Honor Society, Sigma Alpha Lambda National Leadership and Honors Organization and the Golden Key International Honor Society. She is also active in the Student Athletic Advisory Council, Intervarsity Christian Fellowship, Pre-Health Professions Association, the Saluki Cross Country and the Saluki Track teams. During high school, she was valedictorian of her class and won a Presidential Education Award, U. S. Marine Corps Scholastic Excellence Award, U. S. Army Scholar Athletic Award and a Prairie State Achievement Honor for Reading. She was also an Illinois State Scholar, National Society of High School Scholar member, and an All American Scholar.

Piha, the son of Wendy and Thomas Piha, is a senior majoring in special education and elementary education. His honors include the Dean’s List and membership in Kappa Delta Pi, which is the SIUC chapter of the national Honor Society in Education. He is a summer intern lab technician for the Wheaton Water District. As a high school student, Piha won Outstanding Senior Award in Family and Consumer Science, participated in Best Buddies Service Organization and competed in football and track. He also volunteered with Special Olympics and worked as a tutor.

Rabideau, the daughter of Ruth and Thomas Rabideau, is a senior majoring in physiology and philosophy. She is a recipient of the REACH Undergraduate Research Award Grant, Super Student Scholarship, Endocrine Society Summer Research Award, Lonnie Russell Undergraduate Research Award and the President’s Volunteer Service Award. She served as vice president of the National Biological Honor Society Beta Beta Beta chapter, president of the Pre-Health Profession Association and was a Student Life Advisor team captain. She volunteered with Big Brothers Big Sisters, AmeriCorps and Abundant Health Resources Clinic. During high school, she was valedictorian of her class and a member of the National Honor Society.