JOPLIN — A reception and dinner was held Friday, Nov. 15 to honor the 2019-20 Humphreys Scholars at 211 S. Main St. (the old Commerce Bank building).
The Debra and David Humphreys Excellence Award was established with a $1 million gift in 2017, with plans to award scholarships to Missouri Southern State University students for 10 years.
The annual recipients of the award – or Humphreys Scholars – are graduates of high schools within 50 miles of Missouri Southern and majoring in biological and physical sciences, mathematics, education, accounting, finance, engineering technology or computer science. Students in the “Yours to Lose” advanced medical school program will also be eligible for the award.
The funds awarded cover at least 50 percent of their tuition for that school year.
To be eligible, students must meet one of the following criteria at the time of application:
- At least a 3.7 high school or collegiate GPA (on a 4.0 scale).
- A 28 or above composite ACT score or a combined critical reading and mathematics SAT score of 1300.
- Graduate in the top 10 percent of their high-school class.
Preference will be given to students who demonstrate financial need, and the scholarship will be renewable for up to eight semesters, as long as the recipient maintains at least a 3.5 GPA.
The Humphreys are known for their support for education in the region. David Humphreys has served as the Chief Executive Officer and President of Joplin-based TAMKO Building Products since 1994, a company which his grandfather started in 1944. He and his wife, Debra, played an integral role in the 1993 establishment of Thomas Jefferson Independent Day School, an independent, private school in Joplin.
The most recent recipients of the scholarship are:
Alba
Jesse Brumit, junior, accounting
Carl Junction
Austin Rose, sophomore, finance
Carterville
Anna Shofler, freshman, KCUMB pre-med
Carthage
Sydney Peters, freshman, secondary education
Jasper
Eliza Tidball, senior, logistics
Joplin
Emma Bragg, freshman, secondary education
Melody Cunningham, senior, biology/pre-med
Gibran Galindo, sophomore, industrial engineering technology
Norman Lewis, freshman, art-visual
Allyson Marlett, senior, education
Joseph McGuire, junior, CIS
Tanner Movick, sophomore, biology/pre-med
Joshua Painter, senior, KCUMB pre-med
Hailey Stamper, sophomore, education
Wade Yancey, junior, CIS
Neosho
Adam Haddock, junior accounting
Amber Shepeard, freshman, biology
Benjamin Massey, freshman, finance
Reeds
Garrett Dunn, senior, KCUMB pre-med
Sarcoxie
Willow Jones, senior, accounting
Ashleigh Sommer, freshman, biology
Webb City
Emily Dagnan, senior, secondary education
Mackenzie Hansen, sophomore, accounting
Cade Hensely, junior, physics/engineering
Natalie Lown, junior, accounting
Alexia Maddux, junior, elementary education
