From the Duke News Service

June 21, 2001

Fifteen high school graduates have won prestigious Angier B. Duke Memorial scholarships, which are undergraduate merit awards at Duke University.

The Angier B. Duke scholarship winners for 2001 were chosen from among 41 finalists. The scholarships are awarded to intellectually outstanding students who show promise of being intellectual leaders.

The awards cover full tuition for four years (one year may be spent abroad on a university-approved program) and include a six-week summer study program at Oxford, England. Based on estimated tuition rates, a scholarship will be worth more than $100,000 to a student over a four-year period.

The winners are:

• Linda Jeanette Arnade of Palm Beach, Fla., daughter of Amuy Chi Chong and Stephen Leigh. Arnade is a graduate of Palm Bay High School, where she has been a member of the varsity swim team and the academic team. She was named to USA Today's All-American Team for High School Students and was a national finalist in the Siemans Westinghouse Science Competition. She composes her own music and songs for electric and acoustic guitar. She will defer admission to Duke until 2002 in order to participate in the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange Program in Germany. Her academic interests include medicine and the sciences.

• Anna Katyn Chmielewski of Weaverville, daughter of Margaret and Thomas Chmielewski. She is a graduate of North Buncombe High School, where she has worked on the yearbook and school newspaper, and was a member of the math and tennis teams. She has also pursued her interest in portrait art. She wants to pursue studies at Duke in mathematics and philosophy.

• Albert Po-Hsuan Chu of Buffalo Grove, Ill., son of Wei Jeng-Chu and Dr. Alexander Hang-Torng Chu. He is a graduate of Adlai E. Stevenson High School, where he was active in the math team and won a NASA grant for research. He also volunteered for community agencies and interned at Motorola. He wants to pursue studies at Duke in biomedical engineering, biology, philosophy and history.

• Zane Anthony Curtis-Olsen of Charlotte, son of Mary Cecelia and Martin Francis Olsen. He graduated from Myers Park High School, where he competed in cross country track and on the debate team. He was named to the USA Today All-American Team for High School Students. He has been a volunteer clothes sorter with the Crisis Assistance Ministry and has joined members of the Youth Breaking Barriers organization in building a wheel chair ramp. He wants to pursue studies at Duke in physics.

• Julius Kazys Degesys of Bahama, son of Ruta Sofija and Dr. Gintaras Eduard Degesys. He graduated from Durham Academy Upper School, where he was an officer on the honor council and student council, a participant in the Science Olympiad and a tennis player. Degesys, a recent immigrant from Lithuania, won Durham Academy's Joseph C. Farmer III Memorial Award for academic and athletic achievement.

• Emily Beth Heikamp of Metairie, La., daughter of Charlene and David Heikamp. She graduated from Archbishop Chapelle High School, where she was a member of the National Honor Society and participated in the Tulane Science Scholars Program. She won numerous awards at the New Orleans District Science Fair. She was also a volunteer with the Matthew 25 Program, which supports a variety of community projects, including a camp for disabled children. Heikamp wants to pursue studies at Duke in science and medicine.

• Sean Michael Kedrowski of Signal Mountain, Tenn., son of Cynthia Marie and James Henry Kedrowski. He graduated from Baylor School, where he was a U.S. National Chemistry Olympian, placing first in his region. He also participated in the National Forensics League Student Congress and received the team student-athlete award in varsity swimming. Kedrowski, who is an Eagle Scout, wants to pursue studies at Duke in chemistry.

• Christopher Robert Manz of Evans, Ga., son of Kathy and Robert Manz, graduated from Greenbrier High School. He was president of the Beta Club and participated in the cross country, track and swimming teams. He also attended the Governor's Honors Program in Science. As a member of his church's youth group, he traveled to Russia on a mission trip. Manz, who is an Eagle Scout, wants to pursue studies at Duke in biomedical engineering.

• Oaz Nir of Saratoga, Calif., son of Dalia and Dr. Israel Nir. He graduated from Monta Vista High School, where he was a gold medallist in the 2000 International Math Olympiad. He was a guest lecturer at the Berkeley Math Circle and Stanford Math Camp. Nir, who played on the varsity water polo team, wants to pursue studies at Duke in math and psychology.

• Suzanne Hillary Nussbaum of Annandale, Va., daughter of Drs. Deborah Rachlin and Barry Nussbaum. She graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, where she was a member of the Thomas Jefferson Colonial Singers, the National Honor Society and the Spanish Honor Society. She participated in the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life and Virginia's Governor's School for Spanish. Nussbaum, a Spanish and Portuguese scholarship winner, said she wants to pursue studies at Duke in film and video and Spanish.

• Jacqueline Ou of Lexington, Mass., daughter of Susan and Dr. Chachi Ou. She graduated from Lexington High School, where she was a member of the mathematics team and a leader in science competitions. She earned first-place awards three different years at the Massachusetts State Science Fair. Her team won a first-place award in state and national competition of the National Science Olympiad. Ou, who is a member of a traditional Chinese dance troupe, was named to the USA Today All-American Team for High School Students. She has been a leader and soloist in a student-directed a cappella group. She wants to pursue studies at Duke in biology, math, history and neuroscience.

• James Timothy Pineda of Columbia, S.C., son of Alice and Jaime Pineda. He graduated from Richland Northeast High School, where he played violin in various orchestras and was involved in Student Government and the National Honor Society. Pineda, who was also active in the Model United Nations team, wants to pursue studies at Duke in chemistry and international relations.

• Althea Rani (Thea) Sircar of Charlotte, daughter of Anna and Dhrubo Sircar. She graduated from a home school, Claybury School. Home schooled since the second grade, Sircar has been involved in the National Homeschool Debate League and a member of the Charlotte Mathematics Club. She plays violin in the Charlotte Symphony Youth Orchestra and at church. She taught elementary French to children ages 4 to 11. She wants to pursue studies at Duke in economics and mathematics.

• Yuan (Charles) Tao of Nashville, Tenn., son of Vivian and Dr. Yong Tai, is a graduate of Martin Luther King Jr. Magnet High School. He was a Quiz Bowl team member and president of the Model United Nations. He was also president of Youth in Government and a first-prize winner of the Science Olympiad, in addition to several other awards. Tao, who has assisted with cancer research at Vanderbilt University, wants to pursue studies at Duke in biomedical engineering and medicine.

• Margaret Jan-yee Wat of Naperville, Ill., daughter of Anna and Nelson Wat. She graduated from the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy. In addition to her school activities, she was editor and communication director of Real Science Multimedia Magazine, an annual CD. She was one of 12 students selected nationwide for a Baylor University Summer Research Fellowship. She also conducted science research at Northwestern University medical school. Wat, who is co-author of a book on 21st century scientists to be published by Prometheus Books, wants to pursue studies at Duke in biochemistry, medicine and genetics.

The scholarships stem from the Angier B. Duke Memorial Inc., established in 1925 by Benjamin Newton Duke, one of the founders of Duke University, in memory of his son, Angier Buchanan Duke.

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