Pictured left to right are: Wesleyan President Pamela Balch; Marissa Pulice, the 2009 Magic 106.5 West Virginia Wesleyan American Scholar winner; Kayla Rose, first runner-up; Skylar Alonso, second runner-up; and Wesleyan Director of Admissions John Waltz.
Buckhannon, WV-Marissa Pulice, a senior at Fairmont Senior High School, is the third Magic 106.5 West Virginia Wesleyan American Scholar. She will receive a four-year tuition and fees scholarship valued at over $90,000 to attend the private residential college. The American Scholar program is also sponsored by G & S Wireless, MVB Bank, and Mission West Virginia.
Pulice, who plans to major in English education, is the daughter of Mitzi and Christopher Pulice of Fairmont. She is a four-year member of the Fairmont Senior marching and concert bands. A writer for the "Times West Virginian," Pulice is also vice president of the Key Club, section editor of the yearbook, a co-founder of F.I.N.E. Arts, and is employed as a produce clerk at Shop-N-Save. She attended Rhododendron Girls State and is a member of the National Honor Society and Mu Alpha Theta.
The first runner-up and winner of a $5,000 four-year renewable scholarship, is Kayla Rose, a senior at Braxton County High School. A four-year letter winner in volleyball, she also is a member of the softball team. Rose also participates in the Health Sciences and Technology Academy (HSTA) and is the president of the National Honor Society. She plans to pursue chemistry or political science and is the daughter of Bill and Cassandra Rose of Little Birch.
Skylar Alonso of Liberty High School is the second American Scholar runner-up. The daughter of Greg and Alonso of Clarksburg, she is a four-year member of marching band and a member of the peer mediation and the civil rights team at Liberty. A member of the National Honor Society, she is also a member of the Key Club, Student Council, and the Clarksburg First United Methodist Church. Alonso will receive a $2,500 four-year renewable award that can be added to other Wesleyan scholarships.
Twelve students were selected as finalists in the scholarship competition which began last fall. The remaining finalists were Joel Abraham from South Harrison, Arielle Baker from Fairmont Senior, Brandon Cochran from South Harrison, Cora Freeman from Gilmer County, Nolan Harvath from East Fairmont, Gabrielle LaFata from Morgantown, Ashley White from Buckhannon-Upshur, Kaleb Wilfong from Tucker County, and Ellis Wyatt from Harman.
Kate Turner of Liberty High School was the first American Scholar winner in 2006, while Jennifer Collins of Ritchie County High School won the scholarship award last year.
