Four Hannibal-LaGrange University business students have been awarded a scholarship in recognition of their promising potential as free society scholars. The $3,000 Free Society Scholarship is funded by the Moorman Professorship Grant which exists at HLGU to promote the ideals of a free society on campus. A free society is one that enables people to express their God-given creativity to flourish and prosper.
Ashlyn Vermeer (freshman), Brenda Mata (sophomore), Destiny McClintock (junior), and Jessie Kohl (senior), are this year’s scholarship recipients. As free society scholars, these students will conduct research on the foundations of a free society. These foundations are a free-market economic system, a democratic form of government, and strong cultural institutions like the church.
“I think I am most excited to independently explore an area and simply become, not necessarily an expert, but at least well versed enough to hold a long conversation with someone about it,” says Jessie Kohl, senior scholarship recipient. “Few things beat out the ability to have a deep, well-informed conversation with someone on a topic in which you are passionately investing time in learning about.”
These students were selected based on an essay submission explaining what a free society is, what it means to them, and what it means to their community and country. This is a renewable scholarship so students can continue their research throughout their college career.
“I am really excited about the opportunity to work with this group of students over the course of their academic career at HLGU,” says Scott Hall, Moorman Professor of Business at HLGU. “To be able to work with them year to year on a consistent topic is worth its weight in gold. It’s the kind of thing you don’t get to do within the frame of normal coursework. I can’t wait to see how it turns out.”
For more information about free society programming at Hannibal-LaGrange University, contact FreeSociety@hlg.edu.