On April 26, the Rotary Club of Lexington conferred four awards upon four University of Kentucky engineering students. Three of the students will be freshmen this fall and one student will be a junior.
Todd William Montgomery of Paul Laurence Dunbar High School received the 2012 Rotary Scholar Award. Todd ranked in the top 2% of his 468 student class. A member of the prestigious Math, Science and Technology Center magnet program at Dunbar, Todd achieved a perfect score on his ACT test and a perfect “5” on all eight of his advanced placement exams. Todd was the captain and MVP of Dunbar’s regional champion soccer team and demonstrated remarkable extracurricular and community involvement. He won the Math, Science and Technology Center Physics Award as well as the Spanish II Award.
Todd worked on a graduate level research project with David Puleo, director of the Center for Biomedical Engineering at UK, focusing on the use of hydrogels in a calcium sulfate matrix as a drug delivery mechanism for periodontal growth. He plans to attend UK this fall, majoring in mechanical engineering with an eye to later graduate studies.
Kenneth Edward Freeman of Lafayette High School made the All-Fayette County High School Academic Team. Kenneth ranked fourth in his class and was a member of the National Honor Society, Beta Club and Mu Alpha Theta Math Club. Kenneth was a four-year member of the varsity swim team, serving as captain the last two years. He was the team’s MVP in 2010 and 2011. Kenneth has also been a member of the U.S. National Deaf Swim Team for the last two years. Kenneth will attend UK and major in mechanical engineering this fall.
Grant Boggess of Paul Laurence Dunbar High School also made the All-Fayette County High School Academic Team. Grant was the captain of the Academic Team, a member of the Science National Honor Society, Beta Club and Mayor’s Youth Council. He was a member of Dunbar’s swim team and also participated in the Math, Science and Technology Center Research Project at UK. Grant earned a perfect score on his ACT and is a National Merit Semifinalist. He will attend UK this fall, majoring in biosystems engineering.
Scott Ashcraft, soon to be a senior mechanical engineering student at UK, received one off eight Rotary Club College and University Scholarships. Scott is specializing in aeronautics and is president of the student chapter of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), as well as an Engineering Student Ambassador and a senator in UK Student Government. Scott’s dream is to begin a career at NASA after completing a master’s degree focusing on aeronautical engineering.