Farewell to the Class of 2012

by Barbara Kennedy

While they wrapped up their Baylor years while enjoying the time-honored tradition of the senior trip (featured in the slide show above), the Class of 2012 had plenty to celebrate. Collectively, these seniors were offered $12.4 million in merit-based aid, with 125 students (66 percent of the class) receiving 306 different merit scholarship offers. Thirty-eight students received scholarship offers of at least $100,000 in total.

Seventy-two Tennessee residents qualified to receive $1.1 million in HOPE scholarship funds.

Seven Georgia residents will attend a Georgia college, enabling them to access $163,036 in Georgia HOPE Scholarship funds.

Eleven students received athletic scholarship offers valued at a total of $823.682.

67% of the class will matriculate at institutions in the Most Competitive, Highly Competitive, and Very Competitive categories (according to Barron’s Profiles of American Colleges). Specifically, 19% will attend institutions ranked in the Most Competitive category, 17% will attend institutions in the Highly Competitive category, and 31% will attend institutions in the Very Competitive category.
186 members of the class will scatter among 90 colleges. A total of 71% will attend Southern institutions, 9.4% will attend Northeastern/Mid-Atlantic schools, 7.9% will venture to the Midwest, and 8.9% will attend Southwestern and Western schools combined.

Some of the academic scholarships valued at over $25,000 per year offered to the Class of 2012 include:
            Case Western Reserve University Scholarship
            Gates Millennium Scholarship
            Harvard University Faculty Scholarship
            Lehigh University Grant
            Millsaps College Presidential Top Scholars
            Mount Holyoke College 21st Century Scholar
            Northeastern University National Merit Scholarship
            Ohio Wesleyan University Leland F. and Helen Schubert Scholar
            Rhodes College Cambridge Scholarship
            Stetson University Faculty Scholarship
            Tulane University Distinguished Scholars Award
            Tulane University Presidential Scholarship (3)
            United States Navy ROTC Scholarship
            U of Arkansas Academic Scholarship
            Vanderbilt University Cornelius Vanderbilt Scholarship
            Washington & Lee University Faculty Scholarship
            Washington University in St. Louis Danforth Scholars
            Washington University in St. Louis Mesmer & Dean’s Honorary Scholarship
            Wittenberg University Provost Schola

Outstanding Student Leaders Honored

The JOHN ROY BAYLOR AWARD is presented to a senior who has contributed richly to the school, both as a citizen and scholar. Named for Baylor’s visionary founder and first headmaster, the John Roy Baylor Award for 2012 was presented to Lucas Conwell, who will attend Tufts University

Zach Watson is the winner of this year’s ALEXANDER GUERRY AWARD. Named for Baylor’s second headmaster, the award is presented to a senior who has contributed richly to the position of honor and right at Baylor. Guerry served Baylor from 1913-29 and was headmaster from 1926-29. Watson will attend the University of Virginia.

The HERBERT B. BARKS, SR., AWARD is presented to boarding students who have contributed richly to the spirit and quality of life of the residential program. This honor is named for Baylor’s third headmaster, who joined the Baylor faculty in 1924 and served as headmaster from 1929-64. The Class of 2012 honorees are Qistina Broome, Matthew Chen, Jackson Pride, and Ashley Yearwood. Broome is from Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, and lived in Riverfront Hall. She will attend the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga. A resident of Kingston, Jamaica, Chen lived in Harrison Hall and will attend Stanford University. Pride, who is from Charleston, S.C., and lived in Lupton 2, will attend The Citadel. Yearwood is from Hamilton Parish, Bermuda, and lived in Hunter Hall. She will attend Denison University.

The HERBERT B. BARKS, JR., AWARD is presented to seniors who have contributed richly to the Baylor spirit. Dr. Barks was headmaster from 1971-88 and is remembered for his charismatic leadership and remarkable enthusiasm. This year’s honorees are Logan Davis, Marshall Farrell, and Carol Fleissner. Davis will attend Tulane University, Farrell will attend Ohio State University, and Fleissner will attend Butler University

Baylor’s Valedictorian and Salutatorian Named

Lucas Conwell was named valedictorian, and Noah Lee was named salutatorian for Baylor’s class of 2012. Conwell and Lee are both members of the National Honor Society and Cum Laude Society. In addition to their many academic accomplishments, both have participated in a number of extracurricular activities.

Conwell, a National Merit Finalist, was a recipient of the John Roy Baylor Award, Leadership Capstone Award, French Award, Senior History Award, and Band Award. He was a member of the varsity crew team, concert band, Round Table, and French Club. He also served as a peer tutor, a Model UN and Student Congress member, and a Baylor Notes editor. He will attend Tufts University in the fall.

Lee participated in soccer, organic gardening, and community service, while also serving as a writing tutor and a dorm proctor and prefect for Lupton 3. He served as a freshman trip instructor and was selected to participate in the 2011 Jim Pearce Leadership Trip. He will attend the University of Chicago.

Lucas Conwell delivers Valedictory address

Noah Lee delivers Salutatory address