KU News Release

KU announces 158 new freshmen selected to be Mount Oread Scholars

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LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas has announced the names of 158 high ability, high achieving first-year students selected as Mount Oread Scholars.

Established in 1996, the Mount Oread Scholars Program is designed to facilitate academic connections on campus and is part of KU’s Freshman-Sophomore Advising Center. New first-year students are invited to become a Mount Oread Scholar if they graduated in the top 20 percent of their high school class and received an ACT composite score of at least 28 or a minimum SAT score of 1,240.

Mount Oread Scholars work individually with an adviser in their field of interest, share class schedules to form study or discussion groups and enroll in relatively small classes taught by veteran faculty. There is also a Learning Community and orientation seminar course reserved for scholars. The program’s retention rate is above 90 percent.

Before the school year begins, the new class of Mount Oread Scholars traditionally makes the walk up the hill known on campus as Mount Oread. The walk signifies the beginning of a higher education journey for these scholars whose ultimate goal is to walk down the hill as part of KU’s commencement tradition.

This is the 10th class of Mount Oread Scholars to make the walk. On Aug. 14, two scholars carried the 2006 KU graduation banner to further mark this important beginning, and many of the scholars wore T-shirts emblazoned with “What Goes Up, Must Come Down.”

Kathryn Nemeth Tuttle, associate vice provost for Student Success, led the walk, pointing out landmarks along the way and providing commentary about KU’s history. At the top of the hill, staff members of the University Libraries welcomed the students to Spencer Research Library, where a continental breakfast was served. Vice Provost for Student Success Marlesa Roney and Assistant Dean of Libraries Scott Walter joined in welcoming the students.

The new Mount Oread Scholars are listed below by hometown, major, parents’ names and high school. Some of the scholars have enough academic credits to qualify them for sophomore status even though they are in their first year at KU.

ABOUT MOUNT OREAD
Mount Oread is the name that was given to the ridge above the Kaw River on Aug. 1, 1854, by New Englanders settling in Lawrence. They pitched camp on the ridge, naming it for an institute in Massachusetts that also occupied a commanding site overlooking its town. The word “oread” is derived from Greek and Roman mythology meaning “mountain nymph.”

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The University of Kansas is a major comprehensive research and teaching university. University Relations is the central public relations office for KU's Lawrence campus.