Three incoming College of Social Science students receive prestigious scholarships

July 17, 2024

Three incoming College of Social Science students were recently named Alumni/University Distinguished Scholars and will be recipients of some of the most prestigious and competitive scholarships in the country. 

The scholarships cover full tuition, room and board, and a stipend for up to eight semesters of study, and are valued at approximately $140,000 for in-state students and $240,000 for out-of-state students.. Each awardee also receives a spot in the Honors College’s Professorial Assistantship program, which provides a two-year research placement with a faculty member. A total of 18 incoming freshmen received scholarships. 

These freshmen, including the three incoming College of Social Science students, were selected from approximately 1,200 of the top high school seniors who applied to MSU. They each wrote short essay responses, took an intensive general knowledge exam, and participated in interviews with the selection committee this past winter to earn the scholarship. 

Noah Forman, a 2024 graduate of Florida Atlantic University High School, plans to major in Economics. Both his grandparents and mother attended Michigan State, all having lived in Wilson Hall while students. During his high school career, Forman was active in the National Honor Society and was a member of the cross-country team. He founded and directed the Chiari Awareness 5k, served as a Boca Raton Police Explorers captain, and earned a third-degree Kukkiwon black belt in Taekwondo. 

Nolan Means of Harborfields High School in Greenlawn, New York, will be majoring in History through the College of Social Science and the Honors College. Means was a member of the cross country and track teams in high school, and participated in several other extracurricular activities, including vocal music, chess and creative writing.

The College’s University Distinguished Scholar recipient was Katherine Dyal, a graduate of Frenship High School in Lubbock, Texas. University Distinguished were personally selected by the Director of Admissions, John Ambrose, and the Dean of the Honors College, Christopher Long, based on high school programs, achievements, and interviews with the finalists. Dyal plans to major in History, and was an active participant in Academic Decathlon while in high school. 

“These eighteen scholars represent a remarkable cohort of academic excellence and community engagement,” said Christopher Long, dean of the MSU Honors College through the scholarship competition cycle. “We look forward to how they will influence the Honors College, Michigan State University, and the world.”

Read the full release here.