May 23, 2012 // Local

Liz Anthony named Hesburgh Yusko scholar

Todays Catholic

Saint Joseph’s High School student Liz Anthony, works on a book drive she initiated. Anthony was chosen as a Hesburgh-Yusko Scholar.

SOUTH BEND — Saint Joseph’s High School student Liz Anthony is a remarkable young woman with an exciting life ahead. She was chosen to be a Hesburgh-Yusko Scholar at the University of Notre Dame, one of only 25 in the world. This program “is the first merit-based and enrichment scholarship program at the university, but the benefits for scholars far exceed the monetary award ($100,000 over the four years). The program is also a leadership development program that engages students throughout the academic year and summer.”

Anthony is excited about the summer enrichment experiences that are an integral part of the program. She begins on July 3 and will spend the next several weeks in North Carolina’s Appalachian Mountains in the wilderness leadership experience. The sequence continues with social justice, global inquiry and the final summer is a professional venture. Anthony is familiar with an orphanage in Santiago, Chili, run by the Brothers of the Holy Cross, and hopes her social justice summer experience of service may be spent there.

According to the program’s website, Hesburgh-Yusko.org, it states, “We believe that self-discovery and leadership development should not stop at the end of the academic year. Each scholar receives funding for these four summers to complete this journey toward becoming a transformational leader and each one tailors the summer enrichment experience to fit his or her interests and long-term goals.” The information on the program continues, “Scholars will meet and learn from people with vastly different life experiences. They will travel the world. They will learn to persevere through challenges and obstacles and even failure. They will discover interests, refine lifelong pursuits, identify passions and lay the groundwork for future careers.”

Anthony already has a deeply engrained desire to lead and serve. Through her youth leadership involvement last year, a decision was made to have a children’s book drive. With the success of that endeavor and her passion for books and reading, Anthony took on another book drive this spring — one initiated and carried out almost single-handedly. Knowing the move to the new building would involve the discarding of many old textbooks, she saw the opportunity to fill a need. In cooperation with the St. Joseph County Literacy Council and Better World Books, Anthony launched what became an amazingly successful drive.

This type of leadership and initiative obviously was key in her being chosen for the prestigious Hesburgh-Yusko Scholar Program. In addition to this honor, Anthony has recently been invited to take part in the Glynn Family Honors Program at Notre Dame. This is strictly an academic program, offered to six to 10 of the Hesburgh-Yusko Scholars, and is open to science and arts and letters majors. This program will afford her many academic advantages, enhancing the promise of an already remarkable college experience. Anthony is currently considering the Program of Liberal Studies with possible minors in Spanish, economics or peace studies.

When notified that she had been chosen, Anthony commented, “Receiving the Hesburgh-Yusko Scholarship at Notre Dame is an incredible honor and dream come true for me. Each summer, there are opportunities to grow, research and serve both in the United States and abroad. This allows me to combine my love for Notre Dame and my desire to travel and have new experiences.” She can now add the honor of joining the Glynn Family Honors Program.