The LaGrange Symphony Orchestra Announces the Inaugural Winners of the Dr. Scott H. Smith Award of Excellence Scholarship

The LaGrange Symphony Orchestra (LSO) announced the winners of the Dr. Scott H. Smith Award of Excellence Scholarship. The LSO’s Youth and Education Scholarship Committee annually identifies one exceptional graduate for this $500 award. However, the 2024 committee concluded that two young adults had exceptional standings. During this inaugural year of the award, the organization awarded both candidates a $500 scholarship.

Congratulations to Wesley Minicozzi and Jade Murray.  Wesley will be attending Clemson University to study Biomedicine with a concentration in Material Science, and Jade will be attending the University of Alabama at Birmingham to study Nursing. Both winners of the Dr. Scott H. Smith Award of Excellence Scholarship are 2024 graduates of the LaGrange Symphony Youth Orchestra and LaGrange High School.

The 2024 LSO Youth and Education Committee consisted of Clara Keith Brown, Gerry McGee, and Joyce Morgan Young. The committee along with LSO president Janet Johnson made the presentations to these deserving youth in front of the LSO Board of Directors at the June Board meeting.

This scholarship is open to any high school graduating senior enrolled in public, private, or home school who has at any time, past or present, participated in one or more of the LaGrange Symphony Orchestra’s programs. The application process consists of an application form with transcript and letter of recommendation, a written essay, and personal interview. Criteria evaluated are LaGrange Symphony Youth Orchestra participation, community/school involvement, essay quality, recommendation, and grade point average.

The scholarship award, adopted this fiscal year, is named in honor of Dr. Scott H. Smith, a retired professor from LaGrange College, who joined the LSO Board of Directors in June of 1992 and retired in June of 2021. Dr. Smith is the longest serving board member in LSO history with 29 years of active board membership. He provided valued leadership serving in numerous committee roles, various officer positions and as the organizations 11 ^th President. The LSO Board of Directors named this new scholarship The Dr. Scott H. Smith Scholarship to honor this man who spent his life’s work in the education of bright and inquisitive minds and worked tirelessly for many years to help develop and grow the multiple programs offered by the LaGrange Symphony Orchestra.

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