McConnell Center welcomes 10 new McConnell Scholars

(July 15, 2014) LOUISVILLE, Ky.—The McConnell Center welcomes its 22nd class of McConnell Scholars to the University of Louisville.
McConnell Center welcomes 10 new McConnell Scholars

Ten recent Kentucky high school graduates have been selected to join the McConnell Scholars Program based on their leadership, scholarship and service in the Commonwealth. The McConnell Scholars Program is a non-partisan, prestigious educational enrichment and scholarship program that offers financial scholarships, liberal education seminars and access to local, national and world leaders, along with a high emphasis of giving back to the community through service

In addition to full-tuition scholarship packages to the University of Louisville, the McConnell Scholars Class of 2018 will participate in an extended summer study abroad to China and a trip to Washington, D.C., over the course of four years.

The 10 new McConnell Scholars are:

  • Frank Bencomo, of Louisville, Ky. – graduate of Atherton High School
  • Christian Bush, of Louisville, Ky. – graduate of St. Xavier High School
  • Robert Gassman, of Louisville, Ky. – graduate of Christian Academy of Louisville
  • Kyle Hilbrecht, of Louisville, Ky. – graduate of St. Xavier High School
  • Ocey Holland, of Louisville, Ky. – graduate of Southern High School
  • Ronica Hutchison, of Falmouth, Ky. – graduate of Pendleton County High School
  • X’Zashea Lawson-Mayes, of Cadiz, Ky. – graduate of Trigg County High School
  • Phillip Lentsch, of Louisville, Ky. – graduate of duPont Manual High School
  • Macey Mayes, of Central City, Ky. – graduate of Muhlenburg County High School
  • Anna Cecile Pepper, of Elizabethtown, Ky. – graduate of Elizabethtown High School

Over the past 23 years, the McConnell Center has given more than $3 million in scholarship money to more than 200 Kentucky students; mentored them to compete for elite national graduate scholarships; helped them travel the world, engage with local, national and world leaders; and enrich their academic experience with liberal education seminars.

U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell, together with the University of Louisville, founded the non-partisan scholarship program in 1991 to benefit Kentucky’s best and brightest students.