Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College and WTHI-TV announce that Emma Bird and Heather Ennis of West Terre Haute, Tiffany Marshall of Kingman and Kirstin Strow of Paris, Ill., have been chosen as recipients of the Top Ten on 10 Scholarship.
Emma Bird is in the top 10 percent of her class at West Vigo High School, where she’s been on the honor roll and is a member of National Honor Society. She’s also a member of the Vikings’ band and varsity swim team.
Bird believes that successful leaders have three characteristics in common: being responsible, dedicated and courageous. Bird says she is inspired by the work of Saint Mother Theodore Guerin, foundress of SMWC, who exhibited all three characteristics. Bird plans to study history at SMWC and become a history teacher. “I hope I will have her courage when the time comes and I need to show it,” Bird said about Guerin.
Heather Ennis has a passion for history and art history that is evident in her scholarship application essay on leadership. In the essay she explained leaders must have fierce determination, an ability to inspire and make others sacrifice something of themselves, the ability to articulate ideas clearly and be able to transform abstract ideas into concrete actions. To support her points, she used examples from the work of Winston Churchill, Tony Blair, Elizabeth I of England, and members of the Victorian-era art movement, the Pre-Raphaelites.
Ennis regularly volunteered at the White Violet Center for Eco-Justice at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, not far from Ennis’ home. She helped plant and harvest the organic garden at White Violet as well as care for the bees and work with fiber from the center’s alpacas. She says the experience made her feel like she was doing something worthwhile rather than simply reading about it.
Ennis, who is home-schooled, is interested in studying history, English and humanities at SMWC. She wants to pursue a graduate degree in art history and go into museum work or teaching.
A three-year National Honor Society member at Turkey Run High School, Tiffany Marshall not only works hard academically but also on the basketball court and through volunteering. She’s a four-year varsity letter winner in basketball, a peer tutor and volunteers at her church, basketball camps and at the Covered Bridge Festival. She’s also a member of her school’s science club.
Marshall is a strong believer in community. “Being a part of a community is a huge responsibility. It is about being there for your neighbors and about rallying behind others when they need it the most,” Marshall said. “It is about donating your time and caring about others.”
Marshall plans to study public relations with a possible minor in science. A career she’s considering is as a physical therapist.
At Paris High School, Kirstin Strow is treasurer of the school’s National Honor Society. She’s on the school’s Renaissance Gold High Honor Roll, which acknowledges students who earn a 4.4 grade point average and a 5.0 scale.
Strow is considering majoring in education. She says one of her main focuses in the classroom would be to teach children how to become leaders. “The number one priority of a leader should be to improve the current status of the community in which he or she lives,” Strow wrote in an essay about leadership. “By becoming a teacher I will encourage all students to become involved in at least one activity that will help to improve the community in which we live today.”
Interested in the Top Ten on 10 Scholarship?
The Top Ten on 10 Scholarship Competition, sponsored by Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College and WTHI-TV, is open to any female student enrolled in grade 12 in a public, private or parochial school in the WTHI viewing area. Female students in grade 12 who are homeschooled are also encouraged to apply.
Through February, 10 students will be chosen to receive a $13,000 renewable SMWC scholarship. Winners are chosen based on academic records, leadership and community service roles, high school/community references and a written essay. From the 10 winners, two students are chosen to receive $20,000 renewable SMWC scholarships.
To be considered for the competition, students must submit a completed application, a high school transcript, SAT or ACT scores, two recommendation forms accompanied by letters of recommendation (one from a school official and one from a community member), and a written essay. The application can be submitted online at www.smwc.edu, and the additional application materials can be submitted by mail or in person.
Deadline for receipt of all application materials is 4:30 p.m. on the first Friday of every month. Materials received after the deadline will be considered for the following month’s competition. Once a student has applied for the award, she does not need to reapply. If she is not named a scholarship recipient during the month in which she applies, her application will be considered for the award during the following months.
For more information about the Top Ten on 10 Scholarship Competition or Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College, contact the SMWC Office of Admission by e-mail at or by phone at (812) 535-5106 or 1-800-926-SMWC.
Related Links
- Campus Program Information
- Campus Program Majors and Minors
- Campus Program Scholarships (Including the Top Ten on 10 Scholarship)