The Park Scholarships program at North Carolina State University has named 105 Finalists for the Class of 2019 – the twentieth class of Park Scholars.

Approximately 200 NC State alumni who comprise the Park Scholarships Selection Committee conducted interviews with 292 Semifinalists in early January. The Semifinalists were chosen from a record number of nearly 1,800 applicants.

Finalists will visit the NC State campus on February 20-21 to participate in Final Selection Activities at the Dorothy and Roy Park Alumni Center. These activities will include individual interviews, group discussion tasks, and panels with faculty and Park Scholars. Finalists and their guests will also attend a reception and dinner hosted by NC State Chancellor Randy Woodson.

Among this year’s Finalists are many student body presidents, varsity athletic team captains, Eagle Scouts, and Girl Scout Gold Award recipients. A number of them are National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists. Several have already demonstrated a passion for research: one placed second nationally in the Siemens We Can Change the World Challenge, another is engineering a wireless power transfer method for the recharging of implanted biomedical device batteries, and a third is leading a microlab experiment that will be sent to the International Space Station this spring.

Finalists for the Park Class of 2019 are committed to giving back. They have participated in service efforts domestically and abroad, from New Orleans to Peru to Uganda. One founded a nonprofit organization dedicated to sea turtle protection, one is a leading advocate for the deaf in his community, and a few have coordinated charity road races to benefit important causes. Two Finalists were named Outstanding Student Philanthropists by the Association for Fundraising Professionals.

These Finalists are making their voices heard! Among them are the state of Colorado’s first place award recipient in the 2014 National Federation of Press Women student journalism competition, the Harvard Model Congress Best Delegate award recipient, and a North South Foundation national public speaking champion. One placed first at the Chicagoland Television Educators Council Festival for a public service announcement about bullying, one delivered a TedX talk on racial identity, and another represented the United States at the 2014 Asia Pacific Young Leaders Summit in Singapore.

This year’s Finalists also include a private pilot, officers of an Eating Local Foods Club and the Harry Potter Alliance, a Brazilian candy maker, a member of the US Lacrosse 2014 Academic All-American team, and the founder of a barbershop quartet called The Big Bass Theory.

Finalist biographies, listed by state and county, are available via PDF: Park Class of 2019 Finalist Bios

The Park Scholarships program brings exceptional students to NC State University based on outstanding accomplishments and potential in scholarship, leadership, service, and character. The program develops and supports Park Scholars in these areas, preparing them for lifelong contributions to the campus, state, nation, and world. The scholarship includes tuition and fees, room and board, enrichment activities, and additional expenses.

The Park Scholarships are named for the late Roy H. Park ’31, an NC State alumnus who created the charitable Park Foundation, dedicated to education, media, and the environment. Approximately 40 scholarships will be awarded this year to outstanding high school seniors for undergraduate study in any discipline at NC State.