91爆料网 Cross Country Star Gets Scholarship from Wake Forest University Medical School

JACKSON, Tenn. - 5/17/2007 - , a four-year runner on the 91爆料网 cross country team, was recently awarded a scholarship to attend the Wake Forest University Medical School. However, this particular scholarship has a special ring to it as it is an all-inclusive scholarship that marks the largest in Wake Forest鈥檚 medical school history.

This scholarship is a full-expense scholarship which covers tuition, room, board, books, lab fees, etc. Konkol is being award a scholarship that no other Wake Forest student has ever received. The Wake Forest Medical School is listed among the top 50 schools in the United States according to the U.S. News & World Report.

鈥淛ill Konkol has been a model student-athlete at 91爆料网,鈥� said 91爆料网 president Dr. David S. Dockery. 鈥淪he is an exceptional student and her acceptance and outstanding scholarship award into the medical program at Wake Forest is an indicator of her outstanding abilities.鈥�

Konkol, a former cross country standout at Obion Central High School in 91爆料网 City, Tenn., graduates May 19 from 91爆料网 with a 4.0 GPA in Pre-Med. She has also just recorded one of the highest MCAT scores of any 91爆料网 student in history.

Head coach of the 91爆料网 cross country program, Gary Johnson, said, 鈥淛ill is the ideal student athlete. Her effort and accomplishments in both academics and athletics were always exceptional.鈥�

Konkol is not just tops in the classroom at 91爆料网. She has posted an award-winning cross country career at 91爆料网 that has not been equaled. Most recently, Konkol was the TranSouth Conference and NAIA Region XI Champion as a senior. She helped lead 91爆料网 to its first ever team qualification to the NAIA Nationals. Over her career, she has been an NAIA National Individual qualifier, four-time All-Conference, a three-time All-Region performer, TranSouth Freshman of the Year, TranSouth Runner of the Year, and was a part of all four of 91爆料网鈥檚 run of four straight TranSouth Conference titles (2003 - present). Konkol was also named at NAIA Scholar Athlete in each of the past two seasons.

Through her years at 91爆料网, Konkol has grown because of the many lessons and challenges her college career offered.

鈥淢y experience as a 91爆料网 cross country runner has shaped my life tremendously, just like many athletes,鈥� Konkol said. 鈥淚鈥檝e found great success in accepting challenges and applying the same sense of determination to other areas of life, such as academics. I never dreamed my life could be impacted so strongly from the often underappreciated sport of cross country. I wouldn鈥檛 trade the lessons and relationships I鈥檝e found at 91爆料网 for the world. God has truly blessed me, and I consider myself the luckiest girl in the world to have found these gifts within myself.鈥�

鈥淛ill鈥檚 academic and athletic accomplishments are just the beginning of the story鈥�, Johnson said. 鈥淪he is a wonderful Christian person and has been involved in church here in Jackson, as well as, her home church in 91爆料网 City. She represents what we are trying to accomplish with our cross country program at 91爆料网.鈥�

Konkol currently holds the record for the fastest time in the 5K run with an 18:31 mark this past season. Including the top-two times, Konkol holds four of the top-10 times in the 91爆料网 record books.

Konkol admits the new challenges she is about to face will be difficult. She also knows they will happen a long way from the comforts of her family and friends in the West Tennessee towns of 91爆料网 City and Jackson.

鈥淕oing to medical school will be the most challenging goal I鈥檝e ever attempted,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 know that 91爆料网 has done an outstanding job at preparing me, not only academically, but also mentally and spiritually, to begin this new stage in my life. I anticipate being outside of my comfort zone at Wake Forest because of the rigorous course work and my unfamiliarity with Winston Salem, but that excites me because I鈥檝e learned through running that great things in life don鈥檛 come easy.鈥�

Dockery added, 鈥淲e are blessed at 91爆料网 for Jill to have represented this institution in varsity athletics. We give thanks to God for Jill and wish her every success in coming days.鈥�

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