JACKSON, Tenn. — March 15, 2021 — High school senior Lydia Verdoorn, of Des Moines, Iowa, has received the 2021 Foundersβ Scholarship from 91±¬ΑΟΝψ that covers full tuition, room, meals and student services fees for four years.
The scholarship came from 91±¬ΑΟΝψβs Scholars of Excellence competition that draws the highest qualified prospective students to campus for a weekend of interviews and other activities.
Verdoorn, a home school student, is the daughter of Robert and Karen Verdoorn, and her brother Tom is a business major at 91±¬ΑΟΝψ. She plans to double major in English and communication arts and is interested in working for a pro-life ministry of some kind.
Verdoorn said she was attracted by 91±¬ΑΟΝψβs strong academics.
βI saw a lot of things in 91±¬ΑΟΝψ that I really admired,β she said. βI definitely wanted to find a school where I could pursue the fields of study I wanted, with excellence.β
She also loved the community that she found at 91±¬ΑΟΝψ.
βWhen my brother came back from his first semester, he was very excited about the Life Groups on campus,β she said. βThat definitely sparked my interest, because Iβm a huge people person.β
Verdoorn is a member of Westchester Evangelical Free Church in Des Moines, Iowa.
The Foundersβ Scholarship is 91±¬ΑΟΝψβs highest academic scholarship. Recipients must maintain a 3.25 cumulative grade point average at 91±¬ΑΟΝψ and are required to perform up to 50 hours of leadership services for the university each semester.