SPA scholar’s work leads to guest professorship in China

BY SALLY ACHARYA, ADRIENNE FRANK, AND MIKE UNGER

This year’s freshman class is AU’s most competitive ever.

A total of 13,596 students applied to AU for fall 2005 admission, an 11 percent increase over last year’s record-high. Fifty-one percent were admitted, two percent lower than last year’s admit-rate of 53 percent.

The class that arrived in late August is academically accomplished, boasting a mean SAT score of 1266, 17 points higher than last year’s average. Their average high school GPA is 3.51.

The new class represent 49 states (only Alabama is missing) and 29 countries.

Sharon Alston, director of admissions, is buoyed by the freshmen class statistics.

“I think we are attracting great students,” she said. “We are perceived as being one of the more selective universities in the country. I also think it says something about the academic quality that the students will receive here.”

Below, American Weekly introduces you to five interesting freshmen.

Alan Boswell
Alan Boswell is finally in the middle of the action. After a childhood spent in comfortable Aledo, Ill.—about 3,600 people live in the small rural town nestled near the Iowa border—Boswell, a self-described “news and political junkie,” yearned for a more exciting environment.

“I just wanted to be somewhere where things were happening,” he said.

Before enrolling in AU Boswell had been to Washington twice, and he knew it would provide just what he was looking for in a collegiate experience. He was drawn to AU’s proximity to downtown Washington power, but also to its attractive quad.

“Coming from a small town, I definitely wanted to be somewhere that had some open space and grass,” he said.

In high school, Boswell wrestled, played basketball, served as the student government’s vice president, and played trombone, all while compiling a 3.998 GPA. His only B (it was a B+) came in driver’s ed.

“The teacher said I ran a stop sign,” he said. “I didn’t think I did.”

Boswell said his first few weeks of college have been busy—and enjoyable. In addition to a full class load, he’s playing intramural flag football and he’s involved with the Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship. That group held a scavenger hunt through Washington, an activity that enabled Boswell to soak up the city’s unique architecture, culture, and spirit.

“I love the atmosphere,” he said. “Just knowing you’re in the nation’s capital.”

Jennifer Corey
Every summer, Jennifer Corey’s grandfather made her get up by 7 a.m. to muck out the stables.

It was part of the deal. Unless Corey (and her two sisters and 13 cousins) did their share of the work on the 45-horse farm, they couldn’t ride. The threat of losing time on horseback was enough to get even a teenager up at dawn.

Her grandfather has always owned horses, but a knee injury had caused him to look into an unusual breed, Paso Finos. The Spanish breed of New World horses is known for a gentle gait with almost no jarring up-and-down movement. Corey acquired the family love of the graceful breed and is now third place National Champion equestrian. Paso Fino riders are judged by such tests as their ability to carry a tray of wine without spilling.

Most Paso Fino horses are imported, and their commands are in Spanish. Fittingly, Corey’s roommate is from Ecuador. Horses also have a role in helping her at AU, since she won the Paso Fino Horse Association Youth Scholarship. “I love it at AU,” Corey said.

Even though it doesn’t have stables?

Corey admits she looked into schools with equestrian facilities. But the key factor in her college decision was an entirely different type of facility—the Katzen Arts Center. Corey is a vocal performance major, and as soon as she saw the new building, she knew this would be the place for her.

After all, she can always go home and ride—as long as she’s willing to clean out the stables.

Myca Ferrer
When Myca Ferrer tells people where he’s from, they look at him in astonishment and ask him why he ever left.

“Hawaii’s the place to be apparently,” said the Honolulu native with a laugh.
But for Ferrer, AU’s the place to be.

“I come from a place where diversity is so strong; I wanted to go to a school with a very diverse student body,” said Ferrer, who plans to study biology. “I’m very open to new people and new experiences.”

Ferrer said he’s adjusting to life in D.C.—“I just learned about cicadas the other day; we don’t have cicadas back home!”—and is anxious to share his culture with his classmates.

For more than 10 years, Ferrer has played the Japanese taiko drum and hopes to continue lessons in D.C., as the large, wooden instrument is “my passion, my means of expression.” Actively involved with musical theatre in high school, Ferrer also plans to audition for the Gospel Choir and the fall production of Into the Woods.

“I’m going to enjoy the semester,” said Ferrer. “And when it’s over, I’m going to go home and enjoy some Christmas beach time.”

Erin Frankrone
Erin Frankrone’s already crafted an impressive résumé.

At Sacred Heart Academy, an all-girls school in Louisville, Ky., Frankrone served as National Honor Society president, captain of the Quick Recall team, and valedictorian of her class of 218 students. She was also involved with Model U.N., played on the tennis team, performed in several school plays and musicals, and was the second runner-up in the Louisville Junior Miss competition.

“I guess you could say there was never a dull moment,” said Frankone with a laugh.

And the economics major hopes to make a similar splash at AU.

Frankrone, who’s in the honors program, works in the social science research lab at the Center for Teaching Excellence and has applied to be an AU ambassador for the Admissions office.

“And also, I love to ballroom dance,” she said. “A guy on my floor is also a ballroom dancer, so we’re going to start a club.”

Meg Imholt
From fencing to the trombone, Meg Imholt brings a diverse list of talents to AU.
At North Haven High School in Connecticut, Imholt was involved with everything from jazz band to drama club to Spanish club. One extracurricular activity holds a special place in her heart, though.

Imholt, an environmental studies major, tutored autistic adults at Benhaven, a school and residential facility in North Haven. What started out as 40 hours of volunteer work turned into three years of service.

“I really learned how to connect with people,” said Imholt, who worked with a man who was autistic and deaf. “We found other ways to connect, such as facial expressions, high fives, and sign language. It was such a rewarding experience.”

Imholt said she would like to find a facility like Benhaven in the District, so that she can continue her work with autistic adults. Also on her to-do list: starting a fencing club and auditioning for the a cappella group.

“Also, everyone on my floor plays an instrument,” said Imholt, who plays the guitar, clarinet, and trombone. “So we joke we’re going to start our own band!”
A student in the University College, Imholt said she was drawn to AU for its location.

“I’m looking forward to taking everything I learn at school and applying it in the city. It’s not like high school, where you just sit in the classroom; here, you experience everything first-hand. It’s so exciting.”