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Lance Toapanta-Sanchez, a senior at Salem High School, has been awarded one of the most highly selective merit scholarships in the nation. The Jefferson Scholars Foundation, which has long attracted exceptional talent to the University of Virginia through its Jefferson Scholars Program, selected Lance as one of 12 recipients of the newly established Walentas Scholarship, according to an announcement. Topanta-Sanchez will start at UVA in the fall.
In order to be named a Walentas Scholar, candidates must undergo a rigorous, highly competitive, multi-stage selection process. First, they are nominated by their high schools or affiliated organizations based on their demonstrated excellence and exceptional potential in the areas of leadership, scholarship, and citizenship. Additionally, Walentas Scholar nominees must be in the first generation of their families to attend college. Once nominated, the students go through at least one round of regional interviews. If selected as a regional finalist, students are then invited to participate in a final round of interviews, according to the foundation.
Toapanta-Sanchez will join a cohort of 144 Scholars currently funded by the Foundation at UVA, as well as a community of more than 981 Scholar alumni. In addition to receiving the full cost of attending the University for four years, Walentas Scholars benefit from a number of enrichment programs sponsored by the Foundation, including travel abroad, career networking activities and a leadership speaker series.
-The Salem Times-Register
