Choate, Kort named Harter Scholarship recipients

Baker University has selected Madison Choate of Gardner, Kansas, and Dylan Kort of Dallas, Texas, as recipients of the 2017 Harter Scholarships, the university’s most prestigious academic award.

“Selecting only two students from such an outstanding group of scholars is no easy task,” Cheryl McCrary, director of admissions, said. “Our faculty members were impressed with many of the competitors, but in the end, Dylan and Madison rose to the top as two students who would make very strong contributions academically and to the Baker community in general.”

Choate is a senior from Gardner Edgerton High School who is active in art and plays viola in the school’s orchestra. She is passionate about writing and interested in creative writing and psychology.

Kort attends Richardson High School in Dallas and is interested in mass media and business marketing, as well as theatre and a number of other student life activities.

As Harter Scholars, Choate and Kort will receive full tuition for four years on Baker’s Baldwin City campus and will have the opportunity to spend a semester studying abroad at Harlaxton College in England.

To be considered for the Harter Scholarship, students must have a GPA of at least 3.9 and ACT score of 29 or higher, or a ranking in the top 1 percent of their graduating class and at least a 27 ACT. To retain the scholarship, winners must maintain a 3.5 cumulative GPA, plus earn a minimum of 12 credit hours per semester.

The scholarship is funded through a gift from the estate of Edward and Sylvia Harter of Bryan, Texas. Graduates of Missouri Wesleyan College in Cameron, Missouri, the husband and wife wanted to contribute to Baker after the university maintained Missouri Wesleyan’s records and held alumni reunions after the college closed in 1930.