Fifty high-achieving high school graduates make up the 2014 class of President’s Scholars in the Smittcamp Family Honors College at California State University, Fresno. Of these, 49 come from California and one from Vietnam — one of a handful of international scholars who have been admitted to the Honors College since its inception.

The freshmen were selected from more than 500 applicants, said Dr. Saeed Attar, the new honors college director. Applicants must score 1800 or above on the SAT (or 27 or above on the ACT), be in the upper 10 percent of their graduating class or have a minimum 3.8 GPA in college-preparation classes.

The students in the 16th Honors College class were welcomed to Fresno State at a luncheon Aug. 18 hosted by Fresno State President Joseph I. Castro. Each scholar will receive an annual President’s Honors Scholarship for his/her undergraduate degree program up to a maximum of eight semesters. Scholarships cover in-state registration and an optional credit for university housing.

The Smittcamp Family Honors College is unique in the California State University system because President’s Scholars are admitted as a cohort, take a series of specially designed honors courses, participate in a weekly colloquium with guest speakers and discussions and interact in educational and social activities. In addition, each President’s Scholar is required to volunteer a minimum of 70 hours of community service through his/her junior year. To remain in the program, a student must enroll in at least 12 units and earn a minimum of a 3.25 GPA in first and second years and a minimum of a 3.4 GPA in third and fourth years. Over 90 percent of the Honors College students graduate in four years and most earn designations of summa cum laude (3.9-plus GPA) or magna cum laude (3.7-plus).

The Smittcamp Family Honors College began in 1998 with a $1 million gift from Earl and Muriel Smittcamp and family, a prominent agribusiness family and longtime supporters of Fresno State.

The 2014 cohort of President’s Scholars, hometowns (high schools) are as follows:

1. Tahrima Alam, Fresno (Clovis North)
2. Daniel Apuan, Palmdale (Paraclete)
3. Daniel Ashley, Fresno (Clovis)
4. John Ball, Fresno (Clovis West)
5. Alexa Becerra-Almendarez, Reedley (Reedley)
6. Wendy Bermejo-Estrada, Parlier (Parlier)
7. Breanna Berry, Clovis (Clovis)
8. Robert Brisco, Exeter (Exeter Union)
9. Megan Calabrese, Pismo Beach (Arroyo Grande)
10. Enrique Cazares-Navarro, Parlier (Sunnyside)
11. Haley Chapman, Fresno (Edison)
12. Jenna Danzer, San Diego (Mt. Carmel)
13. Emma DenBesten, Fresno (University High)
14. Zachary Emerzian, Fresno (Bullard)
15. Ai Enkoji, Fresno (Clovis West)
16. Yvette Espinoza, Fresno (Edison)
17. Brooke Ferdinandsen, Fresno (Clovis West)
18. Shoji Hishida, Fresno (Bullard)
19. Carragan Huerta, Clovis (Clovis)
20. Ashley Juskalian, Visalia (San Joaquin Memorial)
21. Joanie Kalmbach, Clovis (Buchanan)
22. Katie Karraker, Clovis (Buchanan)
23. Aubrey Lim, Fresno (home school)
24. Danielle Logoluso, Clovis (Clovis)
25. Kelli Lowe, Reedley (Reedley)
26. Samantha Mallory, Fresno (Clovis North)
27. Brenna Mandujano, Fresno (Edison)
28. Tanner Melton, Fresno (Edison)
29. Jenna Miller, Visalia (Redwood)
30. Shelby Moshier, Tollhouse (Sierra)
31. Huyen Nguyen, Hanoi, Vietnam (Hanoi-Amsterdam H.S. for the Gifted)
32. Rahul Nunna, Fresno (University High)
33. Shyam Patel, Fresno (Clovis West)
34. Jonathan Ray, Clovis (Sierra)
35. Lauren Ray, Fresno (Edison)
36. Joseph Reeves, Clovis (Clovis)
37. Hunter Reilly, Clovis (Logos Christian Conservatory)
38. Matthew Roby, Fresno (Clovis North)
39. Alicia Rodriguez, Madera (Madera)
40. Robert Rodriguez, Clovis (Buchanan)
41. Brandon Rowe, Corcoran (Corcoran)
42. Harrison Schmitt, Santa Clarita (Saugus)
43. Brandon Sepulveda, Sanger (Sanger)
44. Hailey Stinecipher, Fresno (Edison)
45. Ian Troupe, Fresno (Clovis West)
46. Jenna Van Fossen, Hanford (Hanford)
47. Griselda Vega, Fresno (Washington Union)
48. Brooke Weber, Sanger (Sanger)
49. Kaitlynn Webster, Fresno (University High)
50. Blake Zante, Fresno (Clovis West)

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