CAPE GIRARDEAU — Southeast Missouri State University has named five outstanding students as recipients of the President’s Scholarship for the 2025 academic year.
The awardees are Jaxson Houf of Van Buren High School, Carter Kruse of Springfield High School, Linzi McPartlin of Eureka High School, Madison Phelps of Cape Central High School, and Brea Johnson of Fort Zumwalt South High School.
“These students have already had academic and extracurricular success. Their hard work has set them apart and will help them find new success at Southeast,” said Southeast President Dr. Carlos Vargas. “We are excited to see what they will accomplish after they join us on campus.”
The students participated in an interview process for the prestigious scholarship. The $10,000 award covers $7,000 in tuition and fees and $3,000 for residence hall fees for those living on campus their first year. Students who meet the scholarship renewal criteria may increase their award annually, bringing the total scholarship value to $43,000.
“Interviewing these students every year is an exciting process,” said Lenell Hahn, Southeast director of admissions. “Every student we talk to is impressive in their own ways. Their leadership, involvement, service and academic successes make them the perfect candidates to join the Southeast community.”
The President’s Scholarship recipients will be freshmen at Southeast when the fall 2024 semester begins this August.
Houf is from Van Buren, graduating from Van Buren High School this upcoming May. He is a member of the Beta Club and student council, a participant in Future Farmers of America (FFA) and A+ Scholarship program, and a member of the Van Buren cross country and track and field programs. As an athlete, he finished with numerous accolades, including two runner-up performances at the Class 1A State Cross Country Championships.
Houf plans on majoring in marketing/marketing management at Southeast. He plans on concurrently enrolling in the Air Force Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (AFROTC) to pave the way to a military career.
Phelps calls Cape Girardeau her hometown and is getting ready to graduate from Cape Central High School. She is captain of the volleyball team, soccer team, and a swimmer, earning Academic All-State honors in all three sports. She is a member of the Missouri Scholars Academy, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Young Life, Feed My Starving Children volunteer, on the Student Senate, Beta Club, and National Honor Society. She also participated in the American Chemical Society U.S. Regional Chemistry Olympiad.
Starting college, she plans on majoring in biomedical sciences with a plan to pursue a career in dentistry.
Kruse, McPartlin and Johnson hail from Springfield, Illinois; Pacific, Missouri; and St. Peters, Missouri, respectively.