HUBBARD Award of Excellence WINNER
ABOUT THE HUBBARD AWARD OF EXCELLENCE
It was a year of firsts for Butler’s most prestigious scholarship, the Hubbard Award of Excellence.
> Scholarship Coordinator Averie Nelson with Ines in
The scholarship is awarded each year to one student who excels in all aspects of their college education and is a representation of the best of Butler, both academically and in the community. Applicants also must exemplify superior performance and involvement. This year, for the first time, the amount of scholarship money available to the winner significantly increased to $14,000 due to the generosity and foresight of R.D. and Joan Dale Hubbard and the Hubbard Foundation.
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“Ines is one of the extraordinary ones,” Dean of Behavioral Science, Math and Science Lori Winningham said. “His dedication and hard work will take him far in accomplishing his dreams of becoming a pharmacist.” The substantial growth of the Hubbard Award of Excellence means Ines will receive $3,500 per semester for four semesters to study pharmacy at the University of Kansas.
As always, the selection committee had more than a fair share of outstanding applicants to discern and choose from--never an easy task.
“The Hubbard Award of Excellence will not only help to pay for my educational expenses it will also serve as a stepping stone for me to transfer to KU,” Ines said. “I have had a unique experience at Butler and…it is just now that I understand the statement
“The pool of students who are recommended and apply for the Hubbard Award of Excellence are the students who get it,” Foundation Scholarship Coordinator Averie Nelson said. “They know their future depends on education.”
In 1985, Mr. R.D. Hubbard, an alumnus of Butler Community College, and his wife Joan Dale, dedicated a scholarship fund to recognize and encourage excellence at Butler. R.D. and Joan Dale are Kansas natives and were teachers in Kansas where they maintain strong ties. Their Foundation has adopted an entrepreneurial approach to philanthropy that reflects the spirit of these two extraordinary people. Today their primary business interests include a wide range of investments such as land, casinos, and racehorses.
‘You never really leave Butler.’ ”
Of the four finalists chosen by the committee, one student in particular stood out; A young man from Cameroon, West Africa who followed in his brother’s footsteps by coming to Butler to further his education and his life.
Ines Fomaga Tsotezo realized that higher education is the key to making his way in the world. “Growing up in a less privileged country…made me realize the value of a college education,” Ines said. “Since my childhood in Cameroon, I have observed people suffering from disease and poor health in my community. I have always wanted to step in to improve [their] health conditions. That is what made me immediately dedicate my life to meeting their health needs.”
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Ines showed brilliant initiative during his time at Butler, pursing his dream by volunteering in a water testing project and forensic DNA fingerprinting as well as shadowing El Dorado professionals such as Dr. Paul McKesey at Susan B. Allen Memorial Hospital and Dan Davis, RPH at El Dorado True Care Pharmacy. He also was the recipient of many student life awards, qualified for the Dean’s and President’s Honor Roll, and served as a student mentor, Phi Theta Kappa member, student athletes tutor, team leader in the International Student Association, and much more.
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