Six students honored as Horizon Leadership Scholarship recipients

Christina Amara
Antonio Castillo
Desiree Jackson
Miah Kinlow
Jordan Placencia
Alisha Sutton

HUNTINGTON, Ind.- Six incoming Huntington University freshmen have been named the recipients of the Horizon Leadership Scholarship for the 2011/12 school year.

Students from San Diego, Calif., to Auburn, Ind., were awarded the scholarship this year. This is the fourth year for the scholarship program.

"Each of these students embodies the spiritual, social, academic and leadership qualities of an exemplary Horizon student. Their enthusiasm for servant-leadership and commitment to Christ and education was effectively and contagiously expressed throughout their essays and interviews," said Arthur Wilson, director of urban scholarship and mentoring for the Horizon Leadership Program.

Launched in the fall of 2008, the Horizon Leadership Program is a collaborative effort between Huntington University and Youth for Christ designed to attract and retain students of diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds by providing educational, leadership and creative outlets. The Horizon Leader Scholarship covers fees associated with tuition and housing costs for up to 10 semesters through a combination of federal, state and institutional aid.

The program is designed to integrate participating students into an existing fabric of university life and Youth for Christ ministry through community service, academic success, professional/leadership development, spiritual growth and social involvement.

"The Horizon Leadership Program provides a tremendous opportunity for ethnic-minority students to become trailblazers for the younger youth within their homes and communities who will follow in their footsteps," Wilson said. "As a Horizon participant, students play a pivotal role in reflecting the diversity of God's kingdom within the community of Huntington. The Horizon Leadership Program helps the university exercise due diligence in supporting the prayer of Matthew 6:10 which pleads that God's kingdom come and his will be done on earth as it is in heaven."

The recipients of this year's scholarships are:

  • Christina Amara, a senior at San Diego High School International Studies in San Diego, Calif. She plans to be an applied exercise science major at HU, and considers an education at a Christian university to be vital component to her spiritual development.
  • Antonio Castillo, a senior at Westview High School in Shipshewana, Ind. He plans to be a pre-med major at HU, and he observes being a participant in the Horizon Leadership Program as his opportunity to receive a college education.
  • Desiree Jackson, a senior at New Haven High School in New Haven, Ind. She plans to be a graphic design major at HU, and she chose Huntington because of its good Christian atmosphere. She felt that at HU she would be challenged to dive deeper into her faith.
  • Miah Kinlow, a senior at Lake Center Christian School in Canton, Ohio. She plans to be a nursing major at HU, and she desires to bring some "Canton, OH" spice to HU. One of the main reasons that she chose HU was because of the personal interest that Margaret Winters, director of the nursing program, expressed toward her in their appointment.
  • Jordan Placencia, a senior at Lakewood Park Christian School in Auburn, Ind. She plans to be a youth ministries/missions major at HU. She chose Huntington because of the various opportunities to participate in leadership.
  • Alisha Sutton, a senior at Hoover High School in Des Moines, Iowa. She plans to be a pre-law major at HU. After graduating from high school in three years, she chose HU because of the opportunities to rise to new levels and achieve different goals.