Pine-Richland senior Kendal Chilcoat awarded full-tuition Nordenberg Leadership Scholarship to Pitt
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Pine-Richland senior Kendal Chilcoat knew she had a pretty good shot at getting some help to pay for college when she began sending out scholarship applications at the beginning of the school year.
Chilcoat, 18, of Pine, was this year’s senior class president, a member of National Honor Society, made highest honor roll all four years of high school and was recognized as a scholar-athlete. She also has an extensive resume of community service and extracurricular activities.
But she never expected that the award she most coveted — a Nordenberg Leadership Scholarship, which covers the cost of attending the University of Pittsburgh for four years — would become a reality.
Chilcoat recently was named one of only five seniors in the state to receive a full-tuition merit scholarship named for Mark A.Nordenberg, chancellor emeritus at Pitt and chair of the university’s Institute of Politics.
But even after Chilcoat made the cut when the field of applicants was pared down from 700 to 90 and then became one of 30 finalists, her future seemed uncertain.
“I was sitting at a Taco Bell with my friends and told them that I honestly still didn’t know what I was going to do about school because I was really hoping to get this (Nordenberg) scholarship and financially it wasn’t looking like anything was going to work,” she said.
Chilcoat said it was the last day Pitt officials set to announce the scholarship recipients “and I was starting to lose hope that I didn’t get it.”
“Then I got a text message from the coordinator asking me to call,” she said. “I was pretty sure they wouldn’t want to talk to me if they were going to give me bad news. It was an amazing moment.
“It was so exciting, I just couldn’t believe it,” she said. “I am very grateful and feel so humbled by this award and all the opportunities that come with it.”
In addition covering the cost of tuition for eight semesters, scholarship recipients can participate in an international experience. They also get help with internships and have opportunities for academic achievement, leadership development, civic engagement and interaction with organizations and corporations in the Pittsburgh region, according to Pitt officials.
Kenyon Bonner, Pitt’s vice provost and dean of students, described the Nordenberg Scholarship program as a “unique” experience.
“It incorporates rigorous academic engagement with an ambitious and structured curriculum outside the classroom that is designed to challenge the scholars to excel in leadership, global awareness, citizenship and civic engagement,” he said.
“I had a really great college and career counselor (Jean Whalen) who consistently encouraged me to apply for scholarships because she saw how I was working and my passion for being involved and leading,” Chilcoat said. “She was just awesome in directing me.”
Chilcoat said she applied for a number of scholarships but “this (the Nordenberg Scholarship) was the big one that I was really excited about when applying to Pitt.”
Chilcoat has been accepted to the university’s Combined Accelerated Study of Education program, which will allow her to earn bachelor’s and master’s degrees in an accelerated time frame. She will be working toward an undergraduate degree in applied developmental psychology and a master’s degree in special education.
She said her goal after graduation is to become a special education or elementary school teacher.
“I’ve always wanted to do that (special education), but especially after being involved with Best Buddies,” she said. “I’ve just fallen in love with the field. I would love to be able to teach and have a chance to change students’ lives and get involved in the community where I live.”
Chilcoat was president of the Pine-Richland chapter of Best Buddies, a club that helps create opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
She also was involved in the Best Buddies After School Program, which organizes activities such dances, karaoke and bocce tournaments to help participants develop social skills.
In addition to maintaining a GPA of 4.2 or above and being a member of the varsity cheerleading squad, Chilcoat served on student government for four years, participated in the Key Club and has volunteered with Toys for Tots and other efforts to help the needy.
She volunteers with the Mission from Mars Homeless Ministry to provide food, clothing, blankets and other necessities to people living on the streets. Additionally she is a member of Young Life, a Christian ministry that reaches out to middle school, high school and college students across the nation.
Chilcoat is the daughter of Mike and Kimie Chilcoat. She has two older sisters, Kayley Wogan and Kirsten Chilcoat.
The other Nordenberg Scholarship recipients are:
• Donovan Allen of Pittsburgh, Central Catholic High School.
• Kamani Kegler of Philadelphia, Merion Mercy Academy.
• Kylie Baker of Coopersburg, Southern Lehigh High School.
• Michaiah Johnson of Ephrata, Conestoga Valley High School.