Two District Five students earn Carolina Scholar Awards

IRMO, SC – Two Lexington-Richland School District Five students have earned the University of South Carolina’s top undergraduate scholarship. Dutch Fork High School 2014 graduate Tulsi Patel and Irmo High School’s Alexander Galan are recipients of this year’s prestigious Carolina Scholar Awards.

District Five Chief Instructional Officer Dr. Christina Melton said, “District Five works diligently to ensure that our students are competitive for scholarships from colleges and universities across the country. We congratulate these students for their achievement and look forward to continued success for all students in our educational system.” 

More than 2,350 students applied for the Carolina Scholar Awards this school year, the largest pool in the university’s history. The Carolina Scholars program was developed by the university in 1969, and the award is valued at $10,000 per year for four years.

“The USC Scholars Award program draws the best and brightest high school seniors from across the state and the nation,” said Scott Verzyl, the university’s associate vice president of enrollment management. “These top scholars bring the highest levels of academic performance, leadership and talent to the state’s flagship university. Our mission is to bolster their insatiable curiosity and help them realize their tremendous potential at Carolina and beyond. We have great expectations for these outstanding students, and it’s no surprise that they usually exceed them.” 

Alexander Galan and Tulsi Patel