(Posted June 24, 2008)

HUNTINGDON, Pa. -- Nick Sepulveda, a junior from Green Bay, Wis. and the son of Mary Barker of Green Bay and Jose Sepulveda of Salem, Mo., has been chosen to receive the prestigious Andrew Mutch Scholarship from the St. Andrews Society of Philadelphia.

Only five students from 19 participating colleges and universities in and around Philadelphia are selected to attend one of the five universities in Scotland for one year. Sepulveda is the 19th Juniata College student to receive this prestigious award since Juniata's affiliation with the program in 1979. He will study at the University of Aberdeen during his junior year, the 2008-09 academic year.

"I was interested in the University of Aberdeen because its anthropology program (was created recently) and there is something about working in a new program that is very exciting to me."

Nick Sepulveda, junior, Green Bay, Wis.

To be considered for the scholarship, a student must first be in the top fifth of the sophomore class. The candidate then completes an application and interviews with the president, provost, dean of international programs, international education committee, and the scholarship committee. From these interviews, each institution selects one candidate who then travels to Philadelphia to compete for one of the five scholarships.

Sepulveda, who is studying biology and anthropology, will continue his studies in biology and anthropology in Scotland. "I was interested in the University of Aberdeen because its anthropology program (was created recently) and there is something about working in a new program that is very exciting to me," Sepulveda says.

Sepulveda is currently working at Juniata as a student research assistant in the laboratory of Jennifer Bennett, von Liebig Fellow in Biology. He is working on a project studying genetic mutations in soil bacteria.

He is a member of the Anthropology Club and was treasurer of Asian Sensations United during the 2007-2008 academic year. He also co-hosted a two-hour radio show, "The Best Music You Never Heard" on the campus radio station, WKVR-FM.

Sepulveda also works as a tutor for local students as part of a Salvation Army program in Huntingdon, Pa.

Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.