Saint Martin’s University has named Jamie Johnson, Marcus Rice and Sarah Sorensen as recipients of Trustee Scholarships, among the most significant honors given by the University. Each year, the scholarships are awarded to outstanding transfer students who exemplify the University’s commitment to academic excellence, community service and the Benedictine values that form the bedrock of the Saint Martin’s community.
“These three students impressed the scholarship committee with their high level of achievement in their respective academic studies, but also showed they are people of great integrity, commitment and perseverance. Jamie, Marcus, and Sarah are delightful people to know and all have bright futures ahead, and we are so excited to see how Saint Martin’s can help them further succeed,” said Caitlin Gordon, senior transfer admissions counselor.
Trustee Scholarships are reserved for students transferring to Saint Martin’s from a community college, and who either have completed or are completing their associate degree with a 3.5 grade point average or higher. Each Trustee Scholar will receive a $32,000 scholarship, which will be divided among four semesters of study.
Johnson, from Parkland, is a mechanical engineering major from Tacoma Community College.She hopes to design spacecraft to assist in human space exploration, and specifically with a manned mission to Mars. Johnson explained that she grew up in a family of nine in Parkland, near a school that had a big open field. Her father would often take her to the field to look at the planets through a telescope and she would dream of flying alongside the celestial bodies. She has a wonderful son who inspires her every day and she loves hanging out with him. In her free time, she enjoys spending time in nature, reading books and teaching. She enjoys mathematics and loves to help others learn more about the field. Johnson said, “I am very excited to join the Saint Martin’s family this August and continue this journey to the final frontier!”
Rice, from Spokane, is an environmental studies major from Spokane Falls Community College, where he earned his associate of arts degree with a 3.6 GPA. At Saint Martin’s, he will be an active member of the cross country and track and field programs. He attended Shadle Park High School in Spokane and graduated in 2016, after which he took a year off and worked and spent time in Alaska with family. At Spokane Falls Community College, he ran cross country and track and field and received three All-American honors in 2018 for his performances in the 3000k steeplechase, the 1500 meter and cross country. During his time at Spokane Falls Community College, he also received the Northwest Athletic Conference (NWAC) Academic Excellence Award twice, for both cross country and track and field.
Sorensen, from Olympia, is a social work major from South Puget Sound Community College. After Saint Martin’s, Sorensen wants to focus her practice on supporting elders who are experiencing Alzheimer’s, or other forms of dementia, and their families. Her own family was affected by her paternal grandmother’s decline into dementia, and Sorensen said that she believes the elderly are an underserved demographic, and she wants to do everything she can to help them. She is a lifetime Washington resident and grew up in the area near Roy and McKenna. She has three children, ages 17, 14 and 11, and a dog that’s a Labrador/Australian Shepherd mix. She’s recently remarried and enjoys home cooking (including canning, winemaking and lacto-fermentation), crocheting, knitting, audiobooks, video games and trips to the ocean.
