Scholarships given to brothers

The chance at a full-ride scholarship was enough to entice one Green River graduate to think about a college he may not have otherwise considered.

For Patrick Marchal, Green River High School graduate, picking the right college is important and various factors have to be considered, including majors, minors, how far the school is from home, how big the campus is and what activities, clubs and organizations it has.

However, that didn't stop him from applying for the STARR Charitable Foundation Scholarship from Michigan State University.

"I found out about the scholarship when they sent an advertisement letter to me early in my senior year," Marchal said. "I was really hesitant at first. Michigan State was really far away, and at the time I was not really considering it as one of my college options."

He submitted his application to the MSU and for the STARR scholarship. Along with his application, he submitted essays and other STARR forms.

A couple months later, Marchal heard back from the committee stating he was a finalist and he was asked to set up an interview with members of the STARR committee.

After the interview, Marchal was informed by a letter that he would be receiving the STARR Scholarship.

According to a press release from MSU, "The STARR Charitable Foundation Scholarship pays all regular costs of eight semesters at MSU, including tuition, fees, books, room, board, and incidental expenses as defined by the university."

Even though the STARR program is the biggest reason Marchal looked at MSU, as he got to looking more at the college, he saw it would be a fit for him.

Marchal plans to major in Mechanical Engineering with a concentration in aeronautics.

"It is a great program. The university itself also has many interesting perks," he said.

"First, they are top 50 in my field, which is the best of the colleges I applied for. Second, because of my academics, the Honors College there offered me an internship with a professor my freshman year. These, combined with small other things, made it very attractive."

He also looked at this as a way to plan for his future.

"Since I am saving a lot of money and will be able to attend a great undergraduate school at the same time, I have the ability to attend a prestigious graduate school," he said. "It will also set me on the right course with many connections in the future."

When Marchal visited the campus in March, all he could think about is how big is was. MSU has about 50,000 students on 5,192 acres.

"However, I began to realize how the individual colleges are all in their separate areas, so everything I will need will be very close," he said. "I liked the community and how it was also close knit. It reminded me a lot of Laramie and how it is a college town."

Marchal also learned more about his dorm living arrangements. All freshmen are required to live on campus for the first year.

"I like the dorms because each one is focused on a certain major," he said.

"For example, my dorm houses most of the engineers on campus. This allows me to meet people I can relate with, as well as have easy access to tutoring if I need it."

Marchal plans to join the club soccer team, attend sporting events and join an aviation club he found out about. The more Marchal learned about the college, the programs and activities it had to offer, the more he realized it would be a good choice for him.

"Even though I am from a small town, I participate in a lot of activities," Marchal said. "Furthermore, the STARR program has connections so I will be able to meet and work with people that I can relate with."