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Senior earns $150,000 ROTC scholarship

By Shawn Linenberger - | May 19, 2004

Michelle McWilliams will be sibling No. 4 to make her way to the Navy.

Having three brothers already in the military branch didn’t hurt the Tonganoxie High senior’s recruitment. But the lone girl in the family had a pretty good incentive from the ROTC.

Recruiter-in-charge William Sarber of the United States Navy Recruiting Command on Thursday awarded McWilliams a $150,000 scholarship through the Navy ROTC.

The scholarship will be divided among four years at the University of San Diego, a private Catholic school with a 6,000-student enrollment.

“I just always wanted to go far away,” McWilliams said. “And you need money to go far away.”

McWilliams certainly located a financial source with the select scholarship.

McWilliams, who carries a perfect 4.0 grade-point average, also had her eye on Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind., but she will join brothers Sean, 24, and Keith, 22, in sunny San Diego. Her third brother Ryan, 19, is stationed in Norfolk, Va.

A three-sport athlete with volleyball, basketball and softball at THS, McWilliams said she would like to continue playing athletics at USD, but isn’t sure whether it would be at the varsity or intramural level.

“I’m sure I’ll play,” McWilliams said. “It might be in an old women’s league.”