Mount Vernon Nazarene University has named Grant Dersom as the first inductee into the University Scholars Fellowship. Dersom signed the USF record on Thursday, June 2, 2016, at The Mount Vernon Grand Hotel and then enjoyed dinner at The Mount Vernon Country Club with his family, Steve, Myra, and Nathaniel Dersom; MVNU President Henry Spaulding and his wife, Sharon; and Dr. Brett Wiley, Associate Professor of English. “This is a really big honor to be the first one to receive the University Scholars Fellowship award. I’m very grateful for it, and for everything that’s gone into it. It’s a great opportunity and it’s really helped me to be able to go to Mount Vernon Nazarene University. Thank you very much,” Dersom said. MVNU created the USF scholarship this year, offering an incoming freshman with a 3.5+ GPA and a 33+ ACT score a full-tuition scholarship redeemable for up to five years. The award also includes acceptance into the Honors Program. Grant was selected as the recipient out of nine students who participated in the University Scholars Fellowship Interview Day during the 2015–16 academic school year. The interview was held on campus before panelists who would go on to select the award recipient. All participants were awarded acceptance into the Honors Program. Grant Dersom, son of Steve and Myra Dersom, graduated from West Jefferson High School in May 2016. In high school, Dersom was a four-year varsity tennis player, a participant in school musicals, and a member of concert choir, chamber choir, band, and the Ohio Choral Director’s Association Men’s Honor Choir. He was also highly involved with his church, London Churches of Christ in Christian Union (CCCU), where he was a part of worship team, youth group, and Light the Night. As a recent high school graduate, Dersom received the following honors: Valedictorian, National Merit Finalist, National Honor Society, Honda (OSU Math Medal Award), Buckeye Boys State Delegate, President’s Award for Educational Excellence, and the National School Choral Award. Dersom chose MVNU because “it has a Christian atmosphere, a caring community, and both Engineering and Computer Science programs.” “I hope to gain a Christ-centered education (from the MVNU experience) that will prepare me for my career while also making new, lasting friendships,” Dersom said. Grant is still deciding between Engineering and Computer Science as his intended major(s). He enjoys critical thinking, challenges, and design, and has done computer programing in his free time. He has also programmed two mobile apps, conducted independent research in a field of mathematics known as hyperoperations (specifically titration), and has presented his research at the Mathematical Association of America (MAA) 2016 Ohio Spring Meeting at Ohio Northern University. Mount Vernon Nazarene University is a private, four-year, intentionally Christian teaching university for traditional age students, graduate students and working adults. With a 327-acre main campus in Mount Vernon, Ohio, and several convenient Graduate and Professional Studies locations throughout the state, MVNU emphasizes academic excellence, spiritual growth and service to community and church. MVNU offers an affordable education to more than 2,100 students from 28 states and 16 countries/U.S. territories.
