TJ’s own Luke DeGregori earns a full ride Boettcher Scholarship.
CU bound Luke DeGregori. Photo by Hanna Kazlouskaya
Graduating Senior Luke DeGregori, through hard work and dedication to his academic career, is a 2011 recipient of one of the most highly esteemed scholarships in the state: the Boettcher Scholarship.
The Boettcher Scholarship Foundation was created in 1952 by Claude Boettcher in order to attract Colorado’s most dedicated and brightest students to attend colleges in Colorado. Today it is one of the most prestigious, merit-based scholarships available to graduating high school seniors in the state. The scholarship provides selected students with the financial aid needed to cover the cost of tuition, fees, and books for eight semesters at any of Colorado’s four-year universities or colleges. Needless to say, this scholarship offers students the ability to attend school without financial worry or struggle. “It means a lot to receive the scholarship,” said DeGregori. “It was such a surprise. I wasn’t expecting to get that much money to go to college. I knew I was eligible —which I was excited about— but I never thought I’d get the scholarship. It is huge.”
To be eligible to get the Boettcher, a student must rank in the top five percentile of his or her graduating class, as well as receive a 27 on the ACT or a 1200 on the SAT or better. The applicants must also exhibit superior academic ability, a role of leadership, service within their community and school, as well as having an overall outstanding character. “I have been participating in and coordinating a program called Urban Peak for the past five years, in which a bunch of teens and I cook food and serve it at a teen homeless shelter. I also volunteered for a year at an autism center where I helped kids. I have really enjoyed both experiences, especially working for the autism center, because I have always been interested in the subject,” said DeGregori.
About 1300 students, from all over the state, apply for the scholarship annually. The initial 1300 applicants are narrowed down to 70 finalists. The next step for finalist is an interview at the Foundation’s offices in Denver. “I heard I was eligible last October. It’s a long process; you go through a lot of steps and different levels of acceptance. It was funny because at every step I didn’t expect to make it to the next. I held my expectations kind of low so I didn’t get let down. My parents were more confident than I was. They saw my application and thought It was good and that it would get me far,” said DeGregori.
Immediately following the interview process, letters of award are mailed to the final 40 winners. Typically 10-15 people drop the scholarship and opt to go out-of-state. The 30 finalists who did not officially win are put on a waiting list if the winners decline the scholarship. “Basically what happens is they send out a letter telling you what number on the list you are. Meaning that if anybody dropped it I would get it. I was number 41. They had sent out letters saying that everyone had accepted the scholarship so I had to sort of come to terms that I hadn’t gotten it,” said DeGregori.
After acknowledging that he did not get the scholarship, Luke received one more phone call from the Boettcher Foundation. “I thought the phone call was just follow-up stuff. I was doing math with a friend and got a call from the Boettcher Foundation saying pretty much we’re sorry we know we said you didn’t get the scholarship, but someone dropped it last-minute and you got it. I was shocked. I didn’t know how to react. I called my mom to tell her and she let out this high-pitched shriek. When I got home she had me call all my relatives and tell them the news,” said DeGregori.
Luke’s teachers at TJ were also extremely excited to have the news. Newspaper Advisor Matt Spampinato has this to say: “ I was thrilled when Luke gave me the news! Over the past 21 years I’ve had several of my Editors-in-Chief win the Boettcher, and even from that list I would put Luke at the top. He’s such an outstanding human being, in every aspect. It’s nice when someone like Luke – who is so modest about his talents – can get this kind of public recognition. I’m quite proud of Luke!”
Physics Teacher Nelson Vore also expressed great enthusiasm and excitement for Luke in his great achievement, particularly for his choice of school and major. “The science department gave him the Student of the Year Award. He fully deserves the Boettcher; I couldn’t think of a better person to win. He is a fantastic student and an all around nice guy. As his Physics teacher, I am delighted that he is going into Astrophysics at Boulder. There’s no better field of study,” said Vore.
Since officially finding out in April, his life has begun to settle back down and he is enjoying the end of his senior year. “There have been a few days of shock, but the initial shock of it all is starting to wear off. It has made my life easier. I don’t have to apply for anything more or worry about anything. I’m set for college, which is great,” said DeGregori.
His plans for the future are not set in stone, though DeGregori says he knows the direction in which he would like to head. “I am going to the University of Colorado at Boulder. I am going to major in astrophysics. I don’t know where I want to go with that exactly. I plan to study a lot and see what I’m interested in doing. I also plan to do a lot of small ensemble stuff and be involved in music while I am in Boulder. I was planning on going to CU regardless of if I got the scholarship or not. I have always like CU. It’s a good distance, where I’m leaving home and going out on my own but close enough where I can come visit easily,” said DeGregori.
