Five Southwestern students have been selected to receive Hatton W. Sumners Scholarships beginning in the fall of 2011.

The scholarships, which are awarded by the Hatton W. Sumners Foundation of Dallas, are for $5,000 per semester, or a total of $10,000 per year. The scholarships are awarded in the sophomore year and are good for the junior and senior years.

The scholarships are designated for students majoring in political science, history, pre-law or education. Students are selected for the scholarships based on their academic history, extracurricular activities, and leadership experience. Selection for the scholarships includes an interview with the trustees of the Sumners Foundation, which was created in 1949 by former Congressman Hatton W. Sumners (1875-1962).

Students recently selected to receive Sumners Scholarships are Colin Berr, Cortney Carlson, Priscila Hernandez, Kylie LeBlanc and Katherine Tanner. Berr, Carlson, LeBlanc and Tanner are studying political science and Hernandez is studying history.

Larkin Tom, director of foundation relations for Southwestern, said the university has usually has received funding for four new Sumners Scholarships each year, but trustees of the foundation were so impressed with the applicants from Southwestern this year that they gave the university funding for an additional scholarship.

In addition to assistance with tuition, students selected to receive Sumners Scholarships have access to other programs sponsored by the foundation, including a distinguished lecture series; a variety of public policy, leadership and civic participation programs; and several educational and internship opportunities in Washington, D.C.