SU biology student wins prestigious ETS scholarship

Southern University's Augusta M. Robinson has been selected as a winner of the ETS Presidential Scholarship for Historically Black Colleges and Universities students for 2013-14.

The award pays for tuition for the fall and spring semesters. Robinson, a native of Monroe, must maintain at least a 3.0 g.p.a.

To win the scholarship, a review committee evaluated Robinson's academic record, co-curricular activities, an essay, recommendations, and other application materials. He is one of eight recipients out of thousands that applied.

As required by the scholarship, Robinson must make a presentation on a topic from his major at a forum that will be held in early 2014 at the ETS headquarters in Princeton, N.J.

The scholarship, he said, will provide him a chance to travel and "speak to other students with interests like mine."

Robinson said he has already conducted research on the causes of glaucoma. The research has won him awards at other science presentation competition around the country.

Because of his experience Robinson said he probably wouldn't be nervous when making his presentation - probably involving his glaucoma research - at ETS.

Robinson, who will be a senior this fall, said he came to Southern after being involved two other colleges while in high school.  "I came to Southern and I had never visited before," he said.

Given his success, Robinson said, everything has worked out for him at Southern. "It's been good."