Kearney senior awarded NU presidential scholarship after getting perfect ACT score

KEARNEY, Neb. — Drew Welch had a routine when preparing to take the ACT.

The Kearney High senior studied grammar rules the night before, watched math videos in the morning and drank an energy drink before the exam. And on his fifth try, Welch achieved his goal: a perfect score.

That score of 36 made him eligible for the University of Nebraska’s Presidential Scholars program, which provides a a full-ride academic scholarship along with a $5,000 annual stipend.

“I was just extremely shocked but super happy," Welch said. "I had known about the scholarship at UNL so that was my goal and reason for keeping taking the test. I was just extremely happy.”

“The program is critically important because it sends the message that academic excellence really counts, and more importantly than that, that the University of Nebraska system recognizes that academic excellence,” University President Dr. Jeff Gold said.

The program is in its second year. There are 17 freshmen currently at NU campuses through the program and 33 students overall.

Welch plans to attend the University of Nebraska-Lincoln on a pre-med track with a major in biological systems engineering.