Saturday, October 6, was a special day for NSHSS. Nearly 1,000 members and their families attended the record-setting NSHSS member event at the University of Texas at Austin, at the invitation of Dr. Mark Yudof, Chancellor of the UT System. The program, hosted by UT Austin and held in the Texas Union Ballroom, featured a discussion and question and answer session with two Nobel Laureates teaching at Texas universities, and NSHSS Chair Claes Nobel. Students and parents also attended an admissions presentation and campus tour, meeting personally with Augustine Garza, UT Deputy Director of Admissions. William Shute, the Vice Chancellor for the University of Texas System, read a letter to Mr. Nobel during the program from Texas Governor Rick Perry greeting our scholars, who wrote that “The National Society of High School Scholars is to be commended for its role in stressing excellence in our schools.” Read the governor's letter.
Dr. Shute presented an entertaining slide show to the group stressing the importance of STEM careers to our global future (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), demonstrating how UT is on the cutting edge of research in these areas. NSHSS Student Council Member Britney Cooks, UT sophomore, spoke to the group about her college experience and led members in the NSHSS pledge. You can read Britney’s comments here. Claes Nobel Educators of Distinction from Texas were recognized by The Society and Mr. Nobel, and they provided inspiring words. UT’s own “Ransom Notes” performed during two musical interludes, with vocals and guitar accompaniment.
In his remarks, Mr Nobel encouraged our young scholars to take their place on the world stage, offering advice and encouragement, along with Nobel Laureates Dr. Ferid Murad, (Medicine 1998), and Dr. Robert Curl, ( Chemistry Prize 1996). Both are professors in Houston, Texas--Dr. Murad at the University of Texas Medical School at Houston, and Dr. Curl at Rice University. The Nobel panel talked about the journeys that led to their success and answered questions from the students in the audience. After the program, students met and took photographs with Mr. Nobel and the Laureates. You can view a video prepared by Dr. Murad to interest young students in science at http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/medicine/laureates/1998/murad-video.ram. (Requires RealPlayer to view).
Special guests included representatives from Sallie Mae and Abercrombie & Fitch. We were also pleased to meet NSHSS Parent Council Regional Chairs at the event, Vicki Johnson, parent of Jacqueline Johnson, of Leander, Texas, and Deborah Dworsky, parent of Sarah Anne Lutes, of Edison, New Jersey.
"I want to express how much we appreciated the event at UT Austin. The presenters were inspiring; Mr. Nobel especially. My daughter is a high school junior in San Antonio, and she has not decided where she wants to attend college. Events such as this are a great help."
NSHSS Parent
San Antonio, Texas
NSHSS thanks the University of Texas at Austin for hosting this terrific event, and we look forward to returning to the campus in 2009.
View more photos from the event.