EMU Today

YPSILANTI — Ravel Ray, of Akron, Ohio, is one of 21 students to receive the Presidential Scholarship at Eastern Michigan University for the 2020-2021 academic year.

The Presidential Scholarship is a four-year award that pays for 30 credit hours per year of in-state tuition, housing, a food allowance and mandatory fees.

During his time at EMU, Ravel plans to pursue a major in neuroscience with a focus in pre-medicine and a minor in Spanish.

In high school, Ravel served as President of the National Honor Society and was involved in basketball, track and field, Key Club, and Chamber Ensemble. Ravel is also an accomplished musician and has dedicated a significant amount of time to community service, including organizing a talent show at his church that raised over $1,000 for his community.

After he graduates from EMU, Ravel plans to attend medical school and earn a combined MD/PhD degree, which he will use to become a neurosurgeon with a focus on clinical research on neurodegenerative diseases.

Presidential Scholars are selected during Eastern Michigan University’s Presidential Scholarship Competition, held in December during a student’s senior year of high school. Awards are highly competitive and based on many factors, including an essay and multiple rounds of interviews. To qualify for the competition, high school seniors must have at least a 3.5 GPA and a minimum of a 25 ACT or 1130 SAT.

For more information, please visit the Presidential Scholarship website.

About Eastern Michigan University

Founded in 1849, Eastern is the second oldest public university in Michigan. It currently serves nearly 18,000 students pursuing undergraduate, graduate, specialist, doctoral and certificate degrees in the arts, sciences and professions. In all, more than 300 majors, minors and concentrations are delivered through the University's Colleges of Arts and Sciences; Business; Education; Engineering and Technology; Health and Human Services; and, its graduate school. For more information about Eastern Michigan University, visit the University's website.