Mortimore, Dean graduated from MHS in 1972, Rob in 1982. Click Here to download article   ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   Richard Cassing, son of Meredith and Ron Cassing, Class of 2001, received college scholarships based on his high academic record.  He attended Lake Superior State, and graduated first in his class with a degree in computer engineering.  Currently, Richard resides in Baltimore, Maryland, and works for the Department of Defense as a contractor.    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   Jason Cassing, also the son of Meredith and Ron Cassing, Class of 2003, joined the Army after High School graduation.  Serving his 2nd tour in Iraq, he is a Sergeant with the Stryker Brigade based in Baghdad.  Jason recently received the Bronze Star for “heroic and meritorious achievement, or service.”  The Bronze Star is one of the highest medals awarded by the military.   ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------    Matt Hammond, son of Ilene and Tim Hammond, Class of 2001, graduated from Lake Superior State earning a degree in Criminal Justice.  During his third year of college, Matt also enlisted in the United States Marine Corps Reserves.  After graduation, Matt went into active duty.  As a Lance Corporal, he enrolled in the Officers Candidate School (OCS), receiving the rank of Second Lieutenant upon completion.  Currently, Matt is stationed at the Naval Air Base in Corpus Christi, Texas, awaiting his promotion to First Lieutenant.   ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   As graduation approaches for the Class of 2007 and students are deciding on a career, it is important to not only consider how much money is to be made but also what career will bring satisfaction.   As Erin Wise has found, her passion for writing and love of animals has put her on the road to an exciting future. A Morrice High School 2001 graduate, Erin Wise attended Central Michigan University with a double English major and a minor in Journalism. The summer of her Junior year, Erin did an internship at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Utah. (The previous summer Erin had studied abroad and enjoyed experiences such as watching the Tour De France from the top of the Eiffel Tower.) After Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, Best Friends Animal Sanctuary contacted Erin to assist in animal search and rescue efforts. Erin volunteered her time for three months. Her duties included cataloging rescued animals in hopes of reuniting them with their owners and also conducting house searches both day and night. When the time came for Erin to leave New Orleans, Best Friends offered Erin a paid position designed specifically for her abilities asking her to name her salary.   Erin is currently working for the Utah government as a workforce specialist and resides with her husband in Kanab, Utah with their dogs Fiona and Lucy. She is doing what she always dreamed of, giving a voice to the animals. Her latest adventure includes working with the Navajo Indians coordinating efforts to spay and neuter their pets. To see more on what Erin is doing please visit www.bestfriends.org.   ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   Morrice Graduate Awarded Full Medical School Scholarship   Brandon Alleman, a 2002 graduate of Morrice High School, was recently awarded a full merit based scholarship to attend medical school at the University of Iowa ­ Carver College of Medicine. Brandon was admitted to the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) at the University of Iowa in September of 2007. This specialized program will conclude with Brandon earning both his MD and PhD degrees. “It truly is an honor to be chosen for the MSTP at a school like Iowa. The university has a record of training qualified, caring physicians and highly respected researchers.” The University of Iowa admitted only 148 first year medical students this year from a pool of approximately 3000 qualified applicants. A total of 10 students each year are chosen for the MSTP. The specialized MSTP is one of only 43 offered in the United States. “What initially attracted me to the MSTP was the flexibility it provided. This program will allow me to impact the health of others individually as a physician and broadly as a scientist. In addition to practicing medicine, my goals are to look at problems associated with the access to and quality of healthcare, both domestically and internationally.” Brandon graduated with Honors from Hope College in May 2006. He earned both a Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts degree while studying mathematics and physics. Following his graduation from Hope College, Alleman spent 10 months completing medical research in Budapest, Hungary as a US Department of State Fulbright Research Scholarship recipient. He worked in Prof. Judit Fidy’s laboratory at Semmelweis Medical University in Hungary.   Alleman commends his education at Morrice Area Schools with assisting in his being awarded this scholarship. “The small-school environment of Morrice allowed me to become a creative learner and have a unique education that fit my needs and interests. In addition to my core education, Morrice supported and encouraged my participation in many programs, such as ITV, dual-enrollment, or taking other classes locally, allowing me to adequately prepare myself for future endeavors. Also, I had teachers and staff members who knew me personally. Their assistance with advice and letters of recommendation, made many of my opportunities possible.   I am not alone in receiving an excellent education from Morrice; Dave Head (2000) earned a scholarship to attend Kettering University and David Goodyear (2003) is currently attending medical school at Wayne State University. I believe they, and many other alumni, would agree that Morrice can provide whatever education a student desires.”   Brandon is the son of Rob and Susan Alleman (both MHS Alumni) of Morrice. Brandon was the valedictorian of the class of 2002 and graduated Morrice High School with 30 college credits earned. Brandon and his wife Rebecca, reside in Coralville, Iowa. Rebecca attends Law School at the University of Iowa on a full-tuition merit scholarship. Brandon has two siblings including 2007 MHS valedictorian, Erin Alleman, a freshman at Olivet Nazarene University and Caleb Alleman, who is currently a junior at MHS.   ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   My name is Lauren Frederick and I am a 2006 Morrice High School graduate.  Early in my senior year of high school, I was accepted to Western Michigan University. I also received the Dean's scholarship from the university for my achievements while in high school which consists of 4,000 dollars a year, as long as I maintain at least a 3.0 GPA. I was on the Dean's list my first semester for maintaining a 3.5 G.P.A. I am currently in my sophomore year at Western and I am working toward getting my Bachelor's degree in business.    It seems as though a lot of people believe that going to a larger school will better prepare its students for life at a large university. I am proof that this is completely untrue. I have made a very smooth transition from high school to college despite the fact that Morrice is a small school. When I have children of my own someday, I hope that they get just as great of an education as I did at Morrice. My teachers were great. They knew all of their students by name, which made for a much more personal experience than if I had gone to a larger school. I feel that as long as a student is motivated and willing to learn, it doesn't matter how large or small their high school is.    I am very happy with the education that I received at Morrice High School.    Sincerely,    Lauren Frederick   ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   http://www.morrice.mi.us/village_history.htm   ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------           If you are interested in submitting your Success Story Please contact us via E-mail to jan@jimhargrove.com