Biosystems engineering sophomore Tara Franey was awarded the 2004 MSU Distinguished Scholarship. The scholarship includes full tuition, room and board, books and miscellaneous academic expenses for up to nine semesters of undergraduate study.

"I feel like I don't deserve it," Franey said.

Franey said she earned the scholarship based on her ACT score, high school academics and extracurricular activities. She attended Paul Laurence Dunbar High School in Lexington, Ky.

Students from all over the country compete for the scholarship in an invitation-only examination on the MSU campus in February.

The school awards at least 12 scholarships each year. Franey said she is excited that her work has paid off.

"My parents always encouraged me to put academics first," she said. "I want to do the best at everything. Failing is not an option."

MSU's appeal to Franey was wide.

"I wanted to go to a big university that was out of state," she said. "MSU has all the programs I'm interested in."