Scholarships encourage Baker County high school students toward higher education

July 17, 2007

High school students in Baker County have a home-grown scholarship opportunity waiting for them at Georgia Southern University.

Karl Peace, a 1959 graduate of Baker County High School, has established five scholarships that are specifically designated for Baker County students who choose to attend Georgia Southern. Because his field of interest is mathematics, statistics, computer science, and information technology, Peace has directed two scholarships to students in these areas. Other scholarships are in nutrition, journalism, and political science.

‘Graduating from Georgia Southern in 1963 was my first step in a very successful career,” said Peace, ‘and I was fortunate to have help from many people in Baker County. I’d like to help current students benefit from the same opportunities I had.”

Peace has created five scholarships for Baker County students:

• Vines-Peace Scholarship in mathematics, computer science, and biostatistics, which honors Peace’s high school principal, Joe Vines;
• Reeves-Peace Scholarship in mathematics, computer science, and biostatistics, which honors Peace’s high school math teacher, Bill Tom Reeves;
• Emily Joan Peace Scholarship in nutritional science, which honors Peace’s sister;
• Mitchell E. Peace Scholarship in journalism, which honors Peace’s brother;
• Christopher K. Peace Scholarship in political science to honor his son.

After earning a B.S. in chemistry from Georgia Southern College, Peace went on to earn an M.S. in mathematics from Clemson University, a Ph.D. in biostatistics from the Medical College of Virginia, and a Health Science Certificate from Vanderbilt University. Following a career in the biopharmaceutical industry, Peace is now professor of biostatistics in the Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health at Georgia Southern. The college is named for Peace’s late wife, who was an internationally recognized statistical scholar.

Students interested in learning about these scholarships may call 912-871-1702 or send an e-mail inquiry to jforehand@georgiasouthern.edu for more information.