The student body is now able to vote for the Leader of the Pack scholarship recipient, a student who has demonstrated leadership, scholarship and service in the NC state community through their time at the university, until Tuesday at 8 p.m.*

A tradition taking place every year during Homecoming, the Leader of the Pack program gifts the recipient of this scholarship receives a $3,000 scholarship and a class ring.

The 12 semi-finalists are selected through a combination of written essays, co-curricular involvement, an interview and grade point average. The finalists are then selected by a panel of university faculty, administrators and student leaders, then voted on by the student body. 

The following is a list of this year’s six Leader of the Pack finalists. Full biographies of the finalists can be found on the Leader of the Pack website.

Neil Cornwall, a fourth-year studying biomedical engineering

Cornwall is a Goodnight Scholar from Durham, NC. Cornwall has participated in research regarding treatment of brain tumors and currently serves as the president for the Habitat for Humanity chapter at NC State. He has also worked as a teaching assistant in the biomedical engineering department.

Keilah Davis, a fourth-year studying physics

Davis is a Park Scholar from Durham, NC with minors in mathematics and Africana studies. She currently serves as the editor-in-chief of Nubian Message, NC State’s African American newspaper, and has also served as a College of Sciences ambassador, a physics department undergraduate researcher and president of Acappology.

Kat Kirby, a fourth-year studying women’s and gender studies 

Kirby, from Wilson, NC, currently serves as co-president for The Movement Peer Educators as well as for Planned Parenthood Generation Action. She also serves as a student Senator for the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. She also volunteers with NC State’s Women’s Center, InterAct of Raleigh, the NC Coalition Against Sexual Assault and the LGBT Center of Raleigh.

Malasia McClendon, a third-year studying political science

McClendon, a first-generation college student from Monroe, NC, is in the University Honors Program. She currently serves as the president of NC State’s National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) chapter, a volunteer in English as a Second Language classes, an Alternative Service Break leader, a political science department undergraduate research assistant and a member services specialist at Wellness and Recreation.

Alex Obiol, a third-year studying textile engineering

Obiol is a Park Scholar from Fuquay-Varina, NC with a minor in industrial engineering. Obiol is a student senator representing the college of engineering and serves as the director of the University Affairs department in Student Government. She also works as an engineering ambassador and a student representative on the Friends of the Arts NC State Board. 

Adam Schmidt, a third-year studying civil engineering

Schmidt, from Morehead, NC, has a minor in Chinese studies. Schmidt currently serves as Student Senate President and undergraduate research assistant in the department of civil, construction and environmental engineering. He is a member of the University Scholars program, the Caldwell Fellows program and the first Mount Vernon Leadership fellow from NC State.

Students can vote for Leader of the Pack from now until Tuesday, Oct 30 at 8 p.m. Students can cast their vote here. The winner will be announced during the Homecoming football game against Florida State on Saturday.

*Editor’s Note: This article was updated to include when Leader of the Pack voting ends.