ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, April 19, 1997 TAG: 9704210036
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-7 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: RADFORD
SOURCE: HAL SHEIKERZ THE ROANOKE TIMES
Five years after arriving from China, Ming Qui is a top high school student who has won a prestigious full-ride, merit-based scholarship to UVa.
Ming Qi barely knew English when she started attending Dalton Intermediate School after moving to Radford from China with her parents.
Those first months, classmates helped her adjust to the new school and country. She carried a dictionary to help her with translations.
But by the end of her first year at Dalton, she had done well enough to receive the award for the highest grade-point average in English for the entire seventh grade.
That was five years ago.
Qi now is a senior at Radford High School. Earlier this month she was selected to receive a prestigious Jefferson Scholarship for study at the University of Virginia. The Jefferson Scholarship is merit-based and awarded to outstanding high school seniors. The scholarship covers the entire cost of attending UVa for four years.
Qi was picked as one of 784 students in the national competition by a regional selection committee in Roanoke. She then was chosen as one of 75 finalists to vie for the award during a weekend at the university last month. Thirty students were awarded Jefferson Scholarships.
"I absolutely loved the school after the weekend," Qi said. "It's beautiful
The weekend was filled with seminars, examinations, interviews and discussions with professors and other scholars. Each finalist was also paired with a current Jefferson Scholar, who showed them the grounds and introduced them to classes. Qi said she learned more about the school than she had when she visited with her family. She is the daughter of Jianguo and Zhengqian Qi.
Qi selected Virginia over several other top schools, such as the College of William and Mary, Duke University and Johns Hopkins University. Most of them offered scholarships equivalent to the Jefferson. Her top choice originally was Duke because of the school's medical program. She wants eventually to attend medical school but right now is interested in studying computer science or engineering.
"She's bright but she is also goal oriented," said Shirley Gearheart, a teacher at Radford. It was Gearheart who noticed Qi's accelerated math abilities. After six weeks of Algebra I in the eighth grade, Gearheart moved Qi to Algebra II. She completed all the math courses at the high school by 10th grade. She took an independent study class in calculus BC as a junior. This year, she is taking four classes at Radford University. She took a computer science and psychology class in the fall. This semester she is taking honors microeconomics and a computer programming class.
"That's the kind of person she is ... very bright and goal oriented, not toward grades but toward understanding," Gearheart said. For example, Gearheart said Qi would always attempt extra-credit problems.
Outside of classes, Qi is assistant editor of the yearbook and president of the Computer Science Club. She also is a member of the tennis team and captain of the math Mountain Academic Competition Conference team. She was a member of the MACC Super Bowl Champion team. She was also selected to attend the Governor's School for Math, Science and Technology, Girls State and the Young Scholars Program. She also received the Rotary Achiever Award.
Qi's quest for understanding came in handy years ago when she was first learning English. At home, she picked up English from watching Disney movies.
"Younger people are quicker at picking up languages," Qi said. This has been true for Qi, who helps her parents with the language barrier. The 17-year-old, who will be 18 on July 4, said she watches movies with her parents and reads with them.
"We work together and help each other."
LENGTH: Medium: 73 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: (headshot) Qiby CNB