Chloe Scales and Baylee Wissler are the 2023 Paul and Pat Lingle Scholars at Indiana University East. Both freshmen Honor Program students received a scholarship award that will continue through their four-year programs.

Two scholarships are awarded each year to incoming freshmen enrolled in the IU East Honors Program. They must have a G.P.A. of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, and preference is given to students who live in Wayne County, Indiana.

Scales, a graduate of Centerville High School, is a business administration major in the Honors Program. She appreciates the variety of possibilities that a business major provides and is considering careers in marketing and finance. She sees career exploration in the IU East business program as a big benefit. But she considered much more when choosing to attend IU East.

“I love how IU East has such a tight-knit community. When choosing a college, I prioritized the overall atmosphere and environment. At IU East, everyone knows everyone, and all of the staff and students were incredibly kind and welcoming,” Scales said. “The financial aspect of IU East played a part in my decision. The school offers many scholarships that would allow me to enjoy my time at IU East without having to worry or stress from a financial perspective.”

Hearing that she had received one of those scholarships was exciting, Scales added. “I feel incredibly grateful that I was chosen.”

Scales, who said she hopes to explore student organizations such as Fellowship of Christian Athletes or student government, already has a busy schedule, as she is a member of the IU East cross country and track teams. She’s no stranger to managing her time, however, as she participated in cross country, track, FCA, concert, jazz and marching band, and model legislature at Centerville High School. One of her proudest moments, she said, was breaking the 5k school record in her senior year of cross country.

Scales knows she hasn’t got where she is without support, especially from her parents, Brian and Shannon Shuman. “My parents played a major role in inspiring me to work hard academically. They both worked hard during their years of school, and I strived to follow in their footsteps,” she said. “I’m excited to start my journey at IU East, and I am thankful for the aid of the Lingle scholarship to help support my future.”

Baylee Wissler of Richmond, this year’s other Lingle Scholar, is the daughter of Melissa and Brian Wissler and a graduate of Northeastern High School. Although she is new at the IU East campus this fall, she has plenty of experience with college-level classwork. “My proudest moment from high school was being able to graduate with more than 40 college credits,” Wissler noted.

Wissler is also a scholar-athlete and is continuing her golf career at IU East on the women’s golf team. At Northeastern, she played golf and softball, managed basketball teams, and was a part of student council, National Honors Society, and yearbook staff. She was also a junior and senior class officer. Wissler said she might continue her involvement in student government at IU East.

Wissler is a nursing major and hopes to eventually become a pediatric nurse. She cited her mother as a source of inspiration and someone who showed her the value of working hard and doing her best. “I chose nursing because I come from a family of healthcare workers and I find it so fulfilling to have the opportunity to help all kinds of people,” she said. “I think working with children would be so much fun and helping them in any way possible would be an amazing thing.”

In choosing to attend IU East, she knew she could work toward her dream career in an environment in which she feels that the friendly staff and professors genuinely know and care about her as an individual. She also liked that it is close to home.

The Lingle scholarship came to her attention after learning that a Northeastern student had received it, and a school counselor encouraged her to apply. That familiarity didn’t quash her emotions when she found out she had won, however. “I was shocked and very excited. I actually made my mom re-read the email back to me to make sure I read it right,” Wissler explained. “I’m so thankful for this amazing opportunity.”

About the Paul and Pat Lingle Scholars Program

The Paul and Pat Lingle Scholars Program award is given to two students who have been accepted into the IU East Honors Program, an academic program that provides an intellectually enriching curriculum for highly motivated students. Recipients receive a four-year scholarship, provided by the Lingles.

The Lingle Scholars program was established in 2005 and formally endowed in 2018. Scales and Wissler join Vincent Narcisse (2020), Jamie Andrews and Alison Juday (2021), and Alexander Bertsch and Liz Stubblefield (2022) as Paul and Pat Lingle Scholars at IU East.

Indiana University East leads the region as the premier four-year and master’s public institution in eastern Indiana and western Ohio. With enrollment over 3,100 students, IU East is both a traditional campus that excels in innovative learning options and a virtual campus with select online degree completion programs. The university’s customized bachelor’s and master’s programs – a portfolio of over 60 degree program options – anticipate the growing needs of citizens in the region, state, and nation. For more information, please visit east.iu.edu.

IU East 2325 Chester Blvd. Richmond, IN 47374