The department of political science and criminal justice in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of South Alabama has been chosen to receive a prestigious J. Edgar Hoover Memorial Scholarship for 2003.

USA is one of only seven universities nationwide to receive the $2,500 scholarship, according to Dr. John Smykla, chair and professor of political science and criminal justice at USA. “This is the first time for the University of South Alabama, and we are honored,” Smykla said.

The scholarship will be presented to USA by James Martin, regional vice president of the Society of Former Special Agents of the FBI, at 11 a.m., Tuesday, Oct. 29 in the USA Humanities Building Room 118 (dean’s conference room). The scholarship is funded by the Society of Former Special Agents of the FBI Foundation. Former FBI agent and organization member Claiborne Poche’ chose USA for the scholarship, which was created in honor of the former director of the FBI, J. Edgar Hoover.

Scholarship applicants must be employees of the Mobile Police Department. The scholarship will award $500 over the next five years to the recipient. A student awards and relations committee in the department of political science and criminal justice will set additional criteria regarding academic qualifications and award the scholarship. A call for applicants will be announced in January 2003, with the scholarship awarded in the spring of that year.

For more information contact the USA department of political science and criminal justice at 460-7161.