Senior Laura Merritt honored by Glamour magazine
An MU senior was recognized as one of Glamour magazine's Top 10 College Women for 2008.
Sept. 5, 2008
MU's football team isn't the only top 10 in town.
Senior Laura Merritt is one of 2008's Top 10 College Women recognized in Glamour magazine.
Wendy Naugle, Glamour's deputy editor, said the competition has been held for the past 51 years to coincide with Glamour's Women of the Year Program. She said it is designed to honor women entering their senior year of college.
"It recognizes leadership, scholastic ability and other accomplishments of great college women all over the country," Naugle said.
Glamour opens the contest each year by publishing an application in the magazine. Hopefuls list general information about themselves and submit an essay and two recommendation letters.
Receiving one of the spots also includes a cash prize and an award ceremony in New York where the women get to meet each other. The spot also comes with an opportunity to meet celebrities, a gift basket from L'oreal Paris and a luncheon with Glamour staff.
When choosing from thousands of applicants, judges look for something extraordinary.
"What really struck us about Laura was that at age 15, her rheumatoid arthritis was so bad that she couldn't even hold a pencil," Naugle said. "And it was at that point that she said to herself 'Is this disease going to beat me or am I going to fight back?'"
Although Merritt said her arthritis has been a problem in the past, she feels things are now under control.
"I'm blessed, and for the most part, I wake up every day and do what I need to do," Merritt said.
Having spent a lot of time in the hospital, Merrit designed "Cozy Care" sweatshirts to help keep hospital patients warm. These sweatshirts are designed for patients who are receiving blood transfusions.
Merritt also launched the "I Am" campaign, which promotes stem-cell research that could lead to cures for various conditions and illnesses.
"That's my big passion, health care," Merritt said. "Stem cell research is the best chance we have to switch from a reactive health care system to a proactive health care system."
Merritt is taking three credit hours this semester because she is interning for Chris Koster, the Democratic candidate for attorney general. Koster supports embryonic stem-cell research.
Patricia Merritt, Laura Merritt's mother, said she was excited that her daughter received the award.
"She's using her story to help others," Patricia Merritt said. "It's about making a difference in people's lives."
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