Meet This Year's Miktarian Scholarship Winners

Last week The Officer Joshua T. Miktarian Memorial Scholarship Committee officially announced the two recipients of the Miktarian Memorial Scholarships for 2012.

The committee selected  graduating senior Brandon Mueller and Drew Stadelman, who graduated from Tallmadge High School this past week. Each will receive a $1,250 for their first two years of school.

Twinsburg Patch had the chance to talk with both of the award winners to find out more about them.

Brandon Mueller

After graduating from Twinsburg High School this spring, Mueller will head off to Tiffin University in the fall to earn his bachelor's degree in criminal justice, double-majoring in homeland security/terrorism and law enforcement.

Mueller said he was grateful the committee picked him to carry on Miktarian's legacy.

"I was really excited," he said. "I didn’t expect it but I’m really honored to represent his memory."

After he graduates, Meuller said he plans to start small, but he has big aspirations for his future career.

"After I’m done I’d like to go to the police academy and get hired at a local police department," Mueller said. "My long term goal is to go to the FBI. I think it would be a very interesting job."

Drew Stadelman

It looks like Tiffin University will have two good students heading its way, as Tallmadge graduate Drew Stadelman plans to go there in the fall as well.

At Tiffin Stadelman plans to earn his bachelor's degree in criminal justice, concentrating on forensic psychology.

"The criminal mind is very intriguing to me; understanding how and why they think the way they do," Stadelman said. "I'm interested to know why they do what they do. I’m hoping with the degree I can help stop people from committing these crimes."

As for his career plans, he's not sure just yet. Stadelman said he hopes his path will become more clear during his college years.

"I see going into the detective or investigative field," he said. "Something along the lines of ciminology but I’m not 100 percent sure yet."

No matter what career he chooses, he wants to prove the scholarship committee right in choosing him.

"I was honored and I was very happy they chose me," Stadelman said. "I feel like I’ll be able to put it to good use. After following his [Miktarian's] story, I felt it was a huge honor to be the one in my school that received the award. I’m hoping I make them proud that they chose me."

The Joshua T. Miktarian Memorial Scholarship was established in memory of Joshua Miktarian, Twinsburg K-9 officer and 1993 graduate of Tallmadge High School who was killed in the line of duty on July 13, 2008.

Several members of the and Josh’s wife, Holly created the scholarship in order to carry on Josh’s dedication to the fields of criminal justice and law enforcement.

Two scholarships are awarded on an annual basis to a graduating senior, one from Twinsburg High School and one from Tallmadge High School due to Josh’s links to both communities.

The scholarship fund was initially established with donations from the community raised at the ‘Celebrating Badge 45’ event held in September 2008 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Twinsburg. Funds are raised annually at the Joshua T. Miktarian Memorial Scholarship Golf Outing held each July at and the Joshua T. Miktarian Motorcycle Run held in August every year; through a and private donations.