Mason National Merit Scholarship Winner Ready for New Scenery, Wardrobe at USC

Come this fall, Daniel Fletcher will be trading in his long sleeved shirts and warm parkas in for cargo shorts and thin, short-sleeved cotton shirts. The senior and National Merit Scholarship winner will be headed to college at the University of Southern California. It wasn’t that long ago Fletcher, 17, was mulling over the decision of heading to William & Mary and the University of Virginia before picking USC.

“Everybody looked the same and talked the same at William & Mary and UVA,” Fletcher said. “But at USC, everybody was different and I liked that.”

Fletcher is one of the five National Merit Scholarship finalists from Mason High. Fletcher, Fred Crawford and Mollie Read have all received letters acknowledging they have won varying amounts from the prestigious academic award. Just for being a finalist for the national scholarship, Fletcher said USC offered him a scholarship covering half of his tuition. He will receive $1,000 a year as a National Merit Scholar, he said. Fletcher is undecided on a major for now.

After attending his last class at Mason High on June 3, Fletcher plans on spending as much time with family and friends before heading west. Besides reading up on USC’s famed football history, Fletcher plans on hitting the beach and he has tentative plans for a trip to Michigan after graduation on June 15. Being so far from home will take some getting used to but Fletcher is sure he won’t be that bad off.

“I have some distant relatives out that way, so it shouldn’t be that bad,” Fletcher said. “I want to be able to come home for Thanks Giving, though.”

A member of the first graduating class from Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School, Fletcher said his family and friends have an open invitation to visit him at USC. He said he might even invite his high school buddies out for spring break.

“They would love it,” he said, laughing about his friends coming out for spring break. “My family is welcomed to come out any time.”