Cloquet student heads to Harvard

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Cloquet’s Landon Straub started at Harvard University this week, on a full-ride scholarship.

The 2012 Cloquet High School (CHS) graduate found out he’d been accepted to the prestigious East Coast school on graduation day, the perfect graduation gift, said his proud mom, Angela Hagen of Cloquet.

“He’s a good kid, and he was into everything in high school,” said Hagen, rattling off her eldest son’s many activities. “But his grades were always the most important thing.”

Straub was awarded a full-ride Harvard National Scholarship. According to the website, the purpose of the Harvard National Scholarship – which has been offered since the 1930s – is to broaden Harvard’s appeal beyond the Northeastern United States by attracting top students from across the country. The primary qualifications for this scholarship are good grades and an academic standing in the top 10 percent of the applicant’s graduating class.

Straub certainly fits the qualifications. He graduated from CHS with a 4.1 grade point average, near the top of his class. He was one of the stars – and co-captain – of last year’s Cloquet-Esko-Carlton boys soccer team, the first CEC boys team to make it to the state tournament. Straub was also co-captain of the CHS track team. In addition, while at CHS, he participated in theater and music.

Hagen said her son hopes to attend medical school after he completes his undergraduate degree. However, she said she expects him to leave some time for fun.

“He enjoys his music and his sports, I know he wants to be involved in something he loves,” she said, “but his most important thing is always his grades.”

Straub’s full-ride scholarship will be worth close to $55,000 this year.

Over the past five years, Harvard College has increased its financial aid offerings to students in an effort to attract the nation’s top undergraduates.

“Need-blind admissions, supported by generous financial aid, is the bedrock of Harvard’s effort to attract the most talented undergraduates in America and across the globe, regardless of their ability to pay,” said Dean Michael D. Smith of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences in a Harvard Gazette story from March 2012. “A student’s economic circumstances should never be a barrier to attending Harvard College.”

Straub has three siblings: older sister Taylor Straub and younger brother and sister, Brandt and Ari Straub. His father is Wayne Straub of Barnum.

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