McQuilkin Scholarship Winner Active in Church, Community

McQuilkin Scholarship Winner Active in Church, Community

Zachary "Zach" Kahrs

The winner of a full-tuition scholarship from Columbia International University (CIU) in Columbia, S.C. is a prayer leader at his church, chaplain of the National Honor Society at his high school, and serves burgers and tater tots on roller skates at the local Sonic.   

Zachary Kahrs, 17, of Jacksonville, Fla., is the winner of the R.C. McQuilkin Scholarship, awarded annually at CIU following a weekend of intense interviews, interactive group activities, panel discussions, and just plain fun. 

Kahrs, a senior at Mandarin High School in Jacksonville, was among 63 students who were vying for the scholarship – a record number of participants representing 20 states from as far away as California, Maine, and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The scholarship is named for the first president of CIU, Robert C. McQuilkin.  A key criterion to winning the scholarship is leadership – something Kahrs has displayed in his teen years.           

Kahrs is a member of Christian Family Chapel in Jacksonville where not only does he lead a youth prayer team before church services, he also teaches Bible to third grade boys, and leads a Vacation Bible School in the community during the summer.      

In addition to being the National Honor Society chaplain at his high school, Kahrs is secretary of a group called Senior Men, treasurer of the Student Council, and a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA).  He is a three-year letterman in soccer.  He also works part time as a roller skating carhop at a Sonic restaurant.       

“I really do like to stay busy,” Kahrs said in an interview.  “I really like to be productive in all that I do, especially productive in bringing God the glory,” he added.        

Kahrs will major in Intercultural Studies at CIU because he says he wants to reach people with the gospel who have never heard of Jesus Christ.

“I want to further God’s kingdom anywhere he sends me,” Kahrs said. 

View photos from the R.C. McQuilkin Scholarship Weekend at CIU's Flickr site:  https://www.flickr.com/photos/ciuimpact/sets/72157628305464401/with/6466024245/