By Elizabeth Clarke, LCU News
PINEVILLE, La. (LCU News) – Rachel Henry, a student at Live Oak High School in Watson, has been awarded the Louisiana Christian University Smith Scholarship for 2026.
Henry will receive a four-year full tuition, room and board scholarship.
“I am so honored to have received the Smith Scholarship,” Henry said. “It means the world to me that I was chosen for this prestigious honor, especially after meeting the students that I was competing against, who were amazing, highly qualified people. I am so grateful for the opportunity I have been given, not only to learn about my future career, but to be able to put Christ at the center of my education. I am so excited to see what God has in store for me through LCU.”
Henry is the daughter of Marty and Keith Henry.
She is a four-year member of the track team and has been playing piano for 12 years. Henry also has served as an officer on the FCA team.
Henry said she plans to major in psychology with a clinical focus, aiming to become a counselor with her own practice.
Byron Broussard, of Woodworth, is a senior at Glenmora High School in Rapides Parish and has been awarded the Presidential Scholarship. He is the vice president of Student Council, chaplain of BETA, and a member of the powerlifting team
The Presidential Scholar receives a four-year full tuition scholarship.
“I am extremely happy to win this scholarship,” Broussard said. “Combined with my TOPS (Taylor Opportunity Program for Students), I should be able to attend college debt-free, an opportunity many people do not receive.”
Clay and Lisa Broussard, Broussard’s parents, are both LCU alumni, and several members of his family have previously participated in the Smith Scholarship competition, he said.
“I was very honored to be invited for this great opportunity,” Broussard said. “Because of the ties my family has with LCU, it has always been my first choice for my life after high school. This scholarship takes me one step closer to achieving my goals.”
Byron Broussard, of Woodworth, is a senior at Glenmora High School in Rapides Parish and has been awarded the Presidential Scholarship. Karen Carter photo
Broussard said he plans to double major in history and biblical studies.
Eight students competed this year in the competition, said Sarah Payne, director of the C.S. Lewis Honors Program.
“Each of the applicants demonstrated outstanding achievements, and their participation alone is a mark of high honor,” Payne said. “We are pleased to welcome Rachel Henry as the Smith Scholar and Byron Broussard as the Presidential Scholar this fall. We also look forward to having all of this year’s candidates join the C. S. Lewis Honors Program. It is always inspiring to spend the day visiting with these remarkable students.”
LCU President Mark Johnson congratulated Henry and Broussard on this accomplishment.
“They both represent the very best of what we hope to cultivate at LCU, academic excellence, servant leadership and a sincere commitment to Christ-centered learning,” Johnson said. “The Smith Scholarship and the Presidential Scholarship are not simply awards; they are investments in students whose lives already reflect integrity, discipline and purpose. We are excited to welcome Rachel and Byron to campus and look forward to watching how God uses their gifts to serve others and lead with conviction. They will be wonderful additions to the LCU community and the C.S. Lewis Honors Program.”
To participate in the Smith Scholarship Competition, each student must have earned 28 or higher on the ACT and submit a portfolio that contains past awards, recognitions and accomplishments. Two letters of recommendation are required, along with an essay explaining the major features of a Christian Liberal Arts education.
Portfolios are submitted to a panel of faculty judges who serve on the C.S. Lewis Honors Program Council. During the competition, the panel of judges interviews each participant before making their final selection.
The Smith Scholarship was founded in the early 1970s by an endowment donation from Tom and Beverly Durham to honor Beverly Durham’s mother, Elizabeth Smith.
