Mariam Vargas ’25 (CLAS) has been named a Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Fellowship recipient. Vargas was selected among the 1,267 candidates who applied for the program, which is funded by the U.S. Department of State and administered by Howard University. She is the UConn’s first ever-recipient of a Rangel fellowship.

The program supports individuals who want to pursue careers in the foreign service of the U.S. Department of State and was established in 2003. The program was named to honor Charles Rangel, who represented New York City in Congress from 1971 to 2017.

The Rangel Fellowship will support Vargas through a two-year master’s degree in an area of relevance to the foreign service. It will also provide extensive professional development opportunities, including internships, mentors, and skills training.

 

Continue reading at UConn Today . . . .

 

Tae’Niajha Pullen ’25 (CLAS), an Africana studies major, has been named a 2024-2025 Newman Civic Fellow. 

The distinction was given by Campus Compact, a national coalition of colleges and universities working to advance the public purposes of higher education, to students from 38 states, Washington, D.C., and Mexico who were recommended by their campus president or chancellor. 

The fellowship is a yearlong program that recognizes students who stand out for their leadership potential and commitment to creating positive change in communities. It is named for the late Frank Newman, one of Campus Compact’s founders, who was a tireless advocate for civic engagement in higher education.  

 

Continue reading in UConn Today . . . .

 

University of Connecticut junior Neo Lin ’25 (CLAS), an Honors chemistry major from Madison, has been named a Goldwater Scholar. The Goldwater Scholarship is considered the nation’s premier scholarship for undergraduates studying math, natural sciences, and engineering.  Schools can nominate a maximum of four students per year.

Read more in UConn Today . . .

 

Click Here to Access the 2024 Statement of Interest Form

(For Fall 2024 Potential Applicants)

Each year, the University of Connecticut nominates, endorses, and/or advises students who are competing for postgraduate scholarships and fellowships in the United Kingdom, including the Rhodes, Marshall, Churchill, Gates, and Fulbright.  Staff in the Office of National Scholarships & Fellowships administer this process and support/advise students as they craft their applications.

The Rhodes Scholarship funds 1-4 years of graduate study at the University of Oxford (UK) and is awarded to seniors and recent graduates with proven intellectual and academic achievement, integrity of character, interest in and respect for their fellow beings, the ability to lead, and the energy to use their talents to the full.

Please review all eligibility requirements and rules on the official Rhodes Scholarship website.

(Note that the deadline for the Rhodes varies depending on one’s nationality; international students should visit Check your eligibility and apply – Rhodes Trust (ox.ac.uk) to identify their deadline and to determine if their country requires institutional nomination.)

The Marshall Scholarship funds 1-3 (typically 2) years of graduate study at any university in the UK (including Oxford) and is awarded to seniors and recent graduates who demonstrate exceptional academic merit, leadership potential and ambassadorial potential.

Please review all eligibility requirements and rules on the official Marshall Scholarship website.

The Churchill Scholarship, which funds one year of graduate study at the University of Cambridge (UK) and is awarded to graduating seniors on the basis of academic and research achievement. The Churchill Foundation seeks to provide accomplished scientists, mathematicians, and engineers with the tools to maximize their future impact. UConn may nominate up to two students per year.  Students who wish to be considered for this award must apply directly to the University of Cambridge by October 15.

Please review all eligibility requirements and rules on the official Churchill Scholarship website.

The Gates Cambridge Scholarship, which funds graduate study at the University of Cambridge (UK), does not require nomination. It is, however, equally competitive. Students who wish to be considered for this award must apply directly to the University of Cambridge by October 15.

Please review all eligibility requirements and rules on the official Gates Cambridge Scholarship website and visit ONSF or work with a faculty member for guidance through the process.

 

(For any of the scholarships listed above, students should make an appointment with Vin Moscardelli, Director of ONSF, to discuss their eligibility before applying for nomination.)

 

The US-UK Fulbright Commission administers more than 40 awards in a range of disciplines in partnership with universities across the United Kingdom, as well as a single Open Award for postgraduate study or independent research projects in any recognized UK university.  To learn more about Fulbright opportunities in the UK and elsewhere, visit ONSF’s Fulbright U.S. Student Program page and then reach out to UConn’s Fulbright Program Advisor Dr. Michael Cunningham via Email or Nexus.

The British Council is a great resource for non-U.S. students who wish to learn more about scholarships that support postgraduate study in England, Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland.

---

Information Sessions:

ONSF will host virtual information sessions on these awards in April and early May, the first of which will take place at noon on Tuesday, April 30 (follow the link for more details, including the Webex link).

---

 

How to Apply – Fall 2024 Deadlines

To enter the Rhodes, Marshall, and/or Churchill Scholarship competitions at the national level, you must first be nominated by the University of Connecticut through a process managed by the Office of National Scholarships and Fellowships.

To be considered for nomination, you must complete the following:

• Complete the “Statement of Interest” form linked at the top of this page as soon as possible.  ONSF staff will begin reviewing submitted forms in April.  (After May 31, interested candidates should Email Vin Moscardelli to discuss their candidacies and get further instructions, access to the campus application, etc.)
• Submit complete internal applications by 4:00pm, Thursday, August 29, 2024. (Note that while most of these applications require 4-8 letters of recommendation, potential applicants only need to submit three letters by the time of this campus deadline.)

A faculty review panel will review the application materials and interview a subset of the strongest candidates.  From this group, the committee selects the eventual nominees who will advance to the national competitions.  The deadlines for all of these awards appear below:

• Rhodes Scholarship (non-U.S. applicants):  Varies by country (some are as early as June)
• Rhodes Scholarship (U.S. and Canadian applicants):  October 2, 2024 (campus deadline Aug. 29)
• Marshall Scholarship:  September 19, 2024 (campus deadline Aug. 29)
• Fulbright U.S. Student Program:  October 8 (campus deadline Sept. 9)
• Gates-Cambridge:  Mid-October 2024 (n/a)
• Churchill Scholarship:  November 1, 2024 (campus deadline Sept. 26)

 

The University of Connecticut has nominated three students for the Udall Undergraduate Scholarship, which is awarded to college sophomores or juniors who have demonstrated extraordinary commitment to the environment through participation in campus activities or service to their community.  Learn more about UConn’s nominees below.

 

Kanika Chaturvedi ’26 (CLAS) is a sophomore from Danbury, CT. She is an Honors student currently majoring in environmental studies with a minor in psychology. Driven by her dedication to sustainability and environmental justice, she actively contributes to the cause as a Sustainability Intern at UConn’s Office of Sustainability. There, she spearheads initiatives aimed at promoting environmental justice while also playing a pivotal role in the communications team to foster greater community engagement on environmental issues. Kanika helps supervise the Eco-Captain program, as well, to ensure that awareness about sustainability is widespread among the student body. Beyond her environmental endeavors, she serves as the Philanthropy Chair for the Hindu Students Organization, striving to enrich UConn’s campus by integrating her cultural heritage. Kanika plans to pursue a law degree, and hopes to specialize in environmental law, driven by her desire to advocate for those disproportionately affected by environmental injustices.

 

Amanda Stowe ’26 (CAHNR) is a sophomore Honors student from Newtown majoring in environmental sciences with a concentration in sustainable systems and a minor in ecology & evolutionary biology (EEB). Amanda is a Sustainability Intern for the Office of Sustainability, playing a pivotal role on the communications team and in planning conservation and sustainability focused initiatives. Amanda is also an ambassador for the College of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources and is the secretary of the UConn Chapter of the Soil and Water Conservation Society (SWCS). This past summer Amanda was a Conservation Intern for the Newtown Forest Association, where she conducted field research on invasive species, and a Field Research Intern for Global Treks and Adventures on the Big Island, Hawaii, where she researched species and conservation efforts on the island. Amanda aspires to pursue a career as a conservation scientist, protecting endangered species and restoring threatened habitats.

 

Andy Zhang ’26 (CLAS & CAHNR), from Sandy Hook, CT, is a second-year student double-majoring in economics and environmental science with minors in social responsibility & impact in business and environmental science & policy. He is passionate about delving deeper into the intersection of economic, social, and environmental factors as well as the role that businesses can play in mitigating the climate crisis. On campus, he serves as an intern at the Office of Sustainability, Difference Maker Mentor for the Natural Resources Conservation Academy, and student ambassador for the College of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources.

 

Congratulations to all three of UConn’s 2024 Udall Scholarship nominees!

 

 

The University of Connecticut has been recognized among the top producers of Fulbright U.S. Student Program award recipients for the first time in school history. These results are from U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and were featured in The Chronicle of Higher Education on Tuesday, Feb. 13.

UConn had 10 students named to the Fulbright U.S. Student Program in 2023-24, a record-setting number for the school.

 

Continue reading in UConn Today . . . .

 

The Gilman Scholarship, a prestigious academic award congressionally funded through the Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs at the State Department, has been awarded to seven UConn students for the most recent (fall 2023) application cycle. The funding supports broadening student participation in study abroad programs and encourages travel to diverse locations around the globe, along with intensive language study and internship experiences. 

“We are very excited to see STEM students being represented with Gilman Scholarships this award cycle,” says Valerie Jenkelunas, Experiential Global Learning (EGL) advisor and community liaison specialist. “We also appreciate that four students will be studying abroad in East Asia, an underrepresented region in study abroad nationally.”

In addition to EGL, students applying for Gilman Scholarships also work with advisors in UConn’s Office of National Scholarships & Fellowships (ONSF).  Michael Cunningham, Assistant Director of ONSF and UConn’s Fulbright Program Advisor, is one of two Gilman certifying advisors at UConn along with Jenkelunas.

Continue reading on UConn Today . . . .