Independent Student Newspaper for the University of Texas at San Antonio

The Paisano

Independent Student Newspaper for the University of Texas at San Antonio

The Paisano

Independent Student Newspaper for the University of Texas at San Antonio

The Paisano

Marshall scholarship comes to UTSA

The British Consul General of Houston, Andrew Millar, will be visiting UTSA on Wednesday, Sept. 19, from noon to 1:00 p.m. in the University Center Pecan Room (UC 2.01.26) to inform students about the Marshall scholarship program.

Among the most selective opportunities available to students in the United States, the Marshall scholarship provides two (possibly three) years of all-expenses-paid studies at any university in the United Kingdom. Students in any field may apply for this award as nearly every field is represented in UK universities. UTSA’s Honors College is offering mentoring and application assistance.

 The Marshall scholarship program was created by Parliament in response to the introduction of the Marshall Plan by the United States. The Marshall plan provided economic aid to Europe following WWII and was designed to stop the spread of communism. The goal of the scholarship program is to provide future American leaders with unique insight into British culture to strengthen the unique relationship between the UK and United States.

Marshall scholars frequently attend either Cambridge University or Oxford University, but scholars are encouraged to attend any institution in the UK. Forty Marshall scholars, eligible with a 3.7 minimum GPA, are selected each year to participate in the program and represent four percent of the applications received.

Ben Olguín, Assistant Director of National and International Scholarships and Fellowships, said the marshall scholarship program “not only funds students to undertake two to three years of graduate studies at some of the Western World’s top institutions, but also distinguishes the student as a premiere intellectual and leader.”

Olguín explained that the mentoring services at the Honors College have a pre-screening process for applicants. The process involves the student being recommended by a faculty member, analyzed for appropriate qualifications and eligibility for the award, and one to three years of mentoring experience in preparation.

Olguín said that UTSA had recent success with students pursuing major awards; two students were recently selected as finalists for the Rhodes scholarship, which is as prestigious as the Marshall scholarship. Although these students did not win the award, they attended law school at Harvard University and the University of Texas at Austin. He added,

“These significant awards serve as major indicators of the success of faculty in their research and advanced research-based teaching, as the award foundations only accept the very best students,” Olguín added.

The specific criterion that the Marshall scholarship committee use to compare candidates are academic merit (GPA, awards, course of study, and recommendations), leadership potential (past leadership roles), and ambassadorial potential (knowledge of international relations, transferrable extracurricular skills, interpersonal skills, and self-confidence).

Olguín explained, “In some cases, applications are not allowed to proceed if they are not deemed competitive, which is necessary in order for UTSA to maintain its new reputation for submitting top viable candidates for major awards.”

More information can be found at www.marshallscholarships.org. Additionally, the Honors College invites people to contact Dr. Ben Olguín at 210-458-4106 or at [email protected] for more information about the Marshall scholarship or other major awards.

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