It’s scholarship season at CU as graduate school deadlines are approaching. The Rhodes, Marshall, Mitchell, Truman and Fulbright scholarships are among the top full-ride scholarships available to those pursuing graduate school. Each scholarship requires at least a 3.7 GPA as well as a record of community involvement and leadership experience.
Every year CU has had a finalist in at least one of these scholarships, said Deborah Viles, who works in the scholarship advising office in Norlin Library. Viles helps students apply for these various scholarships.
“The expectations are set high,” Viles said. “But you can’t win if you don’t try.”
(Courtesy of the Fulbright Scholar Program)
The Rhodes scholarship is one of the oldest scholarships since its establishment in 1902. Recipients complete two years at Oxford University in England for two master’s degrees. Some candidates pursue their doctorate. The Marshall scholarship can be used anywhere in the United Kingdom. Viles said many students apply for both the Marshall and Rhodes scholarships.
“Many students tend to think Oxford is the only university in the UK,” Viles said. “The Marshall scholarship encourages students to think more broadly about the UK.”
The Mitchell scholarship applies to a one-year program in Northern Ireland. Only 13 scholarships are awarded per year.
Noah-Gallagher Shannon, a 23-year-old CU graduate with an English literature degree has applied for the Mitchell, Marshall and Rhodes scholarships. Shannon said he hopes to earn his masters in English with an emphasis on American studies.
“I was excited about the comparative aspect of it,” he said. “Studying America outside of America will be a different view.”
Shannon said he is waiting to hear back this week on the final decisions.
Kerry Helen Doran, a 21-year-old senior majoring in art history, studio arts and anthropology applied for the Marshall scholarship. Doran said that she intends to study contemporary art, photography and new media at the Courtauld Institute of Art.
“Art makes more sense than anything else in the world to me,” Doran said. “Applying for this scholarship helped me put into words why I’m passionate about what I do and why it’s important to study. I feel like I know myself better because of this process.”
Doran said she plans to attend the Courtauld Institute of Art whether she receives the scholarship or not. She will apply to be considered for funding if she does not receive the Marshall scholarship.
The Truman scholarship must be applied for during junior year of undergrad. The scholarship pays for graduate school and is for students interested in working in higher education, a nonprofit, or non-governmental organization for underrepresented groups. The scholarship aims to fund leaders in public service.
The Fulbright Scholarship offers grants to students applying to graduate school in a foreign country. Students must propose a project in a foreign country and teach English as a second language.
For those interested in applying to these scholarships, the Special Undergraduate Enrichment Program office is located in Norlin Library S436. Applicants must submit a personal statement, fill out an application and provide three to four letters of recommendation.
“These opportunities are all pretty far-fetched and competitive,” Shannon said. “What would you do if you were given the opportunity to do anything?”
Contact CU Independent staff writer Mahala Proch at Mahala.proch@colorado.edu.
