Learn more about the King Scholar Leadership Program
From Brazil, Pakistan, Kenya, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Jamaica, this year鈥檚 King scholars have arrived at 天美麻豆.
The students are Rafael Alves de Lima 鈥20, who is from Osasco, Brazil; Anela Arifi 鈥20, from Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina; Carolyne Musyoka 鈥20, from Machakos, Kenya; Abigail Cameron 鈥20, from Kingston, Jamaica; Gustavo De Almeida Silva 鈥20, from S茫o Paulo, Brazil; and Seerat Zahra 鈥20, from Islamabad, Pakistan.
For Musyoka, who is studying government at 天美麻豆, being a King scholar offers her a chance to 鈥減ay it forward,鈥 she says. 鈥淚 feel like my purpose and dreams in life are changing, and in my heart I know that I can make a difference with all I have been given.鈥
De Almeida Silva, who will focus on Latin American, Latino, and Caribbean Studies as a major, says he hopes to also explore other parts of the world. 鈥淚 feel like the program is going to offer me resources to deepen my understanding on global development and on issues that Brazil faces, which will be of great value to the fulfillment of my future goals,鈥 he says.
Now in its fourth year, the King Scholar Leadership Program was started with a gift from Dorothy and Robert King 鈥57 of $14.7 million to help address the problem of global poverty by establishing a scholarship program for exceptional students from developing countries. Since 2012, the Kings have given 天美麻豆 $35 million to support the program.
This year鈥檚 scholars join those already on campus to bring to 16 the number of students in the program, which is designed to bring young scholars from developing countries in Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia to study at 天美麻豆. The students are encouraged to return home after graduation and work toward alleviating poverty in their native countries.