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Students to Study Abroad Wagoner Scholarships Underscore Importance of International Education Sixteen undergraduates and four graduate students have been named 2006 recipients of the Wagoner Foreign Study Scholarship, the most prestigious studyabroad award offered by Rice University. This marks a major commitment by the university to further the internationalization agenda articulated in the Vision for the Second Century. “Through the foresight and generosity of alumnus James Wagoner,” said Rice president David Leebron, “we are able to help students have the meaningful international experiences that are an essential part of a Rice undergraduate education.” The value of each scholarship depends on financial need and the cost of the proposed program of study and ranges from $5,000 to $15,000. The selection criteria are scholastic attainment, financial need, dedication, character, and career prospects. The Faculty Committee on Scholarships and Awards, chaired by sociology professor Elizabeth Long, serves as the Wagoner selection panel. The Wagoner Foreign Study Scholarships were endowed by the late James T. Wagoner ’29 in honor and memory of his parents,
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Robert S. and Coralee Talley Wagoner, and of his wife, Frances Poe Wagoner. In retirement, Wagoner, a businessman, traveled the world and built grandfather clocks by hand, two of which are displayed in Cohen House and O’Connor House. He died in 1996. Undergraduate student recipients, their majors, and the nations where they will study are: Jared Blakely, linguistics, China; Gregory Brown, anthropology, South Africa; Francisco Castillo, music, the Netherlands; David Kemp, psychology, Cambodia; Jaymin Kim, anthropology, Asian studies, and history, China; Meagan Mauter, civil and environmental engineering and history, England; Yusef Neggers, economics and mathematical economic analysis, England; Thuy Van Pham, cell biology, Vietnam; Alexander Roinesdal, history, Brazil; Alexander Triantaphyllis, Hispanic studies and political science, Argentina; and Marissa Winship, music, Spain. Jo Ling Kent, Jason Lee, and Ian MacCormack also earned Wagoner scholarships, but turned them down to pursue study through Fulbright scholarships instead. Alison Takemura, a biochemistry major, will study in the United Kingdom through her Wagoner scholarship. She
also earned a Udall Scholar, the first Rice student in eight years to do so. The $5,000 scholarship, which honors the late Arizona congressman Morris K. Udall, recognizes the most outstanding American sophomores and juniors who are committed to careers related to the environment. The competition for the Udall Scholarship has become more intense in recent years, and only about 15 percent of the 80 recipients are sophomores, which further underscores Takemura’s achievement. Wagoner recipient Tito Escobar, a triple major in political science, Hispanic studies, and policy studies, will study in Brazil. Escobar also has been named Rice’s 2006 Center for the Study of the Presidency Fellow. The prestigious fellowship provides a yearlong experience of mentored research on a topic related to the American presidency. He will focus on the history of U.S. presidential decision making on Latin America. Graduate student recipients of Wagoner scholarships, their areas of study, and the nations where they will study are: Rev. Israel Ahimbisibwe, religious studies, Israel; Stephanie Hunt, music, the Netherlands; Valerie Olson, anthropology, the Netherlands; and Ayla Samli, anthropology, Turkey.
More Earn Fulbrights Four students and one staff member have received Fulbright scholarships to travel abroad, where they will study such diverse topics as the Tibetan language, energy policy and women’s rights in China, and youth volunteerism. The student recipients, their majors, and the nations where they will study are: Jason Lee, biochemistry and policy studies, China; Jo Ling Kent, Asian studies, history, and policy studies, China; Ian MacCormack, mathematics and religious studies, Nepal; and Brian Viliunas, music, Norway. Kelly Wright, political science and Asian studies, declined the Fulbright to accept the 2006 Roy and Hazel Zeff Memorial Fellowship, which was created by Stephen Zeff, the Herbert S. Autrey Professor of Accounting. The Fulbright Program is sponsored by the U.S. State Department and allows seniors, recent graduates, and graduate students to conduct research or teach English in a foreign country. The amount of the scholarship depends on where the student is studying and is worth at least $20,000. The selection criteria include academic record, strength of essay and recommendations, leadership experience, and language experience.