UConn graduate Sarah Marze ’23 (SFA) recently returned to Connecticut after spending the past two years at the Royal Academy of Music in London as a Marshall Scholar.

“I am grateful to have spent my two years collaborating with some of the best classical musicians in the world,” says Marze. “Now that I am back home, I am eager to share what I’ve learned and put into practice the new philosophies, aesthetics, and dreams I’ve encountered during my Marshall Scholarship.”

Marze, an honors scholar who was UConn’s sixth Marshall Scholar in its history and fifth since 2008, earned a master’s degree from the Royal Academy and was completely immersed in her studies and the various projects assigned to her. Read More…

Hope Chokshi ’28 (CLAS) spent two months this summer studying in Turkey as part of the Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program through the U.S. Department of State. Chokshi is a native of Avon and is pursuing a dual degree in classics and molecular and cell biology. She studied at the Turkish and Foreign Languages Research and Application Center (TOMER) of Ankara University, in Turkey’s capital city. “I learned a lot about the culture of Turkey and actually did pick up a lot of the language,” says Chokshi. You can read all about it in UConn Today.

Julian Cote-Dorado ’24 (CLAS) has been accepted into the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) for Young Professionals for the 2025-26 academic year. The fellowship annually provides 65 American and 65 German young professionals the opportunity to spend one year in each other’s countries, studying, interning, and living with hosts as part of a cultural immersion program. You can read all about it in UConn Today.

The 31 UConn students, who will study in 14 different countries, will receive a total of nearly $94,000 in scholarship funds through the Gilman program. A total of 40 UConn students have earned Gilman awards in the last two cohorts, this one and October 2024, for a total of more than $121,500 in scholarship funding.

Students applying for Gilman Scholarships work with advisors in UConn’s Office of National Scholarships & Fellowships (ONSF) and Experiential Global Learning (EGL). Rachel Gleicher, an advisor in EGL, and Michael Cunningham, assistant director of ONSF and UConn’s Fulbright program advisor, are UConn’s two Gilman certifying advisors.

“We are very excited that the Gilman program has selected so many UConn students this cycle,” says Cunningham. “It’s a testament to the quality of our students and to the hard work that they put into their applications.”

Continue reading in UConn Today . . . .

 

 

Continue reading in UConn Today . . . .

Andy Zhang ’26 (CLAS, CAHNR) has been selected as a Key into Public Service Scholar by the Phi Beta Kappa Society, the nation’s oldest academic honor society and a leading national advocate for the value of liberal arts and sciences education.

The program annually recognizes 20 exceptional arts and sciences students with a demonstrated interest in pursuing careers in local, state, and federal government. This year, over 800 students applied for the honor.

Zhang, an economics and environmental sciences major, will receive a $5,000 scholarship and will participate in a Washington, D.C., conference providing training, mentorship, and opportunities for reflection on pathways to active citizenship.

“This award perfectly aligns with a lot of my interests given that it has a strong focus on liberal arts, public service, and natural sciences,” says Zhang, who was inducted into UConn’s chapter of Phi Beta Kappa as a junior. “It is a wonderful opportunity as I look towards my future.”

Continue reading in UConn Today . . . .

Click Here to Access the 2025 Statement of Interest Form

(For Fall 2025 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 22, 2025.

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 22, 2025.

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’s Study in the UK website 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 is hosting two upcoming virtual information sessions on these awards on May 1 and May 2 (follow the links to learn more and to preregister).

---

How to Apply – Fall 2025 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 28, 2025. (Note that while some 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 1, 2025 (campus deadline Aug. 28)
• Marshall Scholarship:  Approximately September 18, 2025 (exact date tba; campus deadline remains Aug. 28)
• Fulbright U.S. Student Program:  October 7, 2025 (campus deadline Sept. 8)
• Gates-Cambridge:  October 22, 2025 (campus deadline n/a)
• Churchill Scholarship:  November 3, 2025 (campus deadline Sept. 25)

University of Connecticut junior Caitlin Noonan ’26 (ENG), a chemical engineering major, has been named a 2025 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, and Noonan is among just 441 students selected nationally for the award this year from a pool of more than 5,000 applicants.

Read more in 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 . . . .