Students Honored at Chancellor’s Scholarship Reception

Recipients of the Chancellor’s Study Abroad Scholarship spoke of the transformative effect their study abroad experiences had on their collegiate and personal lives at the annual celebratory reception on April 5 in Talley Student Union.

The Chancellor’s Scholarships are competitive scholarships awarded to students from the University’s Greatest Needs Fund, which Chancellor Randy Woodson uses to address the challenges faced by or opportunities directed toward members of the NC State community.

Thirty-nine students received the scholarship this year and studied in semester-long and summer programs in 15 different countries, including Italy, France, the U.K., Japan, Mexico, Australia, Germany, Czech Republic, Spain, Belize, Namibia, Uganda, Cuba, Ireland, and China.

During the reception, students Daniel Amparo, Cassandra Saroza, and Charles Blum spoke about the powerful impacts of immersion in another culture and lessons learned outside of the classroom. A panel of students were asked what aspect of their host countries they would bring back to Raleigh. Included in their answers were better public transportation, more efficient recycling practices, and cheaper and healthier “fast food.” All of the speakers echoed each other in the sentiment that receiving the Chancellor’s Scholarship was the determining factor in their ability to study abroad.

Scholarship recipients must have a demonstrated financial need and must also fall into a category that is underrepresented in study abroad, such as ethnicity, major, gender, and first-generation students. Upon their return to campus, scholarship recipients are expected to help guide NC State students in finding their own study abroad experience by participating in outreach activities.

Less than five percent of applicants receive a Chancellor’s Scholarship. At up to $3,500 each for a semester-long program, these scholarships are the largest and most prestigious awards offered through the Study Abroad Office’s scholarship process.

The Study Abroad Office has worked diligently to create new scholarships for students, including more scholarships for underrepresented students. The office awarded more than $550,000 in 2017-18, and the average scholarship award increased from $1,400 to $1,700 per student. Since 2011-12, the Study Abroad Office has awarded nearly 2 million dollars in scholarships to over 1,333 students while adding 20 new awards from colleges and private donors.

Learn more about how you can support Study Abroad.