After months of applying, writing essays, strategizing, and interviewing, students are recognized for their dedication at Brigham Young University’s “You Hit Submit” event. At “You Hit Submit,” faculty and staff join students in celebrating their applications to prestigious, national scholarships that may take them across the world. Though all share strong dedication, these students come from various majors, some of which include geospatial intelligence, applied English linguistics, public health promotion, political science, and Middle East studies.
These diverse students gathered on February 15 for this celebratory event held by the office of National Scholarships and Prestigious Fellowships and the Kennedy Center at Brigham Young University.
This semester, candidates for the Truman and Boren scholarships received certificates for completing their applications. The application experience, as described by students, is enlightening, rewarding, empowering, and a display of passion. Although an application takes work, it is, no doubt, an experience that will serve them throughout time.
What you can expect at the event
Audrey Hanks, National Scholarships and Prestigious Fellowships Coordinator, started off the event by emphasizing each student’s years of work, experience, and accomplishments led them to this momentous event. To this effect, she said, “We want to celebrate who you are, and who you’ve become to even be in this room in the first place.”
Scholarship representatives acknowledged 15 applicants one by one, asked these ambitious students to share their plans for their scholarships, and awarded each student their certificate acknowledging completion. In his application, Boren nominee Jace Watt pitched his own idea of a study abroad program to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania to learn Swahili, and he shared his initiatives for the program after accepting his certificate.
Adam Johnson, a Truman nominee and Honors Program student, stated at the podium this scholarship would jumpstart his career in “address[ing] climate change by helping the public sector, such as nonprofits, work[ing] with businesses and government.”
After the ceremony, all celebrated the occasion with excited chatter, a delicious Thai dinner and Nothing Bundt Cakes for dessert.
What the scholarships entail
In addition to alumni support throughout postgraduate education, recipients of the Truman scholarship receive a $30,000 grant for graduate school towards a career in public service. The public service initiatives these recipients could contribute to can range from working with the government, to using evidence-based policy to create a more equitable health-care system, or to reforming evaluations for immigrants and refugees.
Recipients of the Boren scholarship receive a $25,000 endowment toward a study abroad program that can last up to a year. For this scholarship, students focus on developing language skills in other countries. Some countries students applied to study in this year include Morocco, Taiwan, South Korea, Israel, United Arab Emirates, Thailand, and Tanzania.
To learn how you could be the next applicant who makes a global impact, visit ugrad.byu.edu/scholarships.