Two UConn undergraduates have been nominated for Rhodes and Marshall Scholarships, two of the most prestigious awards available to American college students.
Chris Pavasaris, an honors student majoring in political science, and Amy VanHeuverzwyn, an honors student with an individualized major in human rights and civil liberties, were selected by
a faculty committee and will
compete for scholarships to be awarded in October.
During the next six months, they will be
mentored by UConn’s Office of National Scholarships as they prepare for the competition.
Pavasaris, who is interested in criminal justice, ethical and legal policy issues, has interned for the Congressional Award Foundation in Washington, D.C., and for the Massachusetts state legislature.
A resident of Massachusetts and a punter on the UConn football team, he plans to attend law school. A junior, he currently has a 3.9 grade point average.
VanHeuverzwyn, who has an internship with the American Civil Liberties Union, is a founder and regular contributor to the UConn Free Press – an alternative, student-run newspaper.
Active in United Students against Sweatshops, she also plans to attend
law school. She currently holds
a GPA of 3.8.
The Rhodes Scholarships provide two or three years of study at Oxford University in England.
Winners are chosen on the basis of criteria set down in the will of Cecil Rhodes: high academic achievement, integrity of character, a spirit of unselfishness, respect for others, potential for leadership, and physical vigor.
In 2005, 33 Rhodes Scholars were chosen from among 333 students from American colleges and
universities.
Marshall Scholarships finance young Americans of high ability to study for an advanced degree in the United Kingdom. At least 40 scholars are selected annually for the two-year award.
The Marshall Scholarships are intended to train future leaders who will maintain the relationship between the British and American peoples.
In November 2005, Lara Batey was UConn’s nominee for the Rhodes and Marshall scholarships. She was among a select group of candidates nationally (approximately 140 out of 1,000) who were chosen to interview for the Marshall Scholarship.
Currently, Batey is a senior honors student majoring in molecular and cell biology. She plans to attend medical school next year.
The Office of National Scholarships recruits and mentors high-achieving students to compete for prestigious national scholarships.
The office strives to raise student and faculty awareness of scholarship opportunities; networks with faculty members to identify promising prospects; and helps students prepare their submissions. It is one of UConn’s Undergraduate Enrichment Programs, reporting to the Office of the Provost.