To Move the World

To Move the World The Third Annual Report of the Davis United World College Scholars Program 2006 Davis United World College Scholars PROGRAM 2006 Annual Report Private Philanthropy Supporting International Understanding through Education TO MOVE THE WORLD 6 Building International Understanding through Education 7 Explaining the Davis United World College Scholars Program How The Program Works 10 An Expanded Program 11 From 5 pilot schools to 65 nationwide 118 Home Countries of Current Davis UWC Scholars 12 A World of Learners 13 Scholars’ Home Countries and UWC Schools Out of Devastation ... Education 15 The Davis Program and the Globalizing of Colby 17 Prestigious Sen. Paul Simon Award Recognizes Pivotal Impact 17 The Davis Example 18 Contents A UWC Grad Funds New Internships at Williams College THE CLASS OF 2006 19 Learning — and Building — without Borders 25 Building the Skills to Move the World 30 Dancing — and Learning — for Life 43 THE UNDERGRADUATES 46 Class of 2007 47 Class of 2008 49 Sharing New Insights on the “Original Globalization” 49 Class of 2009 57 Middlebury College Scholars Say “We Owe the World” 61 An American Scholar Strikes a Chord 65 25 RIPPLES AROUND THE WORLD 66 The ’04 and ’05 Davis UWC Scholar Graduates 67 Applying to the Davis UWC Scholars Program 71 “It Only Takes Passion” 73 For Philanthropists Shelby M.C. and Gale Davis, Scholars’ Letters Foretell Lasting Impact of Their Generosity The Power of Private Philanthropy 75 Acknowledgments and Credits 76 73 Building International Understanding through Education The Davis United World College Scholars Program by Philip O. Geier, Ph.D. Executive Director he Davis United World College Scholars Program is a major philanthropic force in promoting To Move the World T international understanding. This year, the program This program is about the huge potential of provides scholarship support for 821 current Davis UWC private philanthropy to promote international Scholars, from around the U.S. and the world, at a growing number of American colleges and universities. The program understanding in dynamic, expanding ways and these scholars are committed to building cross-cultural through the education of exceptional young understanding across their campuses and around the globe people. in the 21st century. The stability of our world, and ensuring America’s place in it, demand no less than initiatives as large The Davis United World College Scholars have in scale, innovative in design, and powerful in impact as this. come this year from 118 nations, and those A pilot program began in 2001 at Colby College, who graduate in the Class of 2006 — our College of the Atlantic, Middlebury College, Princeton third graduating class — are leaving behind University, and Wellesley College. In this academic year, the At Princeton University, Phil Geier (left) and Amy Geier (right) chat with Davis UWC Scholars Richmond Adusei Owusu of Ghana (UWC-USA) far-reaching legacies for their schools and greatly expanded program now includes 65 U.S. colleges and Likeleli Gladys Seitlheko of Lesotho (UWC-USA). and universities — including Harvard, Yale, Williams and their fellow students. Swarthmore on the East Coast, Oberlin, Carleton and Philip O. Geier, Ph.D. Grinnell colleges in the Midwest, and Lewis & Clark, have come this year from 118 nations, and those who Executive Director Davis UWC Scholars Program Redlands and Claremont McKenna in the West. graduate from the original five schools in the Class of This program is about the huge potential of private 2006 — our program’s third graduating class — are leaving philanthropy to promote international understanding behind far-reaching legacies for their schools and their in dynamic, expanding ways through the education of fellow students. exceptional young people. It is our objective to see a much All the Davis UWC Scholars, at all the participating greater commitment by the private philanthropic sector to schools, are the heart and soul of this initiative. In these pages, this very worthy purpose in the future. we invite you to become acquainted with the Davis UWC Davis United World College Scholars are, indeed, Scholars Program and with its individual scholars — especially outstanding students and remarkable young people. They the 84 members of the graduating class of 2006. 2006 Davis United World College Scholars 7 Princeton, and Wellesley were selected by philanthropist is different, intentionally so, from other fine efforts to international understanding through education in the 21st Shelby M.C. Davis as the inaugural institutions for the Davis internationalize the undergraduate experience. While century. In time, Davis UWC Scholars will take their place ”The UWCs grab you quickly, because the students United World College Scholars Program. Davis offered to preceding initiatives have focused more on research faculty beside the alumni of such esteemed scholarship programs are so passionate. They’re so motivated and hungry provide scholarships for every UWC graduate who gained development, curriculum changes, uses of technology, and as Fulbright and Rhodes. We embrace fully the goal of acceptance and then matriculated at these pilot schools, study abroad, this program creates a much greater diversity of the late Senator J. William Fulbright for the public-sector for knowledge — and the UWC’s mission statement regardless of national origin or UWC attended. This remains students on campus. And by supporting scholars from many scholarship program that bears his name: to “bring a little is about peace and understanding through the case for these five inaugural schools. countries who arrive on campus energized by the UWC more knowledge, a little more reason, and a little more education. These students pick this up rapidly and Beginning with the fall 2004 student matriculation, the mission of building understanding in active, personal ways, the compassion into world affairs, and thereby to increase the Davis United World College Scholars Program has greatly Davis UWC Scholars Program exemplifies how diversity can chance that nations will learn at last to live in peace and want to make a difference in the world. So that expanded to include an additional 60 American colleges contribute to a much richer education, and to a more globally friendship.” makes me a passionate giver, to follow that lead.” and universities. To help these schools meet the financial engaged undergraduate experience. The great potential of the Davis United World College from an interview with Shelby M.C. Davis by Shobana Kesava, senior needs of their scholars, Davis philanthropy contributes up Outcome studies of previous initiatives found “low Scholars Program is not simply to build and perpetuate broadcast journalist with 938 LIVE in Singapore, aired by the to $10,000 for each scholar for every year of a four-year levels of international competency, a decline in the number itself; it is to motivate others, especially in the private station in November 2005. An International Patron of the United World Colleges, Shelby Davis was featured at the UWC movement’s International undergraduate degree program. All of these additional schools of international student requirements, few students studying sector, to strengthen international understanding through Council meeting, convened last fall in Singapore. are also awarded a $5,000 grant each year in support of their foreign languages as a percentage of total enrollments, their personal philanthropy. Our future depends on a world admission outreach. and less funding from federal and state sources.” (The of talented individuals from diverse cultures who join in The goals of this Davis philanthropy continue to be to: Ford Foundation, “Preliminary Status Report 2000: commitment to international understanding. Internationalization of U.S. Higher Education.”) These Davis United World College Scholars will, we believe, • Provide scholarship support for exemplary and promising Private Philanthropy for Global Understanding findings encouraged the Davis philanthropy to model a fresh contribute to the realization of this important goal. We students from all cultures who have each absorbed the What is the Davis United World College Scholars Program? synthesis of approaches — some new, some well-proven — to hope you will, too. passion of their UWC school community for building It is, above all, the vision and power of private philanthropy internationalizing the American college experience. international understanding in the 21st century. committed to the importance of fostering greater As modeled by the Davis United World College Scholars • Build clusters of these globally aware and committed understanding among the world’s future decision-makers — Program, these approaches include: students within the undergraduate populations of selected Americans and citizens of other nations. American schools. • Private philanthropy as an innovative force. We hope this The program provides scholarships to students, from both • Seek to transform the American undergraduate effort will inspire others in the philanthropic sector to the U.S. and other countries, who have proven themselves experience through this international diversity and participate. by completing their last two years of high school at a group cultural interchange — as much for the large majority of • Experiential learning as the essential tool for fostering of international schools called United World Colleges Americans on campus as for international students. international understanding.

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