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The Davis Scholars Programs
In 2007, Westminster School was one of five boarding schools selected to participate in two pilot scholarship programs, the Davis Scholars Program and the Davis International Scholars Program, designed to increase and diversify the international and domestic student population of American independent secondary schools.
Funded by the Shelby Cullom Davis Charitable Fund (SCDCF), the two programs help promote international understanding and cross-cultural connections across boarding school campuses and around the globe.
The other schools selected to participate in the pilot programs are Phillips Academy Andover, The Lawrenceville School, The Taft School and Emma Willard School. Each of the schools is responsible for recruitment and admission of its own students into these programs The first scholars arrived on the campuses in fall 2008.
Two Programs
Davis Scholars Program
The Davis Scholars Program focuses on domestic students and provides support for four to 10 exceptionally motivated and talented students to attend Westminster School from areas not previously targeted for admissions recruitment, specifically students from recently immigrated families or students who would be among the first in their families to attend college. One of the objectives of the program is to build a broadening network of America’s future decision makers. The program is in addition to Westminster’s existing recruitment programs.
Davis International Scholars Program
The Davis International Scholars Program focuses on international students and provides support for four to 10 international students to attend Westminster who exhibit outstanding leadership potential and come from places around the world not currently served by the school. Although Westminster has students attending from many countries, this program expands the school’s recruitment of prospective students from other nations as well as from diverse ethnic, religious and socio-economic backgrounds.
Beyond High School
One of the ancillary benefits of the programs is that upon graduation from Westminster School, Davis Scholars and Davis International Scholars will be eligible for continued scholarship support for four years should they elect to matriculate at any of the Davis United World College Scholars colleges and universities in the United States, now numbering more than 85 leading colleges and universities — including among many others, Harvard University, Princeton University, Williams College, Duke University, Colby College, Middlebury College, Lewis & Clark College and Claremont McKenna College.
Westminster Davis Scholars
Since the program began, Westminster welcomed Davis Scholars from Afghanistan, Ghana, the Czech Republic, and Vietnam, as well as from Naugatuck, Conn., New York City, Oakland, Calif., and Windsor, Conn.
“These students have greatly changed the fabric of our school community,” commented Davis Scholars Program Coordinator Kimberly Pope. “Our awareness of other cultures has grown immensely, and classroom discussions and student activities now have a more global perspective.”
Contact Information
Kimberly Pope serves as the Davis Scholars Program Coordinator at Westminster School and identifies potential students for the two programs. Students must be sophomores or older to be considered. Mrs. Pope may be contacted at (860) 408-3026 or at kpope@westminster-school.org.
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| | | Read about the Davis Scholars in the Westminster Bulletin (PDF) |
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