Scholarship fund continues helping Tulane students make a difference
They have the potential to change the world, and a generous gift is changing their lives. This fall, Tulane University welcomed the second cohort of Weatherhead Scholars, students who are among the world's most academically qualified and are also dedicated to building a better future through public service.
Two first-year students, Evelyn Lee of Pleasantville, New York and Lawrence Shi of Shreveport, Louisiana join second-year Weatherhead Scholars Ron’Janiele (Nelly) Bruce of Baton Rouge and Alexander Won Suh of Omaha, Nebraska, who entered Tulane last fall. Lee served as a mentor for underprivileged children during her high school career, and also raised money to build drinking wells and fight hunger in Africa. Shi volunteered at a local hospital and helped create a free peer tutoring service for students in his hometown of Shreveport.
Weatherhead Scholars receive scholarships to help cover the costs of attending Tulane, including tuition, fees, books, supplies, room, board and personal expenses. They also take classes focused on community engagement and transforming classroom knowledge into community action.
“This is truly a gift that keeps giving and ensures that Tulane remains a national leader in transforming classroom research and knowledge into action that changes lives in communities both locally and globally,” Tulane President Mike Fitts said.
As one of the country’s top universities for community engagement, Tulane attracts the high school students who are the most impactful service leaders on their campuses. Weatherhead Scholars are the best of the best and their exceptional commitment to their particular causes is driven by the experiences they’ve each had in their own communities. This gift has been instrumental in bringing these students to Tulane.
Awarding these scholars full tuition and connecting them with excellent service mentorship at Tulane recognizes the impact they made in high school and their incredible potential to broaden that impact here in New Orleans, and around the world.
The program is one of the many major contributions the Weatherhead Foundation has made to Tulane over the years. The foundation is led by Celia Weatherhead, a graduate of Tulane's Newcomb College and an emeritus member of the Board of Tulane.
In 2009 the Weatherhead Foundation committed $50 million to create a critical mass of extraordinary university-wide professorships at Tulane.
The Weatherhead Scholars Program recruits and cultivates some of the best undergraduate talent in the country, aspiring leaders who want to make a difference in the world by pursuing innovative ideas that bring about positive change.
