While nearly 100 American higher education institutions participate in the global initiative, including Yale, Harvard, Duke and Princeton, OU is the only public university in the nation to have received this honor. OU also holds the largest total enrollment of UWC Scholars in the United States, with 285 scholars representing 107 countries.
“Our Davis Scholars are bright, service-minded leaders who enrich our university community through their unique perspectives and contributions,” said OU President Joseph Harroz Jr. “The success of the Davis United World College Scholars program at OU is inspiring and rewarding. We are grateful to again receive this honor, which exemplifies our commitment to fostering a welcoming community for all at the University of Oklahoma.”
The first United World College was established in 1962, and today, there are 18 United World Colleges on four continents, educating students from 180 countries. Students are selected by special, independent committees from around the globe to attend their multinational United World College, where they finish their last two years of secondary education, participating in the rigorous International Baccalaureate curriculum employed with all-English instruction. From there, many apply to and attend a Davis UWC Scholars Program partner college or university in the United States.
At OU, Davis UWC Scholars are known for not only being outstanding students but also exceptional members of the university community. Since 2008, when OU enrolled its first UWC Scholars, these students have received recognition as members of the President’s Leadership Class, President’s Community Scholars and as Outstanding Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors. They have served in a variety of leadership roles, including as Ronnie K. Irani Center for the Creation of Economic Wealth team leaders, International Advisory Committee executive officers and as resident advisers.
“The Davis UWC Scholars Program and OU scholarship means that students like me can take steps toward achieving a dream they never thought was feasible,” said Peace Mojekwu, a Davis UWC Scholar senior accounting major from Nigeria. “It gives us an opportunity to join the network of change-makers and learn how to positively impact the lives of past, present and future communities.”
Since 2008, OU has received more than $40.5 million from the Davis UWC Scholars Program in support of student scholarships, including the grant funding for the 2021-2022 academic year.
“We greatly value our partnership with OU for many reasons: its enlightened leadership to embrace our program so extensively; its highly professional staff who recruit and then take such personal interest in our scholars; its tremendous faculty and wide array of academic offerings; its campus spirit and supportive residential and student services; and above all for opening its doors to so many of our scholars who gain educational opportunities while bringing the world to OU,” said Shelby Davis and Phil Geier, co-founders of the Davis UWC Scholars Program. “We congratulate them on once again winning the Davis Cup and for having brought in the largest entering class of scholars in our program’s history.”
About the University of Oklahoma
Founded in 1890, the University of Oklahoma is a public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. OU serves the educational, cultural, economic and health care needs of the state, region and nation. For more information visit www.ou.edu.
