Global Citizen Honors Program’s (GCHP) full-tuition scholarship through an essay contest and interviews with The University of Olivet faculty earlier this summer.
An English major, Burke did not expect to win this award. She was overcome with emotions when a phone call full of good news came her way.
“Winning the GCHP scholarship was the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” she said. “The competition was a great experience, but I never thought that I would be the one to win it. I remember walking in and, after seeing all of the other people, feeling very nervous. However, after I wrote my essay, I felt worlds better. Even though I was confident, I never allowed myself to imagine winning. I tend to lose myself in my thoughts, so I tried my best to avoid getting my hopes up. When I got the phone call telling me that I won, I remember letting out an awkward mix of a laugh and a scream. My mother, who was right next to me, began to cry. She and my father always refer to my scholarship as ‘winning the lottery.’ I am
so thankful for having won the scholarship. I never thought that this could happen to me.”
For this competition, students were selected based on their academic standing. All of the competitors were high achieving, incoming The University of Olivet freshmen who met specific grade point average and ACT score requirements.
But why The University of Olivet? Well, Burke hated feeling small.
“I chose Olivet because I didn’t want to be a face in the crowd,” Burke said. “At my high school, I had teachers who had me for years but could not pronounce my name correctly. It seems like a minute detail, but it’s something that is very important to me. Here, people take the time to get to know you and care to learn the little things about you. People are so friendly and I adore the small-town experience and having everything be within walking distance. Olivet is very community-oriented, and that’s very refreshing to find anywhere, especially in a college environment.”
Students admitted to the GCHP at The University of Olivet are provided opportunities to investigate global, interdisciplinary issues by inquiring into the theories and philosophical underpinnings of complex social issues. The program is experiential, requiring members to be involved not only with the problems they are investigating but with each other and the world around them. GCHP is designed for the student who wishes to continue demonstrating creativity and leadership within the framework of individual and social responsibility.