It had been five years since an Ohio University student was named a Marshall Scholar and accepted one of the 40 annual scholarships to study abroad in the United Kingdom — but that changed Monday.
Keith Hawkins, a senior studying astrophysics who will attend the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, U.K., accepted the scholarship after a week of contemplating the pros and cons of Cambridge versus an American university.
He is the first student from OU to accept the award since 2007.
Four OU students previously have received Marshall Scholarships, said Cary Frith, from OU’s Office of National Competitive Awards.
“I’m ecstatic. I didn’t realize how prestigious it was,” Hawkins said. “Not many people win the Marshall.”
The scholarship covers university fees, living costs, an annual book allowance, a thesis grant, research and travel grants, as well as fares to and from the United States, according to its website. It is awarded for a duration of two years but can be extended for a third.
Students can complete a Ph.D. in three years at Cambridge, said David Drabold, a distinguished professor of physics at OU who recommended Hawkins for the award.
Hawkins holds a certificate in African Studies, is pursuing a minor in mathematics at OU and plans to get his Ph.D. in astronomy through the scholarship.
“I’ve been here 20 years, and I have had the privilege of working with a lot of outstanding students,” said Drabold, whose son, Will Drabold, is a reporter for The Post. “…I have to say Keith is probably the most remarkable, single graduate I’ve ever known here all those years.”
The application process requires students to submit an online application endorsed by a university official, such as a president or provost, along with four letters of recommendation before being interviewed, according to the scholarship’s website.
“Selectors will look for candidates who have the potential to excel as scholars, leaders and contributors to improved U.K.-U.S. understanding,” the
website states.
Students are judged in three areas: academic merit, leadership potential and ambassadorial potential.
Natalie Kruse, professor of environmental studies in the Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs, studied under the Marshall Scholarship from 2004–07 after graduating from OU.
It is Kruse’s experiences studying as a Marshall Scholar, she said, that have helped her in the classroom.
“Keith is a very impressive student,” Kruse said. “I’m really, really happy for him and the university.”
sj950610@ohiou.edu
