The application for the inaugural cohort of the Knight-Hennessy Scholars program is now open. A select group of up to 50 students will receive full funding from the program to begin graduate education at Stanford in the fall of 2018.
The Knight-Hennessy Scholars program, announced in 2016, states on its website that it aims to prepare “leaders to address global challenges in the 21st century and beyond.” The application, due Sept. 27, includes two essays, a resume, test scores, transcripts and a required application to each candidate’s graduate program of choice at Stanford. The program will accept 100 students in all subsequent years.
The program’s faculty advisory board and global advisory board, comprised of faculty from all Stanford graduate schools and leaders in fields like business and government, will consider three criteria when evaluating applications: independence of thought, leadership ability and civic mindset.
Up to 100 finalists will be invited to the program’s Immersion Weekend before final cuts are made, giving applicants, faculty in various departments and members of the Knight-Hennessy Scholars advisory boards the opportunity to become better acquainted.
“We believe it’s essential that we learn not only about what they have done, but also who they are: their influences, ideals, hopes and dreams,” said Derrick Bolton, dean of Knight-Hennessy Scholars admissions, in Stanford News.
Outreach efforts to recruit applicants both nationally and internationally have been particularly important, according to Jeff Wachtel, the program’s executive director. Staff members have completed visits to over 50 universities and colleges across the United States, along with trips to Egypt, Israel, Japan, Jordan and other countries worldwide. The program plans to continue recruiting at universities in Africa, India, Europe and Latin America throughout the application period.
“To build the diverse cohort we seek, we need to reach far and wide in our recruitment efforts,” Wachtel said.
Contact Susannah Meyer at smeyer7 ‘at’ stanford.edu.