1. International Perspectives

"I was actually so surprised by how much the Speaking Tradition influences the campus. People actually care about how you are doing."

~ Benedikt Patocka '29

This fall, Washington and Lee University welcomed seven new Davis United World College Scholars to campus. The program, now marking its 25th anniversary, has become the world's largest privately funded international scholarship for undergraduates, supporting more than 15,000 students from roughly 160 countries to study at U.S. colleges. At W&L, Davis Scholars enrich the campus with their global perspectives, leadership skills and a shared belief in the power of education as a force for peace.

The Davis UWC Scholars Program (DUWCSP) was established in 2000 to foster global engagement on U.S. college campuses. What began as a pilot with just 43 students on five campuses has since grown to more than 4,500 scholars at over 100 partner institutions. W&L was an early adopter of the program thanks to A.C. Hubbard '59, '62L, a friend of DUWCSP founder and philanthropist Shelby Davis, who recognized its potential to benefit the university. W&L formalized its affiliation with the program as a partner institution in 2004. Since then, more than 50 Davis UWC Scholars have earned their degrees from W&L. In recent years, as many as 20 Davis UWC Scholars have been part of the campus community annually.

DUWCSP is closely linked to the United World Colleges (UWC), a global network of 18 international high schools founded in 1962. These schools are united by the philosophy that "education is a force to unite people, nations and cultures for peace and a sustainable future." UWC graduates are selected for their academic potential and demonstrated commitment to intercultural understanding and service. DUWCSP provides funding to partner institutions to support need-based scholarship awards for students who attended UWC institutions. Since its founding, the program has awarded more than $900 million in scholarships, enabling graduates of UWC high school programs to continue their education in the United States. W&L alone has received more than $2 million to launch and sustain its partnership and to provide scholars with need-based financial aid.

Davis UWC Scholar Rhys Caygill '29, a native of Wales who studied at UWC Thailand before enrolling at W&L, says his experience on campus has so far exceeded his expectations.

"Whatever you read online, it's 10 times better," he says of W&L. "Everyone is so welcoming here. I don't think I've ever met anyone here that hasn't wanted to be friends or that hasn't been up for a conversation, which is something I've really valued."

Caygill is exploring possible majors in economics, politics and history; he now also plays trumpet in the University Wind Ensemble and is enjoying meeting new people through club soccer.

"I quite liked the very close-knit community I had back home and in Thailand," he says, "and that was definitely something that attracted me to Washington and Lee."

Students apply to UWC's global network of schools through their national committee (or a global selection process if no committee exists in their home country), rather than to individual schools. While applicants can rank their campus preferences, final placement is determined by UWC to ensure diversity, funding availability and the best fit across its 18 campuses. Benedikt Patocka '29, who traveled from his home in the Czech Republic to attend high school at UWC Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina, first discovered UWC while feeling restless in his national school system.

"I always kind of felt that our school was interesting, but not interesting enough. I felt that I was actually learning more outside of school than in school, and I wanted something that would be more challenging," he says of his decision to apply to UWC.

Patocka says he also chose W&L for its rigorous academic reputation, although the Outing Club was also a draw for him. Like Caygill, he says that once he arrived on campus in August, he was struck by the friendliness of W&L's campus life.

"I was actually so surprised by how much the Speaking Tradition influences the campus," he says. "People actually care about how you are doing."

Not all Davis Scholars arrive at W&L from abroad. Korbin Williams '29 grew up in a small town in Missouri before enrolling at UWC-USA in New Mexico. He says he found himself immersed in a community of 200 students from more than 100 countries, an experience that prepared him well for the transition to college. At W&L, the Johnson Scholarship combined with DUWCSP funding is now making it possible for Williams to pursue his interests in economics and politics, as well as explore all the options for studying abroad offered through CIE. He sees his time in college as a chance to keep expanding his horizons.

"Before I graduate college, I want to go to all seven continents," he says. Williams says that, so far, his experience with faculty on W&L's campus has impressed him the most.

"I've had the chance to talk with all of my professors one-on-one, and they have gotten to know me," Williams says. "It's a totally different environment than what I would have gotten at a larger school."

Upperclassmen who attend W&L through the program are often recognized for their work in campus leadership and scholarly inquiry. Stepan Onyshchuk '27, a Davis UWC Scholar who grew up in western Ukraine, attended UWC Dilijan in Armenia and says he arrived at W&L ready to lead. Onyshchuk served on the Executive Committee last year, "because I believed in the community of trust"; interned with the McCain Institute; participated in the Summer Research Scholars program; and, most recently, interned at the House of Representatives office of Congressman Joe Wilson '69. Onyshchuk views programs like the DUWCSP as transformative for students as well as the universities they choose to attend.

"When a person has this academic training in preparation from one of the most rigorous high school programs in the world, simultaneously with all the UWC community-building aspects, they arrive to campus ready to be change-makers," Onyshchuk says, "and I think that's something most colleges are looking for in their future students."