MACON – Mercer welcomed seven incoming freshmen this fall as part of the University’s 11th class of Stamps Scholars and the 19th class overall for the scholarship program’s 36 partner institutions located in the U.S. and United Kingdom.

Mercer’s newest Stamps Scholars include Rajwol Chapagain from Bagmati, Nepal; Haven Estabrook from Maynard, Massachusetts; Sophia Hall from Spring Hill, Tennessee; Mia Jastrzembski from Marietta, Georgia; Norma Jean Jones from Centerville, Georgia; Siddharth Mohan from Marietta, Georgia; and Emma Teng from Mableton, Georgia.

Three additional students – Nuren Lara from Cartersville, Georgia; Arsha Moorthy from Flowery Branch, Georgia; and Rachel Thigpen from Lumber City, Georgia – joined the Stamps Scholars program in the spring, bringing the current number of Scholars at Mercer to 27.

“Through their accomplishments in research and service, Stamps Scholars enhance the value of a Mercer education for other students,” said Dr. David A. Davis, director of fellowships and scholarships and professor of English at Mercer. “We are excited at the prospect of what these students will accomplish.”

This year’s incoming class of Scholars was selected from more than 413,000 applications nationwide. Stamps Scholars are chosen for their academic excellence, leadership experience, and exceptional character. At most partner universities, the Stamps Scholarship covers the total estimated cost of attendance for four years of undergraduate study, along with enrichment funds that Scholars can use for academic and professional development, ranging from study abroad to internships and independent research.

The value of Stamps Scholarships for the new class of Scholars over their time in school is worth approximately $40.5 million.

Georgia native Roe Stamps, who was raised in Macon and attended Stratford Academy, and his late wife, Penny, launched the Stamps Scholarship in 2006 at their alma maters, the Georgia Institute of Technology and the University of Michigan, respectively. Though Penny Stamps passed away in December 2018, her legacy continues through the Stamps Scholars community, which has grown into an international network of more than 2,600 Scholars and alumni.

Mercer’s 53 Stamps alumni have gone on to professional programs in fields such as medicine, law and dentistry and Ph.D. programs such as chemistry, neuroscience, pharmacology and hydrology. They are doing important work in the education, engineering, health care and international development sectors, among others.

Stamps Scholars are among the recipients of prestigious awards including Fulbright, Gates Cambridge, Goldwater, Marshall, Rhodes, Schwarzman and Truman scholarships. Stamps alumni work with top companies and organizations such as Google, Goldman Sachs, and NASA and pursue graduate degrees at leading institutions.

“Through our partnerships with these great universities and colleges, we are able to support some truly outstanding young people as they pursue their goals. By creating community among them via our conventions and networking events, we help them connect with others across the country and around the world with similar goals and aspirations,” said Roe Stamps, founder and chairman of the Stamps Scholars Program. “This year’s group of new students join us at a time when our alumni network has grown stronger and more capable to be leaders in innovation across STEM, humanities, business and other fields.”

Featured photo (l-r): Mia Jastrzembski, Rajwol Chapagain, Sophia Hall, Siddharth Mohan, Haven Estabrook, Norma Jean Jones and Emma Teng. Photos by Leah Yetter.