MACON – Mercer University welcomed eight incoming freshmen this fall as part of the University’s 12th class of Stamps Scholars and the 20th class overall for the scholarship program’s 36 partner institutions located in the U.S. and the United Kingdom.
Mercer’s newest Stamps Scholars include Jacob Paul Allinson from Cumming; Ellen Rose Jones from Lake Wales, Florida; Riddhi Maheshwari from Marietta; Kathryn Anna Mclagan, from Walton, Kentucky; Naya D. Patel from Marietta; Aleem Damji Patni from Johns Creek; Lila Evelyn Turbiville from Pensacola, Florida; and Benjamin William Utt from Peachtree City.
Three additional students – Anna Hale from Aiken, South Carolina; Niyati Patel from Mumbai, India; and Zach Medlin from Olive Branch, Mississippi – joined the Stamps Scholars program in the spring, bringing the current number of Scholars at Mercer to 32.
“Stamps Scholars are among the highest-achieving students at Mercer,” said Dr. David A. Davis, director of University Honors. “Recent graduates have gone on to prestigious graduate programs and high-profile careers. We are excited to imagine the future for this cohort of scholars.”
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.
“Stamps Scholars embody what it means to be a Mercerian, combining research and service at the highest level,” said Dr. Kelly Holloway, assistant vice president for enrollment management. “This year’s applicant pool was exceptionally strong, and I am proud to have our newest scholars join this distinguished group on campus.”
This year’s incoming class of Scholars was selected from more than 11,000 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 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 $1.7 million.
Mercer’s 54 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.
