The Western Union Foundation is proud to introduce the WU Scholars Class of 2019! This year, 180 scholarships were awarded to students from over 50 countries.
The Western Union Foundation’s global scholarship program, WU Scholars, focuses on supporting post-secondary students in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), as well as business and entrepreneurship.
Since launching the program in 2017, the program has provided 518 scholarships to students representing nearly 100 countries and these students are attending school across 60 countries. As part of the application process, these students have demonstrated perseverance, aspiration, and community-mindedness to build a better world.
Here are three of this year’s 2019 scholarship recipients. All 180 have a compelling story to tell and inspiration to share what drives them to educate themselves and give back to their community.
International student Erica has big goals. Born in Ghana, she is attending school in the Philippines and is also working to become a medical doctor in her native country. She aims to build a private network health system in Ghana, developing a better health care system for her community. “My volunteer experiences in Ghana and the Philippines gave me several opportunities to do what I love the most – caring for the people.”
John is studying medicine in his home country, the Philippines. He wants to use his education to help his community move beyond prejudices and stereotypes, giving other students like him a chance to achieve their dreams. “I believe that if you’re successful in flying towards the sky, teach others to fly too, without waiting for a return,” he says.
Suhani’s family immigrated to the United States from India. She wants to use her education in economics and mathematics to create a global nonprofit that not only increases education opportunities for students but also addresses the underlying social and economic disparities within students’ and their families’ lives that often contribute to a lack of educational accessibility. “I have lived in two major world economies – one that is emerging and one that is already a powerhouse,” she says. “Through this opportunity, I had a first-hand view of how each country’s decision-makers choose to use their resources.”
To learn more about WU Scholars, please visit wuscholars.org
