Nestled in Collegeville, PA, Ursinus College stands as a respected institution known for its commitment to academic excellence and individualized education. Since its founding in 1869, Ursinus has cultivated a vibrant community where students flourish intellectually and personally.
In 1978, Ursinus College received its first Smith Scholarship grant from the W. W. Smith Charitable Trust, marking the beginning of a valuable partnership. Over the years, the Trust has continued to support Ursinus scholars, with a total of $2,844,600 awarded to date, empowering hundreds of scholars to pursue their educational aspirations.
During our recent visit in Fall 2023, we had the pleasure of engaging with Ursinus’s scholarship recipients. Over lunch, we exchanged aspirations and insights with the scholars, a diverse group of 12 scholarship recipients, including both seniors and juniors, majoring in fields ranging from Neuroscience to Media & Communication Studies.
Ursinus College, with its intimate student-faculty relationships and commitment to exploration, provides a supportive environment for academic growth. The 170-acre campus, featuring a blend of historic academic buildings and new interdisciplinary learning spaces, the Kaleidoscope Performing Arts Center, and the Philip and Muriel Berman Meseum of Art, offers an inspiring setting for scholarly pursuits.
As we reflect on our visit, we appreciate Ursinus’s dedication to providing opportunities for its students. Through the Smith Scholarship program, we are honored to invest in the futures of Ursinus scholars, knowing that they will make meaningful contributions to their communities and beyond.
As a woman in STEM, I am empowered to break the status quo and break down the barriers that hold women back. As an African American, I take up space in rooms my ancestors might not have dared to dream of entering. I am all these things, and Ursinus is a place that I have found to not only accept me for my multifaceted identity, but a place that nurtures it. With the continued support of the W.W. Smith Scholarship, I can further my education which ultimately allows me to gain one step closer to my goal of becoming a neuroscientist.
- Smith Scholar, Ursinus College