The Scholarship will be available for students seeking to apply on the AUGSA’s social media pages and website throughout the summer for the Fall 2021 semester.
The AUGSA President, Brandon Williams who is a dual major student in the Masters of Divinity and Public Health programs explained its significance in the midst of the Covid pandemic.
He said, “The paradigm shift of having to switch to more socially distanced opportunities have pushed us to think about things that are more structural, integral to the team itself. Integral to the graduate student association and how we can add value to the graduate students.”
Although the 2020-2021 AUGSA team members pushed for the scholarship, its realization was an effort built on the years and service of previous AUGSA teams that served the student population. According to Williams, the idea came from the notable lack of scholarships for graduate students in comparison to undergraduates.
Williams explained, “We thought about various things we could add to the team structurally and the scholarship was a concept that was kind of pulled out of that process. It's simply the idea and the concept that Andrews University doesn’t just develop world changers it empowers them in real time to have real impact.”
The criteria that is to be met in order to qualify for the scholarship focuses primarily on applicants’ involvement in community building.
Williams shared that there are four areas of focus that will be taken into consideration. The first area of impact, focuses on how a community has benefited from the efforts of the students in various ways.
The second criterion concentrates on whether the community efforts are sustainable or adaptable. The AUGSA team will also consider whether collaborations within the community, business or other ventures are involved. The final area of focus is directed towards the creativity and innovation of the community building effort.
Williams added that allowing students to be creative in their impact in the community helps to lay the foundation for sustainable work for the future.
The Scholarship will be available for students seeking to apply on the AUGSA’s social media pages and website throughout the summer for the Fall 2021 semester.
It is the hope of the graduation association that students go beyond just their studies to immerse themselves in creative initiatives that build relationships, and develop their communities while effectively network with one another to gain the ultimate at Andrews University.
“I think that it’s incredible that students have the opportunity not just to gain degree,” said Williams,
“but to get the opportunity to get engaged to make a difference wherever they are, get involved in their communities and I believe that that makes the most significant part of the educational experience.”
