King Fahd Center for Middle East Studies Announces Scholarship Recipients for 2016-17

The King Fahd Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Arkansas is pleased to announce the recipients of its competitive Middle East Studies Academic Scholarship for academic year 2016-17. 

Scholarships range between $5,000 and $10,000 per academic year, and are awarded only to undergraduate students majoring in Middle East Studies who have demonstrated serious commitment to study and excellence in their coursework and scholarship. "We are very proud of our incredible students," says Tom Paradise, director of the King Fahd Center for Middle East Studies. "It is our privilege to support their endeavors in academia, and to facilitate the long-term effects of their education on the world beyond the University of Arkansas campus."

Awardees for the 2016-2017 academic year reflect a continual trend of excellence among Middle East Studies majors:

• Sarah Cory is a senior Honors student majoring in Geography and Middle East Studies.
• Christopher Cowan is a senior Honors student majoring in International Relations and Middle East Studies, with a minor in Arabic.
• Shelli Daniel is a senior majoring in International Relations and Middle East Studies, with minors in Arabic and Political Science.
• Natalie Ellis is a senior majoring in International Relations, Middle East Studies, and Political Science, with a minor in Arabic.
• Antonia Greet is a junior majoring in Anthropology and Middle East Studies.
• Joseph Largent is a senior Honors student majoring in Geography, International Relations and Middle East Studies, with minors in Arabic and Political Science.
• Amy Lyon is a junior Honors student majoring in History, International Studies and Middle East Studies, with minors in Arabic, Medieval and Renaissance Studies, and Religious Studies.
• Meagan Mosier is a junior Honors student majoring in Geography and Middle East Studies, with minors in Arabic and Foundations of Sustainability.
• Jamie Nix is a senior majoring in International Relations and Middle East Studies, with minors in Arabic and Political Science.

Students are encouraged to apply for funding in the upcoming academic year if they will be undergraduate juniors with a minimum of 60 credit hours. Scholarship applicants must have a minimum GPA of 3.25 and a GPA of 3.5 in MEST-related courses. In granting scholarships, the King Fahd Center considers the applicant's academic record, letters of recommendation, and financial need. An informational session on funding available from the King Fahd Center will be offered at 2 p.m. Oct. 21, in Old Main room 319.

Please address any questions about the application process to Nani Verzon, Program Coordinator for the King Fahd Center for Middle East Studies at hverzon@uark.edu or 479-575-2175.  Applications may be picked up in hardcopy in the Middle East Studies Office, 202 Old Main, or may be requested electronically via email.  Completed applications must be received by the Middle East Studies office no later than February 1, 2017.

About the King Fahd Center for Middle East Studies: The King Fahd Center for Middle East Studies is an academic and research unit in the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Arkansas. An interdisciplinary and interdepartmental area studies center that offers diverse cultural, intellectual, and educational opportunities for the University of Arkansas community, it promotes research and teaching in interdisciplinary Middle East studies. The Center offers an undergraduate major in Middle East Studies and supports graduate studies in related departments through the Middle East Studies Program, as well as summer language study and research assistantships for graduate students and teaching and research by visiting scholars from affiliated universities and programs.  More information about the King Fahd Center can be found at mest.uark.edu.  For ongoing news, follow the Center on Facebook and Twitter.