The Oregon State University Honors College inspires students to find and develop their passions, realize their unique potential and grow intellectually, and the Honors Impact Scholars Program is designed to make sure that this transformative opportunity is in reach of all eligible students. Created and recently endowed by Honors College Champions Patrick, ’74, and Vicki Stone, this scholarship is intended to both bring outstanding students to the Honors College at OSU and provide them with the resources to make the most of their honors experience, wherever it takes them.
Impact Scholars receive a $10,000 total award: $2,000 per year for four years and an additional $2,000 to support either a fifth year of study or engagement in experiential learning. The experiential dollars can be spent on anything from in-depth thesis research to conference travel to international opportunities. This flexible structure is grounded in the Honors College’s commitment to the long-lasting impact of experiential learning and the independence students have in the college to chart their own educational course.
Honors College Dean Toni Doolen plays an integral role in the Impact Scholar experience.
Impact Scholars participate in cohort programming led by Dean Doolen designed to connect recipients with fellow scholars and resources within the Honors College, Oregon State and communities beyond. Scholars are selected based on their capacity to bring new and unique perspectives and abilities to the college community, and these cohort meetings facilitate valuable dialog that builds their capacity as thinkers and leaders, while also supporting their success as students.
Adam Gross, a business administration major with a political science minor, was one of the first recipients of the Impact Scholarship, with four others in 2021. The planned 2025 grad singles out the experiential learning support in the scholarship as particularly impactful. “Good research takes time and money, something most college students are in short supply of, and the additional funding will make that research more accessible and improve its scope and depth. But traveling abroad is something I have always wanted to do but because of the expense have never truly considered.”
Adam is not the only Impact Scholar with their eyes set on learning through global exploration. Working toward an honors degree in psychology and theatre with a minor in contemplative studies, Jennah Campbell, another member of the first cohort of Impact Scholars, plans to use the funds to study abroad in Spain to improve her Spanish skills. This will give her the ability to communicate psychology ideas to a wider audience and better understand people she is studying. While she is unsure of her plans after her graduation in 2024, she recognizes that, “Hands-on learning is a powerful teacher and one that is essential for a life and a career after college.”
Harry Yu received an Impact Scholarship in 2022, as a member of the second cohort of five. The Corvallis native is majoring in computer science with plans to graduate in 2026, and he has been inspired by the scholarship to build engagement with his community. Harry is developing his skills as a software engineer, and his goal is to use his talents and technology to better the world. “Receiving the Impact Scholarship made me feel comfortable and welcomed in the Honors College and Oregon State community,” he says.
Creating impact that is felt from the moment the scholarship is offered, through recipients’ undergraduate education and into their postgraduate lives is the foundational reason for the program. “An Impact Scholarship doesn’t just change recipients’ lives, though it certainly does that,” says Dean Toni Doolen. “By supporting the development of unique cohorts of leaders, its impact extends into our shared future, making a transformative difference for us all.”
If you are interested in supporting the Impact Scholarship program, contact Kellie Parker at the OSU Foundation at kellie.parker@osufoundation.org or 541.207.6182.
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