Kerry Gawne wins Delta Phi Alpha Senior Scholarship
Kerry Gawne, German major and member of the Honors College at the University of Illinois at Chicago, is this year’s winner of the Delta Phi Alpha senior scholarship.
This scholarship is given to the most outstanding graduating senior in German Studies in the United States.
She wishes to study multiculturalism, migration, and intercultural relations as part of the Humboldt University’s Joint Master’s in European History. She is well-prepared for this course of study, having already undertaken three major research projects dealing with far-ranging topics. In addition to a near-perfect overall GPA, Kerry has two of the strongest recommendations the committee has ever read. Her recommenders write that she “stands out among her age peers because she seems to think on a macro level about her current involvements and her professional goals.” Kerry’s goal is to start a non-profit organization dedicated to cross-cultural education and understanding. The Joint Master’s in European History at the Humboldt University in Berlin, which includes a semester of study in yet another country—in Kerry’s case Ireland—will certainly help her to solidify her qualifications for this interesting project. Congratulations Kerry!
Ms. Gawne speaks of her award
“I am extremely honored to receive the 2013 Delta Phi Alpha Senior Scholarship. My undergraduate coursework has featured an array of courses in language, history, art, and literature, but one theme has always prevailed: my interest in Germanic Studies. When I started learning German in high school, I never thought it would play such a central role in my life and my education; yet years later I have majored in Germanic Studies and am now on the path to pursuing a Master’s degree at Humboldt Universität zu Berlin. It is humbling to be recognized for my achievements, and this award serves as a catalyst for me to continue learning and promoting the German language as I progress through the next stages of my education. I thank Delta Phi Alpha for the support they have shown me, and I will continue to remember the role they have played in fostering my development and my appreciation for Germanic Studies.”
Delta Phi Alpha was formed in 1929 at Wofford College. As the National German Honor Society, Delta Phi Alpha seeks to recognize excellence in the study of German and to provide an incentive for higher scholarship. It awards two study abroad scholarships annually to outstanding German honor students.