Flinn Scholars News

Ten years ago, when Andrew Shemin ('98) traveled to France for a semester as a Flinn Scholar, one of his independent-study projects involved spending many days in the city parks of Paris, where, notebook in hand, he recorded his observations about how public space contributes to Parisian life. Today, Shemin's new project, a documentary film, provides evidence that his semester in Paris was time well spent.

BusinessWeek, the Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg News... As global economic turmoil has continued in the second half of 2011, one news outlet after another has turned to Flinn Scholar alumna Sara Zervos ('87).

In late May, the Flinn Scholars Program made its annual pilgrimage across the Atlantic for the Central European Seminar. A cornerstone of the program, the seminar inserted the entire 2010 class--Scholars who had just completed their first year of college--into Hungary and Serbia for three weeks of--

Actually, let's hear from them in their own words. Read on...

Twenty of the most talented high-school seniors in Arizona have earned the 2011 Flinn Scholarship, one of the nation’s most prestigious awards for undergraduate studies. In August, the newest Flinn Scholars will arrive on the campuses of Arizona’s public universities with eye-popping academic credentials and established records of service to their schools and communities.

Each year, current Flinn Scholars participate in exclusive seminars on important topics at the intersection of public policy and key related disciplines. Last month, the Scholars met to discuss the emergence of personalized medicine, and its implications in a variety of realms, from cancer treatment to global health. Joining the Scholars were several experts on the topics at hand, including Scholar alumnus Gene Bukhman ('91), cardiology director for Partners in Health.

In the wake of the shooting of U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords of Tucson, Arizona's medical community has received worldwide news media attention. Most recently, with Rep. Giffords transitioning into a new phase of her recovery, the focus has turned to how rehabilitation proceeds for brain-injury patients.

Among the experts in this field of medicine is 1987 Flinn Scholar Christina Kwasnica, director of neurorehabilitation at Barrow Neurological Institute at St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix. In this segment from PBS NewsHour, Judy Woodruff interviews Dr. Kwasnica and other experts about the rehabilitative care Rep. Giffords will receive.

"To become a Flinn Scholar, you don’t need to have accomplished your life goals or even know what those are, but what you do need is a fire in your belly, a willingness to go after the things you find interesting, the things you love, the things you really want. And I know each and every one of you has that in you. Now’s your chance to show it to a foundation that is eager to hear from you and maybe even win a scholarship that will allow you to share your passions with the whole world."

One of the important advantages that Arizona's universities offer is the opportunity for students to conduct research as undergraduates--or even earlier. In this narrative, Laura Moedano, a first-year Flinn Scholar from Yuma, describes her participation this summer in the University of Arizona's KEYS Research Internships, a program she learned about while visiting UA in February as a finalist for the Flinn Scholarship.

Undeterred by an airline union strike, a still-smoldering Icelandic volcano, or an unusually rainy first week, the 17 members of the Flinn Scholars class of 2009 enjoyed a successful three-week seminar together in the Central European nations of Hungary and Romania.

Twenty of Arizona's most accomplished high-school seniors have been announced as recipients of the Flinn Scholarship, one of the most competitive and prestigious undergraduate awards in the nation. The students, who constitute the 25th class of Flinn Scholars, will attend one of Arizona's three public universities with a truly comprehensive package of support that includes tuition, room and board, personal mentorship by top faculty, and funding for international study and research. The Scholarship is worth more than $54,000--on top of the value of tuition.

A who's who of the nation's top universities couldn't accomplish it. But both Arizona State University and the University of Arizona did: Each university secured the maximum of four recipients of the 2010 Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship, the most prestigious undergraduate award in the nation for students in mathematics, the natural sciences, and engineering who intend to pursue research careers. Among the winners was 2006 Flinn Scholar Beryl Jones.

The application period for the 2010 Flinn Scholarship, one of the premier merit scholarships in the United States, is now closed. The 25th class of Flinn Scholars will be announced officially in mid-May.

Updates about the process will be posted on flinnscholars.org, as well as on Facebook and Twitter. To learn more about the Flinn Scholarship, check out The Deal, What it Takes, and Frequently Asked Questions.

Travel reports and a talent show, hiking and stargazing, workshops and catching up with good friends: the 2009 Flinn Scholars retreat, held at Lost Canyon in northern Arizona, offered all of these and more in an energizing inauguration of the new school year.

Seventeen of Arizona's highest-achieving high-school seniors have decided to attend one of the state's public universities on a Flinn Scholarship. The award includes funding for four years of study, academic-focused travel abroad, mentorship by top faculty, and other benefits. Altogether, the package is worth more than $50,000--on top of the cash value of tuition, provided by the student's chosen university.

Seventeen of Arizona's highest-achieving high-school seniors have decided to attend one of the state's public universities on a Flinn Scholarship. The award includes funding for four years of study, academic-focused travel abroad, mentorship by top faculty, and other benefits. Altogether, the package is worth more than $50,000--on top of the cash value of tuition, provided by the student's chosen university.