W. Thomas Smith Scholarship
The W. Thomas Smith Scholarship was established by Tom Smith '48 of Greenville, South Carolina. Designed to be similar to other prestigious postgraduate awards, such as Rhodes, Marshall, and Fulbright, the Smith Scholarship is awarded to graduating members of the Davidson College senior class in recognition of outstanding academic achievement at Davidson, demonstrated leadership, and service to the community.
The Smith Scholarship funds all eligible expenses associated with a Scholar's full-time enrollment in an eligible graduate degree program in any field at a major university outside the United States for up to one year.
Eligibility
Candidates must be members of the current graduating senior class who:
- Are in the top 10% of the class by Cumulative GPA, OR
- Have been endorsed or nominated by the Davidson College Office of Fellowships in the current academic year for the Churchill Scholarship, Marshall Scholarship, Rhodes Scholarship, or the Fulbright U.S. Student Program (candidates for Fulbright graduate degree enrollment grants only)
Candidates of all majors and fields of study who also meet the criteria outlined above are eligible as long as they intend to pursue graduate study in an eligible degree program outside of the United States during the upcoming academic year (i.e., the academic year immediately following graduation).
The Office of Fellowships will notify eligible candidates via email each spring.
Other Considerations:
- Applying for admission to eligible graduate degree programs is the responsibility of each Smith Scholarship candidate.
- The Smith Scholarship provides for all eligible expenses associated with a Scholar's full-time enrollment in an eligible graduate degree program for either: 1) the duration of a master's degree program that does not exceed 12 months in length, OR 2) the first full academic year (according to the graduate program institution's academic calendar) of a doctoral program.
- The Smith Scholarship is awarded in recognition of outstanding academic achievement at Davidson, demonstrated leadership, and service to the community. The selection committee will also assess each candidate's proposed graduate study plan.
Members of the graduating class who are eligible for the Smith Scholarship will be notified in the spring of their senior year. Candidates must then submit an application to the Office of Fellowships.
Review application instructions, tips, and resources in the Smith Scholarship Application Toolkit (Davidson login required).
Schedule an Office of Fellowships advising appointment with Gaylena Merritt, Director of Fellowships, to discuss your candidacy.
Smith Scholars
2026 - Rui Rui Bleifuss (University College London), Nina Worley (Queen's University Belfast)
2025 - Grace McGuire (University of Cambridge), Steve Mirabello (London School of Economics)
2024 - Toshaani Goel (University of London), Lillian Sirover (University of Exeter)
2023 - Julia Bauer (University of Edinburgh)
2022 - Louisa Bartkovich (University of Toronto)
2021 - Dahlia Krutkovich (University of Oxford)
2020 - Lydia Soifer (University of Cambridge)
2019 - Aman Madan (SOAS University of London)
2018 - Erica Shook (University College London)
2017 - Alyssa Bryan (London School of Economics)
2016 - Matthew Schlerf (Ensemble Theater at Rose Bruford College of Theatre & Performance, London)
2015 - Aric Reviere (Courtauld Institute of Art, London)
2014 - Sarah Gustafson (University College London & Queen Mary University London)
2013 - Chadwick Harper (Trinity College Dublin, Ireland)
2012 - Anna Van Hollen (London School of Economics)
2011 - Kimberly Larkin (Université Libre Bruxelles)
2010 - Karen Hasty (University of Cambridge)
2009 - Hugh Worsham (University of Oxford)
2008 - Phillip Compeau (Cambridge University)
2007 - N. Bryant Kirkland (University College London)
2006 - Leslie Hempson (Jawaharlal Nehru University)
2005 - Adam Gerstenmier (London School of Economics)
2004 - Lindy Baldwin (Cambridge University)
2003 - Pearry Tarwasokono (London School of Economics)
2002 - Seth Davis (London School of Economics)
2001 - Katherine Miller (University of Oxford)
2000 - Joslyn Ogden (University of Edinburgh)
1999 - Jason Prince (Cambridge University)