You are here: American University Admissions International Applications Emerging Global Leader Scholarship for International Students

Back to top

Celebrating 10 Years of the AU Emerging Global Leader Scholarship 2011-2021

The AU Emerging Global Leader Scholarship promotes educational access and opportunity while enhancing international diversity. Bringing together the best of AU - academic excellence, leadership development, and global engagement - the AU Emerging Global Leader achieves, inspires, and serves with vision. The AU EGL is dedicated to positive civic and social change, and will return home to improve under-resourced, underserved communities in their home country.

This most prestigious scholarship covers tuition, fees, housing, and board and is available for only one international student per year. It is renewable for a total of up to four years of undergraduate study. Each year, the Office of Enrollment receives almost 1,000 inquiries from international students around the world, and approximately 100 students apply. Five AU EGLS finalists are identified and must complete a rigorous series of Zoom interviews and special essays before a candidate is selected.

The AU Emerging Global Leader Scholarship (AU EGLS) was written by International Admissions Director Evelyn Levinson in 2011 to promote educational access and opportunity to international undergraduate students while enhancing AU’s international diversity. Bringing together the best of AU - academic excellence, leadership development, and global engagement - the AU Emerging Global Leader achieves, inspires, and serves with vision. Levinson envisioned AU EGL Scholars who would be dedicated to positive civic and social change, and who would return home to improve under-resourced, underserved communities in their home countries. AU EGLS would also serve as AU Diplomat international student ambassadors. These scholars have not disappointed.

Meet Our AU Emerging Global Leader Scholars Alumni

AU EGLS 2012 Inaugural Scholar

Biggie Tangane, International Student, Botswana

SIS Class of 2015

While at AU, Biggie embarked on a European Union-focused study abroad program in Brussels, which he describes as life-changing. Biggie participated in several extra-curricular activities on campus and took advantage of all that D.C has to offer—internships, summer jobs and fun activities. After graduation, Biggie moved to Mauritius, South Africa, and Botswana to work for several social-impact organizations. Biggie is currently a Strategy & Business Development Manager for De Beers Group where he works to protect consumer confidence on diamonds that are ethically sourced from Southern Africa, which subsequently contributes to the economic well-being of communities where these diamonds are mined.
LinkedIn Profile  Special Interview

 

 

Nargiza Kanybek, SIS '19

Nargiza graduated SIS with a concentration in international development, identity and culture, and a minor in Information Technology. At AU, she worked in the International Admissions office and served as president of the Central Asian Student Club. She interned at the American Councils in Washington, D.C, USAID in Kyrgyzstan, Embassy of the Kyrgyz Republic in the U.S. and Canada, and at EndFGM European Network in Brussels, Belgium. Nargiza studied abroad in Brussels, and visited Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Ukraine. After graduation, she worked as a Project Management Intern at an international development organization, MSI Tetra Tech, and as an Anti-Money Laundering Analyst at Protiviti, Washington, D.C. She is currently an EducationUSA adviser on U.S. higher education in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.
LinkedIn Profile

What the Scholarship has Meant to Me

Dayana, Russia, SIS/BA '20

2016 AU Emerging Global Leader Scholar

Dayana graduated AU summa cum laude in August 2020 with a degree in International Studies and a minor in Finance. The recipient of the 2020 SIS Outstanding Academic Achievement Award and the 2019 Excellence in European Studies Award, Dayana pursued research opportunities both inside and outside the classroom. She was a research intern at the National Security Archive and the Council on Foreign Relations, a member of the 2017-2018 Olson Scholars cohort, and spent a year taking courses in political science, international relations, and business ethics at Lady Margaret Hall, University of Oxford. Dayana became AU's first Global Rhodes Scholarship finalist in fall 2020 and is the first international student to receive the AU’s President's Award in spring 2021.She has been accepted to the University of Oxford and LSE to undertake an MSc in Economic and Social History and MSc in Economic History, respectively, for fall 2021 and is still deciding which program to attend.
LinkedIn Profile 

Lori, Lebanon, SIS '21

2017 AU Emerging Global Leader Scholar

Lori graduated with a double major in International Studies and Legal Studies, with a certificate in Advanced Leadership Studies. In recognition of her outstanding achievements, leadership abilities, and contributions to AU, Lori was selected as the 2021 SIS undergraduate commencement speaker, and also received AU’s prestigious Bruce Hughes Award. She was a member of the SPA and SIS Honors Programs and was a 2018 Olson Research Scholar. Lori had numerous experiences at AU and outside think tanks as a research and teaching assistant, scholar, and intern. She presented at several national conferences. On campus, she was a peer adviser, conference organizer, Arabic tutor, managing editor of AU’s Clocks and Clouds, and in her senior year, served on the 2021 AU Emerging Global Leader Scholar selection committee. Her plans include working in DC for a year to gain experience, and then to continue to graduate school for a PhD in Political Theory. Her career goal is to continue to conduct research, teach, and mentor students as a university professor. LinkedIn Profile 

 

Meet Our Current AU Emerging Global Leader Scholars

Bringing Positive Change to the World

Sledja, Albania, KSB/BA '22

2018 AU Emerging Global Leader Scholar

Sledja is a former FLEX scholar and alumna of the U.S. State Department’s selective high school exchange program. A Kogod School of Business honors studentand an Early Identification Program scholar, Sledja was part of AU’s Community-Based Research Scholar cohort and has been on the Dean’s List since her first semester. She has been a peer consultant in Kogod’s Center for Business Communications since sophomore year, and won 3rd place in AU’s Center for Innovation’s Start up and Standout Challenge in 2020 for founding an online platform to build community and increase integration efforts for international students in the U.S. This past summer, Sledja interned for Morgan Stanley as a Summer Analyst. She is currently a Teaching Assistant (TA) for both the Finance and IT Departments and was also promoted to Head TA for the ITEC Department at Kogod School of Business. In her senior year, Sledja will serve as VP of Finance for the Alpha Kappa Psi Business Professional Fraternity. LinkedIn Profile

Fareha, Pakistan, SIS/BA '23

2019 AU Emerging Global Leader Scholar

Fareha is a former YES scholar and alumna of the U.S. State Department’s competitive high school exchange program. At AU, she is part of the Early Identification Scholar Program. Fareha served as AU’s VP of Amnesty International and is now finishing her term as Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for AU Student Government. She recently won the Frank Willis Scotton 2021 SIS Undergraduate Award, given to one student who best exemplifies the values and mission of the school.
LinkedIn Profile 

Pursuing My Dreams At AU

Chaitanya, India, SIS/BA '24

2020 AU Emerging Global Leader Scholar

Chaitanya is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in International Studies and Economics, and certificate programs in Advanced Leadership Studies and Political Thought. Chaitanya is a member of the SPA Leadership Program and the Lincoln Scholars Program, a first-year fellow in the Women’s Initiative, an AU Diplomat, and an Orientation Leader for the summer of 2021. She is also a new SIS Olson Scholar. She plans to pursue a career in economics and international development, and public policy, and would like to create positive change in the lives of people around the world. While in high school, Chaitanya was an active social worker and volunteer: She worked to aid visually-impaired students, acid attack survivors, marginalized LGBTQIA+ groups, and more. For her work she was awarded the Global Citizens Initiative fellowship, the national Pramerica Spirit of Community award and the UN Global Compact IILM University Young Citizen Award, among others. Chaitanya is also a trained classical dancer, having studied Bharatanatyam for the past 13 years, and is an art enthusiast and bibliophile.
LinkedIn Profile

Meiying Matute, Ecuador, CAS'25

2021 AU Emerging Global Leader Scholar

Meiying is AU’s first AU EGLS from Latin America and the first EGLS who plans to major in graphic and visual communication design. She is concerned about the lack of value given to creative arts’ programs in public schools and educational curricula, and is committed to access, diversity, and inclusion through the visual and performing arts. She hopes to use her AU education to implement holistic arts education programs in Ecuador. Her diverse extra-curricular high school activities include pharmacy assistant, teaching dance and music education at a local NGO for children with learning disabilities, NHS treasurer, math & English tutor, basketball, theater, violin, and graphic designer. Meiying was on a full academic scholarship at an international high school in Guayaquil and maintained an almost perfect GPA in a most rigorous AP curriculum.