Lola Oke didn’t exactly have the typical summer experience. Oke, a University of Tennessee at Chattanooga junior political science major and a Brock Scholar in the Honors College, was accepted into the Fulbright Canada Mitacs Globalink program. During the advanced research fellowship, which ran in a virtual setting between May and August, Oke worked with a University of Victoria-led team on a project titled “Racial Uprisings and the Responsiveness of Governments.” If one competitive educational experience wasn’t enough, following a nationwide competition that drew more than 1,200 applicants, Oke was one of 20 undergraduates selected as a 2021 Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Summer Enrichment Program Scholar. During the sixweek program that ran from June 14-July 23, Oke attended virtual classes and events at diverse locations around Washington, D.C.,
including the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Agency for International Development and the U.S. Congress. For good measure, she even found a week to travel to Mexico for nonprofit servant leadership training. “I think that was the peak of the stress level in terms of juggling everything,” Oke says, “but I was able to make it all work. Combined, they made for a beautiful learning experience that focused on different aspects of my professional development. I’m grateful for all of it.” And to think, she might not have come to UTC if it wasn’t for a scholarship. Oke is a Brock Scholar, Probasco Scholar and an Oldham Scholar. Of particular importance was being accepted into the Brock Scholars Program, a four-year interdisciplinary program for academically gifted and motivated students who pursue an education that nurtures their intellects, sense of social responsibility and drive to lead. The Georgia native says landing the Brock Scholarship was particularly meaningful, as it allowed her to qualify for in-state tuition. “Being an honors student and Brock Scholar has afforded me opportunities and has enriched my academic experience,” Oke says. “These scholarships have allowed me a lot more freedom in terms of not having to juggle as many jobs as some students may have to in order to afford education. Because of the scholarships, I am able to view my education as more of a privilege.”
2021 ENDOWMENT REPORT
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