FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — University of Arkansas administrators and staff recently welcomed the new recipients of the Silas Hunt Scholarship to campus. The Silas Hunt Scholarship Program is a four-year academic scholarship that includes a comprehensive academic support program involving monthly meetings, peer mentoring and social resources for the scholarship recipients.

By providing intentional activities focused on the development of the whole student, the Silas Hunt Scholarship Program engages students in opportunities that will develop them socially and academically, ultimately resulting in a strong, positive experience while on campus. In this third year of the program there are 63 first-year recipients with a total of 154 scholars on campus this academic year.

“The Silas Hunt Scholarship is very dear to me. This scholarship is a leap forward in our vision of creating a University of Arkansas campus that is diverse, teaming with people who bring new ideas, new experiences and new opportunities for us all,” said UA Chancellor John White. “The University of Arkansas has created a community of academically ambitious, energetic and dedicated students, and the Silas Hunt Scholars have done much to make this happen.”

Andy Mauk, associate director of the UA Multicultural Center and coordinator of the Silas Hunt Distinguished Scholars Program, said the students have already had positive influence on the campus.

“Hunt Scholars have served as resident assistants for University Housing; orientation leaders for new freshman; and student ambassadors for prospective students,” Mauk said. “Hunt Scholars have been selected to study abroad in Mexico, Spain, Australia and South Africa, among other places. Hunt Scholars have been selected as recipients of numerous additional academic scholarships. Hunt Scholars have served on the student body Senate; they have been elected to executive level positions in student organizations; they have been chosen for prestigious fellowships, research opportunities and internships. The Hunt Scholars have indeed made a great impact on the University of Arkansas.”

Silas Hunt Scholars have come from Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri, Kansas and across the nation, as well as from the vast majority of the counties in Arkansas. Along with that geographic diversity, they are diverse racially and ethnically.

Their ACT scores and grade point averages are well above the campus average. They have a variety of academic interests, spanning 48 different majors, representing all six colleges and schools at the university. They represent various cultural backgrounds and experiences, with a significant number of them being first-generation college students. For their underrepresented academic and extracurricular backgrounds, the Hunt Scholars receive scholarships ranging from $5,000 to $8,000 per academic year, renewable annually with certain criteria being met.