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Posted Sept. 6, 2024

Marshall Scholars under the spotlight

Marshall ScholarshipsWhat do a NASA astronaut, Oscar nominees, Pulitzer Prize-winning authors, members of Congress and an editor of Time magazine have in common? The answer is that they are all Marshall Scholars.

Marshall ScholarshipsThe list of Marshall alumni is an impressive one that also includes Ivy League university deans and a Nobel Prize winner, not to mention the founder of professional social networking site, LinkedIn. So, with the deadline of the 2025 Marshall Scholarships looming at the end of this month – on Tuesday 24th September – let’s take a look at some of these alumni in a bit more detail.

Amazing astronaut – born in Washington in 1979, Major Anne McClain wanted to be an astronaut from a young age. She gained a degree in Mechanical Engineering at the United States Military Academy, West Point and was commissioned as an army officer in 2002. Through Marshall Scholarships, McClain studied a masters in Aerospace Engineering at the University of Bath followed by a masters in International Relations at the University of Bristol. She was selected as a NASA astronaut in 2013 and recently served as a flight engineer on the International Space Station for Expedition 58 and 59.

LinkedIn founder – Reid Hoffman was born in California in 1967. He is a prominent American entrepreneur, venture capitalist and philanthropist, best known as the co-founder of professional networking platform LinkedIn. In addition to his business ventures, Hoffman is an author and his philanthropic work earned him the title of Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in recognition of his contributions to entrepreneurship and philanthropy. Hoffman studied his undergraduate degree at Stanford University and then came to the UK as a Marshall Scholar and earned a Master of Studies (MSt) in Philosophy at the University of Oxford.

Exceptional editor – born in New York City in 1960, Nancy Gibbs, is an American journalist, author and academic who is best known for her long career at Time magazine, where she became the first female Managing Editor in the publication’s history. Gibbs worked at Time for over three decades, where she wrote more cover stories than any other writer. She is also an author and is currently the Director of the Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School. Gibbs graduated from Yale University in 1982, before attending the University of Oxford on a Marshall Scholarship, and graduating with an MA in Politics, Philosophy and Economics (PPE).

Award-winning filmmaker – Dr Joshua Oppenheimer was born in Texas in 1974. He is an American filmmaker, whose critically acclaimed documentary films The Act of Killing (2012) and The Look of Silence (2014) were both nominated for Academy Awards. The Act of Killing won numerous international awards, including a BAFTA, and The Look of Silence also won multiple awards. Oppenheimer studied at Harvard University as an undergraduate before attending Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London as a Marshall Scholar. He is a leading voice in contemporary documentary cinema and the Professor of Film at the University of Westminster.

Nobel Prize-winning chemist – born in New York City in 1952, Professor Roger Tsien was a distinguished American chemist and biochemist, known for his ground-breaking research in fluorescence imaging, which earned him the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2008. His work is an essential tool in molecular biology and medical research, significantly advancing understanding in areas such as cancer research and neurobiology. Professor Tsien completed his undergraduate studies in chemistry and physics at Harvard University and earned his PhD in Physiology as a Marshall Scholar at the University of Cambridge. Throughout his career, he received numerous awards and accolades, and his work continues to influence the scientific community long after his passing in 2016.

This is just a small selection of the exceptional Marshall Alumni and a brief look at what they have achieved with the help of a Marshall Scholarship – find out more about Marshall Alumni here.

Marshall Scholarships are prestigious awards that provide fully funded tuition for exceptional US students to pursue postgraduate studies at any university in the UK. Established in 1953, Marshall Scholarships are funded by the British government with the aim of strengthening the bond between the UK and the US. Marshall Scholarships cover tuition fees, living expenses and travel costs for up to two years, with the possibility of a third-year extension.

Applications are reviewed at regional centres in the US and shortlisted candidates will be called for interview in November 2024, with the final selection being announced shortly after interview. Find out more and apply now.

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