News

St. Olaf College has been awarded the Davis Cup, an honor given each year to the college or university that has enrolled the largest number of Davis United World College Scholars.

The Davis UWC Scholars Program is the world’s largest privately funded international scholarship program. It provides college scholarships to students who have completed their last two years of secondary education at a group of international high schools called United World Colleges, where they participate in the rigorous International Baccalaureate curriculum. The goal of the Davis UWC Scholars Program is to promote international understanding by having students from a diverse group of countries study alongside each other and share their differing worldviews.

“Winning the Davis Cup affirms our mission to be a globally engaged community and our promise to our students to provide opportunities for them to become culturally competent, global explorers,” says St. Olaf President Susan Rundell Singer. “Our Davis Scholars exemplify Oles who are eager to seek solutions to some of the world’s most pressing issues and lead us all into a bright future.”

This year St. Olaf welcomed 86 Davis UWC Scholars to campus as part of the first-year class. There are a total of 259 Davis UWC Scholars currently enrolled at St. Olaf, hailing from 88 countries and representing all 18 of the UWC campuses on five continents around the globe. Since St. Olaf first joined the program in 2008, more than 550 Davis UWC Scholars have become Oles.

“I’m thrilled that St. Olaf has won the Davis Cup, but the real win is that we had the opportunity to welcome our largest cohort of amazing Davis UWC Scholars this fall,” says Associate Dean of Admissions and Director of International Recruitment Jenny Howenstine. “Graduates of United World Colleges arrive with the perfect preparation for a U.S. liberal arts college, having already lived in a residential community in another culture and completed the challenging IB Diploma program.  They are ready to build on the skills they are bringing from their UWC campuses and make a positive impact as leaders here at St. Olaf and around the world.”

“I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to visit St. Olaf several times, including last year, and witnessed the vibrant community of Davis UWC Scholars at St. Olaf, which so beautifully exemplifies the transformative power of education to bridge cultures, inspire leadership, and address the pressing challenges of our world. St. Olaf’s dedication to welcoming and supporting these extraordinary scholars will undoubtedly leave a lasting impact on their campus and beyond.”

— Davis UWC Scholars Program Executive Director Phil Geier

At St. Olaf, Davis UWC Scholars are known for their outstanding achievements both in and out of the classroom.

Sona Baghiyan ’25 was named a Rossing Physics Scholar, an award given annually to outstanding physics students selected from across the nation. Laura Camila Rubiano Monguí ’24 received the Charles H. Turner Award from the Animal Behavior Society and presented her research at the society’s annual conference. The Ordway Center for the Performing Arts named Paulina Morera Quesada ’24 to its GreenRoom training fellowship.

Ikaay Ugbodaga ’24 spent months working on a NASA project as part of the St. Olaf Innovation Scholars Program, an experiential learning opportunity that provides select students with the opportunity to work in multidisciplinary teams to engage in the business development of new innovations in real time. 

“Working alongside NASA inventors and company contacts has given me a firsthand glimpse into the complexities and challenges of technology development for earth applications. It has reinforced my belief in the power of interdisciplinary teamwork and perseverance in overcoming obstacles,” he says. “This experience has broadened my perspective on the interconnectedness of science, technology, and society — and it has highlighted the importance of fostering a culture of innovation and curiosity to address the pressing challenges facing our world.”

“Our Davis Scholars exemplify Oles who are eager to seek solutions to some of the world’s most pressing issues and lead us all into a bright future.”

— St. Olaf President Susan Rundell Singer

St. Olaf Professor of Political Science Kris Thalhammer says the campus has been “energized and challenged in the best possible ways” by Davis UWC Scholars.

“In classes they often are the ones asking the big questions, offering different perspectives, and encouraging others into conversation,” she said at a ceremony this May to award an honorary degree to Phil Geier, the co-founder and executive director of the Davis United World College Scholars Program. “The curiosity and drive that brought them to St. Olaf is infectious. We are a better place because Davis UWC Scholars have become such an integral part of our community.”

St. Olaf Vice President for Enrollment and College Relations Michael Kyle ’85 remembers his first visit to a Davis UWC campus in Norway in 2007. He met so many remarkable students that he returned to the Hill and started conversations with colleagues about what it would take for St. Olaf to become a Davis partner school.

“We joined the program shortly thereafter, and that small initial cohort of four students grew to 86 this year,” he says. “I couldn’t be more proud of our Davis Scholars and the way they have contributed to our community in rich and diverse ways. It is certainly an honor to be the recipient of the Davis Cup, but equally important are the numerous contributions all our Davis Scholars and graduates have made to the college and in the broader communities in which they now live and work.”

Geier, who co-founded the Davis UWC Scholars Program in 2000 together with Shelby Davis, says it’s been a joy to watch St. Olaf’s participation in the program grow over the last 16 years.

“We are thrilled to recognize St. Olaf College as the 2024-25 recipient of the Davis Cup, celebrating their remarkable commitment to fostering international understanding and global citizenship through the Davis UWC Scholars Program,” Geier says. “I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to visit St. Olaf several times, including last year, and witnessed the vibrant community of Davis UWC Scholars at St. Olaf, which so beautifully exemplifies the transformative power of education to bridge cultures, inspire leadership, and address the pressing challenges of our world. St. Olaf’s dedication to welcoming and supporting these extraordinary scholars will undoubtedly leave a lasting impact on their campus and beyond.”