Social Science Excellence Scholarship – 2026 Finalists

Nicole Damhøj Andersen

Nicole's background

Nicole is a 19-year-old student from Denmark and a competitive swimmer with ten years in the pool. For the past few years, her goal has been clear: to study and swim at an American college. She grew up in a close, supportive family that travelled often, and those early experiences sparked a lasting curiosity about other cultures and a love of meeting new people. Nicole has always been hardworking and dedicated in school, and having held a job since the age of twelve, she learned the value of responsibility and independence early on.

How Nicole chose her country of study

Nicole chose the United States because it offers a rare opportunity to pursue education and sport at a high level at the same time. Unlike the Danish system, the American model allows for a far wider and more flexible combination of subjects across different fields, something that appealed to her desire to explore broadly. She also drew on the experiences of people she knew who had studied at U.S. colleges and loved it, as well as on her own two visits to the country, which left her seeing the U.S. as a land of opportunity and a refreshing change from what she was used to. This fall, she heads to East Stroudsburg University in Pennsylvania.

How Nicole plans to become a globally-minded leader

Nicole plans to use her time in the United States to develop a deeper understanding of a different culture, and surrounded by international students from around the world, to widen her perspective and the way she thinks. She hopes the experience will also give her a fresh view of the Danish and European way of life, allowing her to reflect critically and carry what she learns positively into her future career.

For Nicole, leadership grows out of understanding why people from different backgrounds think and act the way they do: that insight, she believes, is exactly what equips a leader to navigate an international environment. Recognising both the differences and the common ground in people's values and behaviour, she feels, puts her in a stronger position to lead and to help others reach their full potential.

Sisil Yana Ashreen

Sisil's background

Born and raised in Bangladesh, Sisil is pursuing a double major in Economics and Business Finance at The University of Texas at Austin. Her experiences growing up inspired a passion for financial literacy, education, and expanding economic opportunities for underserved communities.

She has taught financial literacy to young women in Bangladesh, was selected as one of just 13 Rapoport Service Scholars at UT Austin, and continues to dedicate over 200 volunteer hours each summer to mentoring and supporting her local community. Through research, leadership, and internships, Sisil aims to use economics and finance to create lasting social impact and empower communities worldwide.

How Sisil chose her country of study

Sisil chose to study in the United States for its rare ability to combine world-class academics with opportunities for research, leadership, and professional development. At The University of Texas at Austin, she has been able to go far beyond the classroom through faculty research, competitive internships, and organizations that have challenged her to apply what she learns in real-world settings.

Austin itself stood out for its thriving ecosystem of innovation, entrepreneurship, and public service: being in a city where global companies, startups, policymakers, and researchers collaborate has allowed her to learn from people with diverse backgrounds and perspectives, and to work alongside professionals across finance, business, and public policy, making it, in her view, the ideal environment to prepare for a global career.

How Sisil plans to become a globally-minded leader

For Sisil, globally minded leadership means learning from diverse communities and using those experiences to create opportunities for others. From teaching financial literacy to young women in Bangladesh to mentoring first-generation students and conducting research at UT Austin, she has remained committed to expanding access to education and economic opportunity.

Through her international academic, research, and professional experiences, she hopes to promote financial inclusion, ethical leadership, and sustainable development around the world.

Myka Smith-Jackson

Myka's background

Myka is a first-generation Black woman from Lexington, Kentucky, and a recent graduate of the University of Kentucky, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a concentration in International Relations and a minor in Psychology. Her passion for global engagement began long before college, shaped by her curiosity about the world, about different cultures, and about how societies govern themselves.

Through leadership roles as a World Affairs Council of America Student Scholar, a Model United Nations participant, a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and of Black Professionals in International Affairs, and as the founder of Building H.E.R., she has developed a deep commitment to service, advocacy, and creating opportunities for others while fostering meaningful connections across diverse communities.

How Myka chose her country of study

Myka chose to study in London, the United Kingdom, because of a life-changing experience in 2023 through Explore First, a University of Kentucky study abroad program for first-generation college students. Over three weeks in London, she fell in love with the city's rich culture, diversity, and global atmosphere, but more importantly the experience showed her that she could truly thrive and feel at home in a space outside the United States.

It proved to her that she could build meaningful connections, contribute to communities beyond her own country, and develop a broader understanding of the world, and it confirmed her desire to return. As an incoming Master of International Affairs student at Queen Mary University of London, she will study in one of the world's most diverse cities while gaining exposure to international perspectives and institutions, strengthening her understanding of global issues and building relationships with people from different cultures and backgrounds.

How Myka plans to become a globally-minded leader

Myka believes she became a globally-minded leader before she fully understood what she wanted to do with her life. Beginning in middle school, she took part in the Kentucky Youth Assembly, the Kentucky United Nations Assembly, and later Model United Nations, where she developed a deep appreciation for international affairs, diplomacy, and global citizenship. Since then, she has continually sought out opportunities to learn from people of different backgrounds, explore cultures beyond her own, and understand systems of government and ways of life that differ from those in the United States.

As she continues her education abroad, she hopes to deepen these experiences, broaden her perspective, and use what she learns to help build bridges across cultures, encourage international collaboration, and create positive change in communities around the world.

Céline Zhang

Céline's background

Originally from Montreal, Canada, Céline is a student at Stanford University and the founder of the Student Innovation Lab, a youth-led organization that empowers young people through grassroots funding, policy innovation, and civic engagement. Her work has mobilized more than 2,500 volunteers, informed education and youth policy across Canada, and supported initiatives that improve student wellbeing and accessibility.

Recognized as one of Canada's Top 10 Under 18 Changemakers, an Ingenious+ National Winner, and a Global Goals Youth Innovator, Céline has represented youth at the UN ECOSOC Youth Forum and continues to advocate for inclusive, youth-driven social change.

How Céline chose her country of study

Growing up in Montreal, a city shaped by many languages and cultures, Céline saw that progress often comes from bringing different perspectives together, and when deciding where to study she looked for a place that operated on that same principle at a global scale. The United States offered the chance to learn alongside people whose experiences, assumptions, and ambitions differ profoundly from her own, pushing her to become a more thoughtful and effective leader.

At Stanford, she hopes to combine her international experiences with studies in international relations, economics, and public policy to better understand how societies create opportunity, and how institutions can make economic mobility more accessible.

How Céline plans to become a globally-minded leader

As the daughter of immigrants, and through work ranging from local civic engagement initiatives to environmental conservation efforts in Zanzibar, Céline learned that opportunity is shaped by culture, institutions, and access as much as by individual effort. Those experiences reinforced her belief that meaningful change begins with listening to communities, understanding local realities, and building partnerships across cultures and sectors.

As a globally-minded leader, she hopes to connect ideas from different countries and disciplines to develop policies and institutions that foster economic opportunity, strengthen civic participation, and ensure that people, regardless of language, background, or socioeconomic circumstances, have the chance to contribute to and benefit from a more inclusive society.

Are you inspired by these finalists?

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