Rebecca (Becca) Farnum, Michigan State University’s Marshall Scholar from 2012, recently celebrated the program’s 60th anniversary at a reception attended by the Prince of Wales.
The event was held at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London, United Kingdom.
“The Marshall Scholarship is, at its core, about forming relationships between people. The 60th Anniversary reception was a wonderful opportunity to meet other prominent figures in US-UK life, including the Prince of Wales, the U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom, and the Minister for Universities and Science,” Farnum said. “I had the chance to explain what ‘environmental peacebuilding’ means to the Prince of Wales. These kinds of interactions are what make the Marshall Scholarship such a unique and powerful program – the chance to engage intellectually in rich academic work while simultaneously having access to incredible opportunities in British public life.”
Marshall Scholarships finance young Americans of high ability to study for a degree in the United Kingdom. Founded by a 1953 Act of Parliament, and named in honor of U.S. Secretary of State George C. Marshall, the scholarships commemorate the humane ideals of the Marshall Plan and they express the continuing gratitude of the British people to their American counterparts. Marshall Scholarships are mainly funded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and are overseen by the Marshall Aid Commemoration Commission.
Currently studying international law at the University of Edinburgh, Farnum is focused on food and water security in the Middle East and North Africa, arguing that feeding people can feed peace. She’s also been selected as an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Marshall Scholar and intends to pursue her doctorate at King’s College London.
The National and International Fellowship and Scholarship (NIFS) Office at Michigan State University, administered by the Honors College, helps interested undergraduate and graduate students to pursue major national and international opportunities by providing information and direct support throughout the competitive application processes. The Honors College serves academically talented, committed students who wish to pursue and achieve academic excellence. The Honors College strives to ensure an enriched academic and social experience for our members and create an environment that fosters active, innovative learning.