The Stamps Scholars Program at Dartmouth: Cultivating Excellence Through Merit and Mentorship
The Stamps Scholars Program, a prestigious merit scholarship initiative, identifies and supports exceptionally talented undergraduate students across a select network of institutions. At Dartmouth College, the Stamps Scholars Program was established in 2014, forging a partnership with the national Stamps Scholars Program to recognize and reward students who demonstrate outstanding academic merit, strong leadership potential, and exceptional character. This program is designed to empower students to fully engage in a series of active learning experiences that complement and enrich their coursework, fostering intellectual curiosity and the pursuit of academic passions.
Genesis and Growth of the Stamps Scholars Program
Founded in 2006 by E. Roe Stamps and his late wife, Penny Stamps, the Stamps Scholars Program began its journey at Michigan State University and Georgia Tech, the alma maters of its visionary founders. The program's core mission is to assist hardworking and dedicated students in obtaining an exemplary education. Its success and impact have led to significant growth, expanding its reach to over 35 colleges and universities throughout the United States and the United Kingdom. This expanding network includes distinguished institutions such as The Ohio State University, Mercer University, Tulane University, and the University of Texas at Austin, underscoring the program's commitment to identifying and nurturing talent at a wide array of academic institutions. The program's foundational principle remains consistent: to provide financial and programmatic support to students who exhibit a potent combination of academic achievement, leadership capabilities, and strong personal character.
The Dartmouth Stamps Scholars Experience: A Two-Year Journey of Deep Engagement
At Dartmouth, the Stamps Scholars Program is a two-year initiative, commencing in a student's sophomore year and continuing through graduation. This structure allows scholars to immerse themselves in a rich tapestry of active learning opportunities. A cornerstone of the Dartmouth Stamps Scholars Program is the emphasis on a well-defined, two-year plan proposed by the scholars themselves. This plan can either concentrate on a single academic discipline or ingeniously weave together elements from multiple fields of study. The selection process rigorously seeks out students who are not only academically engaged and intellectually curious but also demonstrably prepared to passionately pursue their academic interests.
The financial award for Dartmouth Stamps Scholars is substantial, providing up to $10,000 annually for two years. These funds are specifically earmarked to facilitate experiences that enhance academic and professional development, empowering scholars to undertake ambitious projects and explore their intellectual frontiers. A critical component of the Stamps Scholarship at Dartmouth is the provision of faculty mentorship. Prospective applicants are strongly advised to initiate the process of securing a faculty mentor with expertise relevant to their proposed project well in advance of the application deadline. This early engagement allows ample time for collaboration, ensuring that the application is well-crafted and strongly supported. While a primary faculty mentor is mandatory, students may opt to include additional mentors, depending on the interdisciplinary nature of their project. The primary mentor is responsible for submitting a recommendation on the scholar's behalf.
The National Stamps Scholars Program: A Broader Perspective
Nationally, the Stamps Scholars Program offers a broad spectrum of benefits and opportunities. Scholarship amounts vary significantly, with annual awards ranging from $6,000 to as high as $94,000 per year, reflecting the diverse needs and contexts of its partner institutions. A key financial component for Stamps Scholars is the Enrichment Fund, a monetary pool designed to support academic and career development. These funds typically range from $8,000 to $16,000 per scholar. Affectionately known as the "dream fund" by Stamps Scholars, this resource is versatile, enabling students to pursue a wide array of enriching experiences such as volunteer opportunities, study abroad programs, participation in academic conferences, and more.
Read also: Future Leaders Program
The application process for the national Stamps Scholars Program is generally integrated with the admissions process of its partner universities. Typically, students do not need to submit a separate application to be considered for a Stamps Scholarship; applying to a partner school automatically makes them eligible. However, it is important to note that some larger universities may require a supplementary application to streamline the selection process. Prospective applicants are always encouraged to consult with their college admissions counselors to ensure their application is processed correctly and to confirm any specific requirements. For students whose chosen institutions do not host a Stamps Scholars Program, alternative scholarship avenues, such as full-ride or merit scholarships, are readily available through resources like Scholarships360.
International students may also be eligible for Stamps Scholarships, but they are advised to verify their eligibility directly with the specific schools they are interested in, as policies can vary. All Stamps Scholarships are merit-based, awarded exclusively based on outstanding student achievement. Nationally, recipients receive an average of $21,600 to $300,000 over their four years of study. Beyond financial awards, the program actively funds enrichment experiences, including academic conferences, leadership training, research internships, and study abroad opportunities, all contributing to a holistic development of the scholar. The Stamps Scholars Program is widely regarded as highly prestigious due to its rigorous selection criteria, demanding demonstrable academic excellence, robust leadership skills, and exceptional character.
Dartmouth Stamps Scholars: Illuminating Diverse Academic Pursuits
The Dartmouth Stamps Scholars Program has supported a remarkable cohort of students, each pursuing unique and impactful projects. These scholars embody the program's ethos of intellectual curiosity, leadership, and a commitment to making a difference.
Leah Cho-Carrier ('27), an Asian American Studies major with minors in Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and Chinese, is delving into the intersection of creative expression and reckoning with historical injustices. Her research explores how artistic endeavors can serve as sites for personal, social, political, and historical reckoning, particularly within detention centers. Her academic interests are deeply rooted in race, ethnicity, migration, diaspora, and queer studies, reflected in her custom major path and her engagement with the Chinese Exclusion Acts and contemporary immigration politics. Outside the classroom, Leah is an active member of the Dartmouth Women's Rowing team, the Dartmouth Asian American Studies Collective, and the Dartmouth Prison Justice Initiative.
Helen Cui ('27), a double major in Computer Science modified with Digital Arts and Studio Art, is at the forefront of exploring the intersection of Artificial Intelligence and art. Her research, supported by the Stamps program since 2025, surveys the evolving landscape of Art and AI. Helen plans to visit exhibits of AI artists, interview practitioners in the field, and synthesize her own artwork. She has also received recognition for her sculptures and paintings. Beyond her artistic and research endeavors, Helen is a leader of the Organic Farm Club and a dedicated advocate for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), serving as DEI Chair for Kappa Delta Epsilon and Social Chair for the Dartmouth Chinese Student Association.
Read also: Comprehensive Stamps Scholarship Info
Frank Gallo ('27), a Mathematics and Geography major, is exploring the complex relationship between humanity and nature. His research focuses on the formation of age-restricted active living communities in Florida, utilizing critical social theory to understand the philosophical underpinnings of contemporary urban development. As a leader in the Dartmouth Outing Club and an executive board member of the Dartmouth Triathlon Team, Frank demonstrates a strong connection to the outdoors and a passion for improving lives.
Joe ('27), a double major in Music and Biology with a concentration in Evolutionary Ecology and Zoology, is on a quest to uncover music as a universal language intrinsically tied to our evolutionary roots. His project involves an Honors Thesis in Biological Sciences, studying the acoustic elements of birdsong, which will be complemented by original music compositions that incorporate these avian vocalizations.
Audrey Kim ('27), a Neuroscience major with double minors in Music and Chemistry, is investigating the unconscious learning of spatial auditory attention and its potential crossmodal effects on visual attention. Her research integrates her interests in neuroscience, cognitive science, and music, aiming to explore auditory-based unconscious learning and its transfer to visual attention. Audrey is eager to utilize her funding for her senior thesis and research opportunities abroad. She is also actively involved in Dartmouth EMS, the Dartmouth Dodecaphonics a cappella group, and the Sexual Violence Prevention Project.
Roy, a Physics and Computer Science double major, is developing methods to automate quantum experiments. His research focuses on creating closed-loop controllers that blend quantum optimal control with reinforcement learning to enable real-time adaptation to quantum states' fragility, preparing, stabilizing, and mitigating drift and noise. His work aims to create a hardware-agnostic, open-source toolkit to enhance reliable quantum operation. Roy has also worked as a visiting scientist at the Weizmann Institute, exploring superconducting Kerr "cat" qubits.
Ada, a double major in Physics and Mathematics with a focus on quantum and condensed matter physics, is using nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond to study solid-state qubit control for quantum sensing and computing. Her research involves building and improving experimental setups to control electron spins in diamond NV centers and applying techniques like shortcuts to adiabaticity (STA) to reduce qubit error rates. Ada was president of the Dartmouth Physics and Astronomy Society.
Read also: Opportunities and Requirements for Ole Miss Stamps Scholarship
Fatmata, an engineering sciences major pursuing a BE in environmental engineering, is focused on environmental, civil, and water resource engineering, with a particular interest in the impact of climate uncertainty on public health and safety. Her project, "Risk assessment of Dartmouth's stormwater pipeline network under climate uncertainties," supervised by Professor Klaus Keller, aims to evaluate flood risk and the need for improvements in stormwater management in light of climate change. Fatmata is co-president of the Society of Women Engineers and the National Society of Black Engineers chapters on campus.
Mingyue Zha ('27), a Quantitative Social Science and Chemistry double major on the pre-medicine track, aims to pursue a career in psychiatry focused on inclusive and data-informed mental health care. Her Stamps scholarship research will examine how social media platforms and AI chatbots provide support for individuals with social anxiety, with the goal of informing clinical outcomes and mental health policy. Ming is president of the Nathan Smith Pre-Health Society and the Dartmouth Mental Health Union, actively advocating for campus well-being initiatives.
Priyanshu ('26), a Biology modified with Computer Science major with minors in Chemistry and Theater, is building a graph neural network to predict how DNA interacts with molecular "switches" to control gene activity. This research has implications for cancer studies and disease prediction.
Yifei, a visual artist, dancer, actor, and scenic and lighting designer, is studying Theater and Studio Art. Their work explores the physical aesthetics of the human body in performance and the materiality of stage design. Yifei's art studio practice centers on sculpture and printmaking, drawing inspiration from everyday objects and actions.
Divik ('26), a Physics and Mathematics major, is investigating the use of diamond-based quantum sensors to develop nanoscale magnetic resonance imaging technology. His project involves designing an experimental apparatus for coherent manipulation of single electron spins in diamond defects. Divik has also worked on noise spectroscopy of 2D materials and will intern at Quantinuum.
Mia ('26), an Environmental Studies and Geography double major with an English minor, is researching "Rivers on Fire: Igniting Urban Identity Amidst Restoration and Justice." Her project integrates interests in human-nature relations, river systems, and her hometown of Cleveland, involving ethnographic fieldwork in Rust Belt cities.
Josué Godeme ('26), a Computer Science and Applied Mathematics major, is leading the "Digitizing the Adja Language" project. This initiative aims to create the first digital corpus for the Adja language, with the ultimate goal of developing educational resources to combat illiteracy in Benin.
Corey Huebner ('26), an Environmental Studies major with a minor in Human-Centered Design, is researching the use of music in addressing Climate Trauma in Arctic Indigenous communities. Corey is also a published author on environmental practices.
Elan, a history major concentrating on intellectual history and political thought, is researching the intellectual history of the Israeli right, focusing on Counter-Enlightenment thought and the influence of American conservative thought on Israeli political culture. Elan plans a career in writing.
Vedant ('26), a Neuroscience major, is investigating the use of technology and implementation science in neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders. His research involves analyzing digital data for early risk identification of conditions like Alzheimer's disease.
tags: #stamps #scholarship #dartmouth #information
