October 6, 2026 – "This is the first time I'm holding it," said Khayzzer Rivera '30, lifting a crystal globe out of its box. "I'm scared to break it."

Khayzzer, a communication major from the Philippines, was one of 50 students in Marist's second cohort of Davis UWC (United World Colleges) Scholars to receive a globe at a ceremony at the Cornell Boathouse.

"One of the core elements of a Marist education is bringing Marist to the world and the world to Marist," said Joe Giacalone, executive director of international admission. "As a way to symbolize their next step in becoming global citizens, we present them with the Davis Scholar Globe."

UWC is an international network of high schools that brings together students from dozens of countries who are eager to take on global and local challenges and make a difference in their communities. Through hands-on projects and service, they put that commitment into practice before they ever arrive on a college campus. 

Marist joined the Davis UWC Scholars Program in 2025, becoming one of more than 100 U.S. partner colleges and universities.

The program provides need-based scholarship funding to partner schools for up to four years, supplementing the aid students receive from Marist.

Connecting Marist to UWC
One of the first UWC graduates to commit to Marist, Ananya Andrade '28, from India, knew about Poughkeepsie through an aunt who lives in the area. Childhood visits during the holiday season left an impression.

“I remembered seeing the Christmas tree and being absolutely obsessed with it,” Ananya said.

Years later, a Marist admission counselor visited her UWC campus. Although Marist was not yet a Davis partner, Ananya applied and is now double majoring in economics and media studies and production. 

Ananya helped pave the path for the coming cohorts of scholars coming to Marist.

"Marist gives you so many ways to get involved that it's easy to find your place and carry on what you started at UWC,” Ananya said. “You'll find UWC students everywhere on campus, leading clubs, rowing, singing in the choir, serving in student government, and overall making a difference here."

A Global Mission
Every UWC graduate who enrolls at a partner school is recognized as a Davis UWC Scholar. With only about 100 partners among the thousands of colleges and universities in the United States, membership places Marist among a select group of institutions.

“Attracting international students who thrive at Marist ties directly to the University's strategic plan, and their perspectives, ideas, and strengths shape the classroom and campus life for everyone,” Giacalone said. "We're trying to create an environment that is going to really build people up and allow them to grow into the humans they want to be.” 

That work often begins far from Poughkeepsie. Giacalone and his team travel the world to meet prospective students, and one of the most rewarding parts of the job, he said, is seeing a brief conversation turn into a student thriving on campus years later.

Sampurna Bose '29 (second from left) with members of the first cohort of UWC students and Marist staff at last year’s UWC Globe Ceremony. Photo courtesy of Joe Giacalone, Marist University Admission.

Building Community
This year's cohort is considerably larger than the first, which included 13 students.

Sampurna Bose '29 has watched that growth up close. A business major from Bangladesh who attended UWC Mahindra in India, Sampurna was part of Marist's first Davis cohort. She also works with the admission office, where she got to know many of this year's scholars as they applied.

"Now it feels more like another small little UWC community," Sampurna said.

Sampurna, too, first heard about Marist when an admission counselor visited her UWC. The campus and the Hudson Valley drew her in, along with the business program's internships and professional connections.

So did Marist's ties to its alumni, which reminded her of the lasting bonds among UWC graduates.

Her advice to new scholars is to build on that bond without being limited by it.

"Meet new people, always try to go out with them, grab a snack with them, try to connect with them," Sampurna said.

Khayzzer is already finding that balance. Meeting other UWC graduates on the first day of orientation brought an instant connection.

"There's this sort of familiarity, and having those shared experiences with them, shared values that we got from the UWC," Khayzzer said. "It makes me feel less homesick, and it makes me feel more welcome in this community."

At UWC, Khayzzer made a point of stepping outside of her comfort zone to explore new opportunities, and plans to do the same at Marist, both on campus and abroad.

A Tiny Part of the World
Before receiving his own globe, Alex Pirverdyan '30 had seen them in the hands of UWC peers at universities across the United States. A business administration major from Armenia who attended UWC Dilijan, Alex sees it as a reminder of what the scholarship makes possible.

"To have this globe means to have a tiny part of the world inside your hands, and to always remember to be grateful for the opportunities," he said.