The Donald & Virginia MacLellan International Scholarship was established in 2017 by dedicated Marist alumnus Kevin MacLellan ’89 and his husband, Brian Curran. Created in memory of Kevin’s parents, the scholarship seeks to help undergraduate students focus on academic, personal, and professional development through an intercultural, study abroad experience. This scholarship is only offered during the spring semester.

The youngest of eight children, Kevin was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York.  While a student at Marist, he was strongly encouraged to study abroad by then director of the Marist Abroad Program, Dr. Jeptha Lanning. Dr. Lanning's careful guidance and dogged persistence led Kevin to study for a year in the United Kingdom; an experience that he would later describe as life-changing. It was while he was abroad that Kevin realized that the world was so much larger and more diverse than the life he knew in Brooklyn. Kevin cites his abroad experience as a key factor in his career success, much of which has been internationally focused. Today, Kevin and his family reside in London, England where Kevin serves as Chairman of NBCUniversal Global Distribution and International. He and Brian created this scholarship to afford other Marist students the vital opportunities and experiences associated with studying abroad.

Criteria for the Scholarship

Students interested in applying for The Donald & Virginia MacLellan International Scholarship are required to submit a personal statement of purpose (500-word maximum) to the following question:

• "How will studying abroad contribute to your academic, personal, and professional development?"

Applicants must be in good academic standing with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 and have demonstrated financial need as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Scholarships will be awarded by Marist Abroad and the Office of Student Financial Services, in close consultation with the donor. Up to three awards will be offered. This scholarship is only available to spring semester abroad applicants. A listing of the abroad experiences available through this scholarship is included below.**

• Argentina, Buenos Aires - SIT: Buenos Aires - Social Movements and Human Rights
• Australia, Byron Bay - SIT: Australia - Sustainability and Environmental Action
• Australia, Deakin - Deakin University Direct Enrollment
• Australia, Queensland - KEI: Griffith University
• Australia, Sydney - Macquarie University Direct Enrollment
• Chile, Santiago - SIT: Chile - Comparative eduation and Social Change
• China, Beijing - KEI: Beijing - University of International Business and Economics (UIBE)
• China, Hong Kong - Hong Kong Polytechnic University Fashion Program
• Costa Rica, Atenas - SFS: Atenas - Sustainable Development Studies
• Cuba, Havana - API: Havana - Cuban and Caribbean Studies Program
• Czech Republic, Prague - CIEE: Prague - Multiple programs
• England, Birmingham - Aston Business School Exchange Program
• England, Canterbury - University of Kent at Canterbury Exchange Program in Biological Sciences
• Germany, Reutlingen - Reutlingen University Business Exchange Program
• India, Pune – KEI: Pune - Symbiosis International University
• Ireland, Cork - University College Cork Direct Enrollment
• Ireland, Galway - API: Galway - National University of Ireland Direct Enrollment
• Japan, Akita - Akita International University Exchange Program
• Morocco, Rabat - SIT: Morocco - Field Studies in Journalism and New Media
• Mulit-Country - SIT: Multi-Country - Climate Change: The Politics of Food, Water, and Energy
• Multi-Country - SIT: Multi-Country - Social Innovation: Entrepreneurship, Design, and Development
• New Zealand, Auckland - IES: Auckland - University of Auckland Direct Enrollment
• New Zealand, Christchurch - University of Canterbury
• Russisa, Moscow - KEI: Moscow - Moscow State University
• Samoa, Apia - SIT: Samoa - Pacific Communities and Social Change
• Scotland, Fife - University of St. Andrews Direct Enrollment
• Senegal, Dakar - SIT: Senegal - Global Security and Religious Pluralism
• South Africa, Cape Town - CIEE: Cape Town - Multiple programs
• Spain, Madrid - Marist Madrid: Universidad Carlos III de Madrid - Spanish Track
• Tanzania, Arusha - SIT: Tanzania - Wildlife Conservation and Political Ecology
• Thailand, Bangkok - KEI: Thailand - Mahidol University International College (MUIC)
• Uganda, Kampala - SIT: Uganda - Development Studies

**Students hoping to study abroad in a country not listed above are encouraged to submit an additional essay/petition for consideration, discussing both the country and specific university of interest. 

Application

To be considered for The Donald and Virginia MacLellan International Scholarship, applicants must:

1. complete a study abroad application.
2. submit an additional Statement of Purpose (500-word maximum) to the following question: "How will studying abroad contribute to your academic, personal, and professional development?"
3. submit a signed MacLellan FERPA One-time Release to demonstrate financial aid.

Statements of Purpose and the FERPA One-time Release should be sent to international@marist.edu in a single email. The final deadline for consideration for the MacLellan scholarship is the corresponding semester abroad application deadline. Applicants are encouraged to submit their application materials well-ahead of time. Applications are reviewed by committee after the application deadline. The Donald and Virginia MacLellan International Scholarship is only offered to students attending the spring semester abroad.

In memory of Lorien Niniel Kimlin who died tragically in a car accident in 1998 and her father Howard Robert Kimlin who passed peacefully at home in 2021, family and friends have established a scholarship to keep their memories alive. This scholarship has been made possible by the generosity of donations received from Dynegy Inc. and its employees, residents of surrounding counties, friends and family. Lorien was a student at Dutchess Community College who in addition to having a love of art and a talent for ceramics, studied foreign language and was majoring in International Business. At the time of her death, she was looking forward to continuing her studies in Spain. Lorien’s ultimate goal in life was to someday work for the United Nations where she hoped to make a contribution to promoting peace between all nations. Her father Howard shared in her love for art, supported her desire for international travel, and looked forward to her future of promoting peace with the United Nations. This scholarship was established to give students who recognize the intrinsic value of learning about other cultures a chance to do such.

The scholarship will be awarded to a student attending either Marist University or Dutchess, Orange or Ulster Community College who plans to study Art, International Business, or the Spanish language abroad in Spain for a semester or program. The applicant must have graduated from a Dutchess, Orange or Ulster County high school. 

The Freeman-Asia program is designed to support U.S.-based undergraduates with demonstrated financial need who are planning to study abroad in East or Southeast Asia. The program's goal is to increase the number of U.S. citizens and permanent residents with first-hand exposure to and understanding of Asia and its peoples and cultures. 

The Gilman Scholarship program is an undergraduate grant program for U.S. citizens of limited financial means to enable them to study abroad, thereby internationalizing their outlook and better preparing them to thrive in the global economy. This program is sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State. 

An initiative of the National Security Education Program, Boren Scholarships provide funding opportunities for U.S. undergraduate students to study less commonly taught languages in world regions critical to U.S. interests, and underrepresented in study abroad. Applicants are highly motivated individuals who wish to work in the federal national security arena. In exchange for funding, Boren Scholars commit to working in the federal government for at least one year after graduation. 

Students studying abroad who are in the Department of World Languages and Cultures are eligible for endowed scholarships specific to language study which can apply to either on-campus or abroad study. Interested students should review the options on the Modern Languages Scholarships page, and on the Marist Student Financial Services page.