UO one of three schools selected to expand their Stamps Scholars Program
Sage Kiernan-Sherrow, UO Advancement Writer and Rosie Martin, UO Advancement Communications Associate
The University of Oregon will again double the number of Stamps Scholars starting fall 2024
Executive Director of the Stamps Scholars Program Randy McDow knew that the University of Oregon was a special place the first time he set foot on campus in 2013. Ten years later, the UO-Stamps partnership is expanding for the second time, with an additional $11.3 million in funding that will increase the scholarship capacity to twenty students each year.
“We always internally try and arm wrestle to see who gets to interview the UO students because they’re always so interesting,” McDow says. “They love life. They’re engaged. They’re doing neat things. They give you so much confidence about the future of our country.”
Founded by E. Roe Stamps and his late wife Penny in 2006, the Stamps Scholars Program helps exceptional students across the nation forge their own paths and become community leaders. The UO is one of just thirty-five schools chosen by the Stamps Scholars Program as partners—and the only one on the west coast. UO Stamps Scholars receive full coverage of their tuition and fees, are awarded up to $12,000 in enrichment funds, secure automatic placement in the Clark Honors College (CHC), and gain access to an ever-growing network of fellow Stamps Scholars and alumni. Oregon resident students also qualify for having their room and board fees covered by the scholarship.
The decision to expand the program was made in part because of Oregon’s reputation as a flagship university, but ultimately it was the students themselves who convinced McDow and the Stamps Scholars Program to increase funding. McDow recalls once asking a UO tour guide which degree was considered the most rigorous. Her answer? English.
“I just love that it wasn't STEM,” McDow says. “It was like, ‘we take things seriously here and things are tough because we want you to be good at them’. I think we see that our objectives are very much aligned with Oregon's objectives. They want to go after the very best students that they can. They want to support them. They're willing to commit the financial resources to have a program of this size and stature.”
Carol Stabile, dean of the CHC, says that the expansion is monumental for student success and accessibility. Stamps scholarships allow students to take classes full-time, without the financial pressures of paying tuition and fees and without incurring debt. Plus, there’s that added benefit of enrichment funding.
“The enrichment funding is amazing,” Stabile says. “Many [Scholars] use it to study abroad, others use it for internships. It gives them resources so that they can enhance their college experience.”
Part of the college experience for Stamps Scholars includes connecting with peers from other partner schools via regional conferences and conventions, as well as with each other. At the UO, this results in a tight-knit and supportive cohort. Not only is it an unspoken rule that the current Scholars take incoming freshmen under their wings, but they also share ideas and collaborate on projects. Faculty are equally likely to introduce Stamps recipients to world-class opportunities for undergraduate research, field work, and other formative experiences.
"I think we see that our objectives are very much aligned with Oregon's objectives. They want to go after the very best students that they can. They want to support them. They're willing to commit the financial resources to have a program of this size and stature.”
–Randy McDow (executive director of the Stamps Scholar Program)
Michelle Holdway, associate director for scholarships at the UO office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships says that one of her favorite parts of her job is seeing everyone across campus come together in support of the Stamps Scholars Program.
“A kind of magic happens,” Holdway says. “The community is the cherry on top of the program.”
Yet the community would not exist without the work of faculty and staff across campus who have been championing the success of the Stamps Scholars Program since its inception. McDow, Holdway, and Stabile all note that this expansion was only possible because of UO’s incredible team of development and financial aid officers as well as those advancing student success and enrollment such as Jenn Parker and Jim Brooks. The group works on everything together from recruitment, to interviewing prospective students, to hosting events.
“This work is quite intensive because of the way we do it, because of the competitive nature of the program,” Holdway says, “We've risen to the challenge. The students have come and been successful. They've gone to graduate in the time frame that we would hope. And they're doing great things.”
UO Stamps Scholar accomplishments run the gamut, from being featured in TeenVogue to becoming Fulbright Scholars. The Stamps Scholars Program helps exceptional students pursue their passions, and this most recent expansion will allow more Ducks to chase after what they love and make the most of their college experiences.
“I am often reminded of the wonderful Stamps Scholars, who have come to the UO and distinguished themselves while on campus and then after graduation,” says Roger Thompson, vice president for Student Services and Enrollment Management. “I am extremely proud of our program and this most recent expansion represents a vote in confidence from the Stamps Scholars Program for the progress we have made since we enrolled that first class of five students more than a decade ago.”
38
Current Stamps Scholars
$3.5 Million +
Awarded To The Program In The Last Ten Years
36
Stamps Scholar Alumni
Student Stories
Stamps Scholars are not just driven—they're hardworking, curious, and community-oriented. To be accepted into the Stamps Scholars Program, candidates go through a rigorous interview process, one in which they must prove they exemplify three pillars: scholarship, leadership, and community. Stamps Scholars then live out these values during their time on campus.
“They don't just bring high GPAs. They bring this dedication to service and commitment to leading for change that I think is so impressive,” Stabile says.
Every single Stamps Scholar has a story, which expands once they become a Duck. Some become researchers, others are athletes, but all of them are family thanks to the Stamps Scholars Program. At the time of this publication, there are thirty-eight Stamps Scholars making a difference across campus. The following five are leaders who have taken full advantage of the Stamps Scholars Program's resources to pursue unique opportunities and set themselves up for success after graduation.
Testimonials: The UO’s first five Stamps Scholars graduated in 2017. Find out how three of them used their UO education to chart their own courses over the past seven years.
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Around the O — Expansion makes UO's Stamps Scholarship twice as nice
UO Clark Honors College — Who are the CHC Stamps Scholars?
UO Clark Honors College — Stamps Scholars find abundance of opportunity