Jack White, head of Mississippi State’s honors program, is now taking on an additional title: Director of the Office of Distinguished External Scholarships. White will be in charge of helping students prepare applications for prestigious, post-graduate scholarships, such as the Rhodes, Goldwater, Truman, Marshall, Rotary, and USA Today.
“I see my role as an advisory, rather than an administrative one,” White said. “We want to support and assist students who exhibit the initiative to learn about and pursue scholarship opportunities. Mississippi State has had an outstanding success rate in helping its students earn many prominent scholarships, and I hope to continue that tradition.”
Any student who is interested in furthering his or her education can work with White to build an impressive resume and enhance the communication skills that are necessary to be competitive for these scholarships. White said he would like to see students work with the Distinguished Scholarships Office when they are freshman and sophomores, so that they can take advantage of the resources available to them early on in their student careers.
“We want to create a network of highly capable and qualified students who can encourage and challenge each other,” White said. “We want to assist each student with his or her individual goals, but we also want to coordinate group programs that will increase their professional capabilities. Some of these include practice interviews, independent study opportunities, lessons on business attire and decorum, and lectures from Mississippi State alumni who are former scholarship recipients.”
“There is definitely a need for this type of program,” Josh Blades, sophomore, said. “Dr. White is the kind of faculty member who cares enough about students to do the job well.”
Many students responded in the same manner, citing Dr. White’s commitment to students and the university.
“I have had the opportunity to work with Dr. White on the Honors Council, and he is exceptionally dedicated to students,” Smith Lilley, a sophomore, said. “I am confident he will do an excellent job.”
Many students did see a need for the Office of Distinguished External Scholarships to coordinate its efforts with other organizations on campus. White said he is planning on incorporating various scholarly groups, student organizations and academic departments into his program of recruiting and preparing scholarship candidates.
“Many times, the faculty members are our strongest and most direct link to qualified students, who may lack the confidence or initiative to pursue these scholarship opportunities,” White said. “Our faculty are instrumental in encouraging bright students, who may otherwise be oblivious to their talents and the opportunities available to them.”
The office provides much-needed resources to students who are interested in post-graduate study and are capable of competing for prestigious national and international scholarships.
“Even if our students are unsuccessful in attaining a scholarship, there will have been a valuable enhancement of learning, and what else can you ask for?” White said with a smile.