Two Stanford students named 2020 Marshall Scholars

Stanford students Erica Scott and Mustafa Fattah are recipients of the 2020 Marshall Scholarship. Next year, they will relocate to the United Kingdom to pursue graduate degrees in a field of their choice.

Scott and Fattah are among 46 American college students from across the country selected this year for the award, which provides financial support for up to three years of graduate study in any field at a university of their choice.

The Marshall Scholarship was established to strengthen the relationship between the British and American peoples, governments and institutions. In their pursuit of graduate degrees, Marshall Scholars enhance their intellectual and personal growth through Britain’s best academic programs. The award is named for former U.S. Secretary of State and Army Gen. George Marshall, who formulated the Marshall Plan to aid economic development in Western Europe after World War II.

Erica Scott (Image credit: Alex Kekauoha)

Erica Scott, ’20, of Miami, Florida, is majoring in international relations with a focus on the Middle East and Central Asia and minoring in economics and modern languages (French and Arabic.) Her honors thesis examines how multicultural societies grapple with the tension between diversity and national identity.

After graduating from Stanford next spring, Scott will pursue master’s degrees in Nationalism Studies at the University of Edinburgh and in Near and Middle Eastern Studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) at the University of London. Scott said she applied for the scholarship because it offered the opportunity to study at institutions with unique programs while experiencing life overseas.

“It is such an honor to be a Marshall Scholar,” Scott said. “I’m incredibly excited about the programs I’ve chosen, but I’m even more excited to learn about U.K. politics, culture and society over the next two years, which will be the longest period of time I’ve lived outside the U.S.”

Scott serves as president of the Associated Students of Stanford University (ASSU) and is chair of the Board of Directors for Stanford Student Enterprises, the financial branch of ASSU. In the latter role, she is leading an initiative to incorporate social and environmental considerations into the ASSU’s investment practices.

Scott is eager to relocate to the United Kingdom and says she’s grateful for the support from her friends, family and mentors during the application and interview process.

“I’m extremely lucky to have had some amazing people in my corner, particularly the staff at Bechtel’s Overseas Resource Center,” she said.

Mustafa Fattah (Image credit: Alex Kekauoha)

Mustafa Fattah, ’20, is a Stanford coterminal student from San Ramon, California. Next spring, he will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in human biology and a master’s degree in bioengineering.

“My focus has been on neuroscience, specifically on imaging neurodevelopmental disorders, and I can’t wait to expand the scope of my neuroscience knowledge through the Marshall Scholarship,” Fattah said.

After completing his Stanford studies, Fattah will build on his undergraduate studies by pursuing a master’s degree in neuroscience at Cambridge University. He said he applied for the Marshall Scholarship to engage with scholars in the U.K. and broaden his worldview.

“I am very humbled and honored to have been selected for this scholarship and can’t wait to join the cohort,” Fattah said. “I could not have done it without the support of everyone who helped me along the way, including the wonderful staff at the Overseas Resource Center, especially Diane Murk, John Pearson and Elsa Gontrum.”

Stanford students interested in overseas scholarships and Stanford faculty interested in nominating students for such awards should contact Diane Murk, manager of the Overseas Resource Center at dmurk@stanford.edu, of the Bechtel International Center.