By: Jolie Winemiller ’18
The LVC recipients of the Allwein Scholarship spent their spring break across the Atlantic Ocean in Ireland to learn about new cultures and grow closer to one another.
The John Bowman Allwein Scholarship is a full-tuition scholarship awarded to a select few of incoming freshmen. The upcoming graduation in May 2018 marks the first of the Allwein scholars to graduate from LVC. For the seniors’ final spring break, the Allwein scholars from each class traveled to Ireland.
Andrew Meglathery, a senior actuarial science major, is among in the first graduating class of Allwein scholars and organized the trip.
“I wanted to do something as a group now that we had four years worth of Allwein scholars,” Meglathery said. “[Through the trip] I realized the potential for the Allwein scholars to be greater than just a collection of students who have the same scholarship.”
Twelve of the eighteen Allwein scholars attended the trip; the group traveled to Dublin and Galway in the Republic of Ireland and Belfast in Northern Ireland.
“I grew closer to my fellow Allweins while also learning about Irish culture and history,” Nicole Flohr, freshman global studies and politics major and Allwein scholar, said. “One of my favorite moments was walking along the coastline in Galway with the whole group because it was so beautiful and relaxing, especially after traveling from Dublin.”
Along with the full-tuition, the Allwein scholars are awarded a $2,500 stipend for research, travel and study expenses. The scholarship encourages students to study abroad, participate in internships and conduct research outside of the classroom.
“This trip helped us become more global citizens,” Garrett Santis, a sophomore chemistry ACS major and Allwein scholar, said. “As the wish of Dr. Allwein, he wanted students at LVC to be ready for the global world he got to be a part of, and in our travels, our experiences, and future stipend uses, we are getting this very well needed skill that cannot be taught in front of a classroom.”
The trip was an opportunity for the recipients of the scholarship to come together before the graduating seniors move on to their next chapter.
“Through LVC I was able to travel abroad with so many of my close friends,” Austin Cassatt, a freshman biology major and Allwein scholar, said. “I’ve always wanted to go abroad and the trip exposed me to a completely new culture and experience that I never could have imagined.”
Santis added to the importance of the relationships between the students.
“Going into the trip, I knew less than half the Allwein scholars, but now, we have learned from each other, grown off of each other and don’t want to leave each other,” Santis said
“We can be a community, a network, and a family,” Meglathery said.
The Allwein scholars are expected to continue the memory of John Bowman Allwein and his legacy. The first class of Allwein scholars will continue that legacy when they graduate in May.